space shuttle Atlantis / Betexa / 1:72

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The RCS system is completed

[jparenti]

You are brave to do the RCS thrusters. I never could get mine to work when i did the Fortezza shuttle. Doing the inner layer of the windows was a masterful stroke, too. I can't wait to see how this one turns out.
(I wish this model was still available!)

[Bengt Fredén]

I second that, jparenti,

This shuttle model will be one for the books. I love those beautiful and realistic-looking cockpit windows. And, we have already seen the complex interior that is hidden behind them . . .
A breathtaking masterpiece in the making.

Keep up the good work, wedge,
Bengt

[wedge]

Thank you both . It is always pleasure to read yours posts people
There is the nose ready. It isn´t perfect , but it isn´t the worst one I´ve decidet to paint it with the akvarel to imitate the scorch

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Finaly I have some time , so i can continue with Atlantis. Unfortunately it growes very slowly The wings are almoust completed

[Bengt Fredén]

Hi wedge,

Looking very good!
You have achieved a perfect round shape of the leading edges of the wings - this is one of the important things that contribute to a 'proper' look of a space shuttle orbiter model. This is a very neat build. Thanks for sharing.

Keep up the good work.
All the best,
Bengt

[wedge]

Thank you Bengt , this is only the first step. The wings will be much more better(i hope) when I put into this "skin" the "skeleton" . It is very hard paper and if you want to bend it , it is going to break

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the skeleton is almoust ready

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Another progress ... I have a small problem with geometry , but I can handle it with force

[Bengt Fredén]

Hi wedge,

That is an ingenious solution! It looks very good now - the proper 'thick' airfoil of the space shuttle orbiter wing, and straight, too.

You are doing an exemplary job of this model build. Keep up the good work.

All the best from Stockholm,
Bengt

[jparenti]

It looks like you managed to get past the point that always screwed me up on the Fortezza shuttle. This is turning out to be a very good model. Great work!
Are you going to go ahead and build the Magellan probe anyway, even though you're modeling a closed payload bay? I have only seen a couple pics of how it looks from the website, so I wanted to see how it would turn out.

[wedge]

Thank you guys. Sometimes I want to trample it With the Magelan I´m not sure yet , maybe when I can put it into some diorama , but I have no ideas what diorama it should be. Do you have some Ideas ???Maybe I can use the payload bay , but I want something special Don´t know what

[Bengt Fredén]

Hello wedge,

There are some really nice and very detailed alternatives for a payload on the MARSCENTER homepage in Italy - check ot the 'Destiny' or 'Quest' models (and Manuals) at the bottom of this page: Home Page di MARS Center -= Microgravity Advanced Research and Support Center =-

How about the US 'Destiny' lab for the International Space Station? It is quite easy to build (a rolled tube, basically) and it was in fact delivered by the Atlantis orbiter on mission STS-98 in 2001. And so was the 'Quest' airlock, on mission STS-104!
The MARSCENTER model is excellent and very detailed. This model (by Dr. Raimondo Fortezza) is in 1:100 scale, but if you can up-scale it to A3 size instead of A4 size, you automatically get about 1:72 scale! This is in fact what I have done, to be able to do a 'kit-bash' of both the MARSCENTER and the BETEXA models.

Refer to AXM Paper Space Scale Models for the STS-98 or STS-104 flights with space shuttle Atlantis: Download page 4
Furthermore, if you want a somewhat simpler model (with fewer parts), you can up-scale the AXM Destiny model.
This is what the AXM Destiny model looks like in the payload bay of Alphonso´s fine Atlantis shuttle model:



And this is a comparison of the MARSCENTER and AXM Atlantis orbiter models, with the ISS Destiny lab module:



Good luck with your new payload build!
All the best from Stockholm,
Bengt

[wedge]

Thank you bengt very much , but i don´t have a problem with payload bay (I´m not going to build it) but with the Magelan probe What to do with it if I don´t want put it into trash bin But thank´s for your interest

[Bengt Fredén]

Hi again, wedge,

I suggest that you build it after you have completed your fine Atlantis model. The Magellan model is a very fine model in it´s own right. You could then display ot on a stand as a separate model, with a small plaque with the launch date, mission number, mission objective, etc.

With the Atlantis in flight version, or landed (with the landing gear extracted, and perhaps the two brake flaps in position?), this would make a fine diorama of the two spacecraft models.

Bengt