Delta III with DM-F3 Payload

[jparenti]

I’ve had this one on the pile for years and just now got around to it. I always liked the Delta III despite its reputation as somewhat of a failed experiment but when Erik te Groen’s website was still around I downloaded it along with the Delta II models and saved it until now.

The only external modification I did was adding sharper versions of the Boeing and Delta III logos to the model before I printed it. But I like complicating models slightly when I build them.

[jparenti]

Every rocket model needs a payload I think
I read up on what the Delta III carried and focused on the final flight that was the only (partially) successful launch. The rocket carried a “payload simulator” referred to as DM-F3. It was an instrumented dummy satellite made of steel and aluminum intended to be dynamically similar to a Hughes HS-601 satellite. It was described as “spool-shaped” in one article so I started digging for pictures of the thing. I found some that are pretty low resolution but got the basic idea across. Yep, it’s a spool. It’s painted with alternating white and black so it could be used for optical studies.

[jparenti]

I measured the model parts and drew up an approximation of the simulator and the payload adapter. (I feel like the adapter was a little off in dimensions but I went with it for now.) I also modified the kit parts to make the payload shroud separate at the right spot so I can show off the payload in place.

All in all it was a quick little project but it shows that Erik’s models are still getting some mileage (copyright on the model parts is 2003, so 21 years so far!)

[sreinmann]

Great build Jan. Erik had some great designs.

[ReynoldsSlumber]

Very cool! Love the look of all those solid fuel boosters.

Wish there was a legitimate central repository of old papercraft plans, so that we don't have to hunt around on the Wayback Machine and cross our fingers that it crawled the PDF or else search the far reaches of the Internet and research whether a current site is hosting the files legitimately. Any librarians/curators out there who'd like to take on card model plans?