Monogram Shuttle Stack

[Wombat]

Originally Posted by LastBattlestar

No worries, I'll start cutting 15,000 microscopic serial number masks tonight. Won't take long.

I was thinking about the blanket textures again, maybe a satin paint of slightly varying shades might replicate the texture? You'd still have to do a crapload of masking, but I've learnt to never underestimate your skills on a tough project.

Mike

I think you'll need to cut a few more than that,don't forget the white tiles have them markings as well.Hell if ya gonna go to th etrouble i might as well build a Challenger orbiter,it was more like 40,000 i think.

You know,i like the look of the tape although i'll wanna see what it looks like after primer and paint.This one is not really what i can build mate in the way of having it look realistic,not many i have seen have been either.I found a link to one build that had used some sort of tape,maybe even surgical and it looked PFG to be honest with ya and gives me ideas,a lot of time consuming ideas at that.

Originally Posted by Refit1701

Are you trying to get a texture on the SRB's now? I lost track somewhere. I know you're discussing the shuttle tile details and all that scribing you're gonna be doing!

Nah mate,Mike was just going back to the shuttle blanket texture and maybe another way of getting the look.Still not sure that i'll go all that way with the tape and all them tiles,but i haven't said i won't yet either.

Have you seen one of those 4D shuttles at all by any chance.If so how did it look in the way of being accurate in it's profile.I thought about even getting one of those and just painting that up if it was more accurate than the kit shuttle.Maybe an expensive way of doing it but if it looked better in the first place i'd consider looking into it perhaps.Hell,then i'd have more time to make tiles and blanket patches also i guess? LOL

[Lord Darth Beavis]

Wombat, have you thought about Cutting Edge Decals' tile decals? Also, you may want to try contacting JBGroby at SSM. He did a shuttle in tape, and IIRC, wound up scribing the tile decal on the bottom, or at least used the decals. Dunno if they have a set of decals for Atlantis, though.

[BB43MAN]

For the shuttle thermal blankets try craft paper. Hobby Lobby sells textured craft paper that has the exact same hatchwork at the real blankets. Each side of the paper sheet has a different texture so, you could mix and match. Just cut with scissors and viola! It's what I'm using on my 1/72 shuttle study model. I've attached some close up pics. See how that works out. Oh, and the yellowish color is just from my desk lamp. The paper in question is stark white.

[Refit1701]

That's a great idea!!

[Wombat]

Thanks for the input guy's.Been away for a bit and this one is back on hold again but i like the look of that BB.As John said,thats a great idea!!
This will be the same as the tape in that all tiles would need to be done in styrene i guess to make up the thickness of the paper still.A lot of work but it would be worth it for an authentic look.

Are there any pictures of how it looks on your study model there BB?

[JMChladek]

Wow, looks like a joined just in time to see this great Monogram build come together. I've done two of these kits. One was done as the STS-117 Atlantis stack and it is now on display at the Strategic Air & Space Museum near Ashland, NE. The second one I finished this past year and it was customized and done as Moonraker 6 (it sits on my TV now).

Wombat, I love what you have done thus far mate! Your ET tank color looks very good and I love the PAL and Bipod ramps that you added to the ET as well. It is one of the best ETs I've ever seen done from that kit.

The craft paper idea is a very nice one and I may have a go at it myself. I've seen the tape method used and it can work, but the edges for the AFRSI blankets tend to shed. One thing that helps minimize the shedding is to brush on a thinned down white glue mixture over the top before cutting and that tends to help the tape keep its shape. The tricky bit with doing AFRSI though is there is a beveled edge step on the FRSI blankets on the fuselage where they meet with the AFRSI (the wings don't seem to have that). Only way I can think of to maybe represent that step is to putty those areas and sand to shape. I've I ever do a blanketed shuttle model, I may use a thinner weave paper or cloth to represent the thinner FRSI material.

BTW, if you haven't worked on the back end of the orbiter yet, you might want to acquire a new set of the Fisher resin engine bells.

http://fishermodels.com/?mainURL=/st...pacecraft.html

They are brand new and I had a hand in the research on these (and coming up with fixes for a couple minor detail issues which have been incorporated into the production line). They are designed to fit the Revell kit, but they can easily be added to the Monogram full stack kit as well. The rear RCS modules have incredible detail on them, complete with simulated tile and AFRSI detail.

[youngtiger1]

I hope you guys won't mind me digging up an old thread cause I want to know what else has happen to the models. Was it completed?

Wombat, your work on this model is awesome. I have the same kit in revell box and going to build it someday but reading this thread I already pick-up some super ideas from you work like the textured craft paper...genius!! simple yet perfect. Glad I found your WIP.

Mike

[Wombat]

Thank you and sorry for the late reply, Mike.

This one is still awaiting me to get back to it. I didn't go any further with it and is still how it was when last posted. All the extras i purchased for this and books for reference never landed down here. A little issue with having the items forwarded there was. At this stage i have no intentions of getting back on it anytime soon bnut maybe one day i will.

[Vidar710]

My best friend won 2nd place behind a beautiful cut-a-way V-2 with his Shuttle stack. The method he used to create the blanket detail was to airbrush thinned Testors body filler into framed strip styrene representing blanket boundaries, then scribed in the blanket textures with a Zimerat tool.

Awesome results!

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