Leo's Saturn V

[Mechanic]

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Well. It's been a while since I did a build posting. I have been dealing with several computer issues, a hard drive failure probably the biggest, but MS One Drive compounding those issues, and then multiplying that with some serious procrastinating. I did start building this before the computer issues started, so I've got some catching up with these posts to where the build currently is. I've lost access to tons of pictures (that supposedly still exist) on what is now my 'D' drive. I've still got most , if not all, of the Saturn V pics on my phone. Hopefully I'll learn how to retrieve what is on the 'd' drive . . .

Ever since I was led to Leo's Saturn 1B, I couldn't help notice that he did a Saturn V that was available as well. But the price, along with shipping, made it a bit prohibitive. But it gnawed at me and gnawed at me, so much so that I finally couldn't resist and ordered it. Opening up the package I was as impressed as I was when I got the Saturn 1B. Everything was in excellent shape. The first thing I had to do was to reduce the rocket from 1/33 to 1/48th. I literally have no space I could put a 1/33 model in. I know from building Greelt's, that a 1/48th will fit within an inch or two of the ceiling. The next order of business was glueing the first batch of twenty-four formers together to the proper thickness. Using poster board, I managed to do it with four layers. Previously I've just done this with white glue with smaller pieces and just a couple of layers, but I don't think four layers of larger parts would work so well, so I tried making my laminated parts with Super 77 this time. They turned out so much better than white glue! Cutting the formers out of this thickness, not so much fun.

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[Siwi]

Downscaled perhaps, but not until the final photo did I appreciate just how big this is going to be.

[Mechanic]

Back when I built Alan Rose' Saturn V at 1/60th, I thought that was huge! At 1/48th a Saturn V has a nice heft to it. As the first stage comes together it already starts to put Leo's 1B into perspective.

The stage segments go together fairly well. At this size the swelling from the glue is really noticeable (this is a little foreshadowing). Being more familiar with Leo's designs, I'm ready for putting my own tabs and supports in. I'll also note the base segment has a double thick skin but the rest of the way up is only doubled thick at the formers. As it gets bigger I feel like the skin is too thin and I have to be a little more careful handling it.

I put the stabilising fins together but decided to set them aside for time being because I was afraid I'd knock them off too easily. The tank dome came together well. I used just a few tabs instead of the joiner strips so I could glue the gores a little at a time. I love how the plumbing lines up with the features on the skin. Lastly, putting the bracing for the engine fairings. I used 1/16" x 1/16" spruce sticks. Reviewing the pictures right just now I realized I still haven't put on the little bucket scoop/mixing vanes in the corner of the fairings. I didn't do them at the time because the ones in the kit are, I'm guessing, superseded. Funny enough, Leo did put some curved lines on the fairing where the mixing vanes go.

[Mechanic]

The following pictures were dropped when I hit submit. . .

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[SAustin16]

Love your work Mechanic. Saturn V has always been my favorite vehicle. Watching with great interest. Thank you for posting all your photos.

Bravo!

[Mechanic]

Thanks SAustin16. I love to post the pictures, but writing the text is not my forte. I don't think I do much as far as instructional goes, more of a show and tell vibe hopefully.

Into the F-1 engines. Lots of rings/formers. I think Leo does a bit of over-design on the engines, they are very stout but I like it. Although I think he could have made more detail as far as wiring and tubing goes. This is probable a good place for those who like to add more scratch-built detailing. The layering of the parts looks good and add a nice tactile feel when handling them. As it is, I really like Leo's approach to detailing, getting some of the curved pieces like the injector plates and the gas generator ducting around the nozzle. I absolutely love that he did the interior of the combustion chambers.

I think engines could easily take the weight of the entire rocket, but the thrust structure is not so stout. Leo includes a stand to display, which puts all the weight on the edges of the the rocket body. (I display Greelts' sitting on it's engines. Greelt makes a very nice stand but it makes the overall rocket too tall to fit anywhere in my house.)

Lots of formers and select parts nice and thick, approx. 1mm. Even with cutting out the thick formers, I like putting the engines together. The progression seems to come about a little faster. The gas generator ducting has a few gaps between segments, but most get covered up. Joining the bell to the combustion chamber seems like it would be a weak point but it is strong after drying. It is a little difficult to make the joining nice and square.

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[Mechanic]

A couple more pics to wrap up the main engines. And a few more to finish the 1st stage.

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[dhanners]

Amazing work so far! And yeah, that’s gonna be huge.

One thing, and this is not meant as a criticism…. Everybody loves a detailed F-1 motor; they were marvels of engineering. Looks like Leo did a great job designing them and your build is doing it justice. But every F-1 that ever flew was covered with insulation batting, which protected it from the heat of the neighboring motors and hot recirculated gasses. The age-old question when modeling the Saturn V is do you replicate the plumbing or the insulation? The batting covered all the plumbing and wiring, and not having to build that five times might save some modeling time. (On the flip side, it would take some time to scratchbuild the batting.)

All that is neither here nor there, as you are doing masterful work.

[SAustin16]

David, Good question Sir regarding detail or batting.

I designed very simplified F-1s for my own Saturn Liquid Booster build years ago, and added simple 3d details that I tnen wrapped in aluminum foil (satin side out). They came out rather good for my limited skills, and I really like the look. Being a bit more "historicaly realistic", I thought it was the way to go.

You and Mechanic do an excellent job...keep it up.

[Siwi]

Saturn V is an incredibly inspiring object, what it represents as well as the technical engineering. And this model is shaping up to be a worthy depiction of it. You can already feel the awesome power of the rocket motors seeing them assembled.