Modeling manned and unmanned space exploration
The McDonnell-Douglas Delta II was a multi-stage, medium lift, expendable launch vehicle used from 1989 until 2018. It was used to send payloads to low Earth, geosynchronous, and heliocentric orbits, including the Kepler space telescope, [...]
The Ariane 4 was a three-stage, medium-lift expendable launch vehicle used by the European Space Agency. Designed by the French space agency CNES, it had a successful career spanning 15 years, from 1988 to 2003, during which it became a [...]
They can't all be winners, unfortunately. But you can always learn something along the way. I am not sure whether it was the kit or me, but I ran into issues that I couldn't fix. The fuselage is very thin and flimsy and when I tried to [...]
“After the flight our superiors at NASA let us know in no uncertain terms that non-man-rated corned beef sandwiches were out for future space missions.” – Gus Grissom, Gemini 3 astronaut
Project Gemini was the decisive series of [...]
Since I was a kid, I have been a space program junkie! Mercury, Gemini, Apollo! We all wanted to be astronauts! I "drank the Tang"!
The Gemini step to the moon is a bit unsung. So many technologies and learnings came out of [...]
“I’m a hell of a lot cooler than you guys. Why don’t you fix your little problem and light this candle?”
So remarked Alan Shepard, first American in space, as he sat inside his tiny Mercury capsule on May 5th, 1961, atop a Redstone [...]
1/32 Monogram Apollo Command Service Module
New Ware decals and PE. Resin cockpit, seats, and astronauts. Cut off # 8 bulb glass for clear space helmets. Many detail elements sourced from spares box. Use of multiple types and textures of [...]
This reusable Shuttle concept is a design by Krafft A. Ehricke, a rocket scientist while working for Convair. It dates back to the late fifties, While the craft would never be built,he was correct in the concept, multiple stages for the [...]
I am the ghost of Christmas past...
It’s been three or four years since I posted anything here, mainly because I don’t build models anymore.
That said, for reasons still unclear to me, I decided to build a 1:100 model of the ISS in [...]
I picked this up and started building as a distraction and what I thought would be a simple build.
The kit is superb. The escape tower needs a little forethought and patience but the photoetch was a nightmare to get off the sprue and [...]
