Rec.Models.Rockets FAQ
(Frequently Asked Questions)
Part 7: Scale Modeling
Posted: April 14, 1997
Last modified: April 14, 1997
NOTE: This section was originally edited for the FAQ by Bob Biedron, the
1992 FAI World Champion scale spacemodeler. It has since been
edited by others, including Buzz McDermott and Peter Alway.
Opinions expressed in this section should not be taken as those of
Bob, and should be considered a composite work of submitters to this
section in general, and not endorsements by any one of the editors/
submitters. A special thanks goes to Peter Alway for extensive
editing and additions to the Nov, 1995, updates to this section.
7.1 I would like to make a scale model of the <??> rocket. Where do I
start looking for technical data, dimensions, flight substantiation
data, etc.?
A great place to start looking would be Peter Alway's book of scale data,
"Rockets of the World." This book was first published in 1993. A second
edition was published (hard cover only) in 1995. This book is a reference
collection of scale data assembled specifically for modelers. Peter also
has another book, "The Art of Scale Model Rocketry." This book is
describes scale modeling techniques, and includes limited scale data. It
also includes model plans and an index of scale data sources.
See Part 2 of the FAQ for address information.
Those wanting to construct detailed models may need additional data.
This usually presents something of a problem. Back issues of
"Sport Rocketry" and "American Spacemodeling" are a source of scale
information and detailed data. The old "Model Rocketry" and "Model
Rocketeer" also had a number of articles over the years. The last
three magazines are no longer in print. With the exception of articles
in AmSpam and SRM after 1990, all photos in the above mentioned magazines
are black and white.
If none of the above sources contain data on the prototype that you
want to build, or if you require more data than is found in these
sources, then two routes are open. First, ask around - someone may
already have data on the prototype that you seek. Many (most?) people
collect data without actually ever building a model. Others never get
around to publishing their data. NASA and the National Air and Space
Museum can be good sources of data (see addresses below). If you still
have no luck in finding the data you need, try writing the manufacturer
directly. The response you get from the manufacturer depends on a couple
of factors. First, your letter must end up on someone's desk who is
sympathetic to your cause and is willing to do some digging in the
archives. Second, the data you request must still exist! - often,
blueprints, photos etc. are thrown away after the manufacturer ceases
to produce the prototype. When writing a manufacturer, be as specific
as possible about the type of data you require, and explain why you
want the material. Peter Alway has further tips for tracking down
data in his book.
There is a surprising amount of scale data out there, from simple
overall configuration drawings to those showing screw/bolt dimensions.
The following list is derived from one Kevin McKiou submitted to this
newsgroup in February of 1992. Peter Alway added to it in November of
1995. It contains the majority of the scale data that has been published
in the model rocket literature to date, as well as listings of the
"private stashes" of a few individuals.
7.2 What are some specific sources for general scale data?
Available from NARTS (price below + 10% standard postage ($1.50 min)):
NARTS
P.O. Box 1482
Saugus, MA 01906
email: narts@nar.org
www: http://www.nar.org/NARTS
Aerobee 350-Full substantiation data with plans, three color
slides, and one b & W slide.
SP-1 $3.50
Aerobee Photos-Four 8 x 10 color photographs of the same Aerobee
350 flight as SP-1. These photos are slightly different views
than those in the SP-1 packets
SP-1A $10.50
ISQY Tomahawk-This packet contains plans, an 8 x 10 B & W photo,
and a history of this single stage sounding rocket which was
developed for the International Year of the Quiet Sun.
SP-2 $4.00
Super Loki Dart-This packet contains complete data including two
8 1/2 x 11 drawings, a label detail sheet, background information-
tion, color documentation, and four 8 x 10 B & W photos.
SP-3 $4.00
Sandhawk-This packet consists of a set of plans, history on the
vehicle, and an 8 x 10 color photograph of the vehicle on its
launcher.
SP-4 $5.00
Scale Data Reduction Sheets-Handy sheets for competition scale
packets. Includes spaces for scale factor, prototype dimensions,
and model dimensions. Set of 10.
SDRS $1.00
"Sport Rocketry Magazine" is the official publication of the National
Association of Rocketry (NAR). The address of the NAR is given else-
where in the FAQ. Prior to October 1993, the journal was titled
"American Spacemodeling". Scale data has been published on the
following:
Razumov-Shtern (w/SpSc model plans) Scale Nov/Dec 1996
Talos Missile Scale Summer 1996
Judi-Robin Balloon Dart Scale May/Jun 1996
Vostok (w/SpSc model plans) Scale Mar/Apr 1996
Hopi-Dart Scale Holiday 1995
Saturn IB Scale Jan/Feb 1995
Raven Scale Oct 1994
Saturn V (Overall view) Scale Aug 1994
N1 (colors) Sport Scale Aug 1994
N1 (dimensions) Sport Scale Jun 1994
Vanguard (B&W photo) Semi-scale Jan/Feb 1993
D-Region Tomahawk (color photos) Scale Jan/Feb 1992
Corporal Sport Scale Sep/Oct 1991
SCUD-B Sport Scale Jul/Aug 1991
Little Joe II-Part 2 (color photos) Scale Jul/Aug 1991
Little Joe II-Part 1 (color photos) Scale May/Jun 1991
Saturn V-Part IV-Apollo Spacecraft Scale Mar/Apr 1991
Saturn V Part III Scale Dec 1989
Saturn V Part II Scale Nov 1989
Saturn V Part I Scale Jul 1989
The Delta Family Album-Pictorial
Guide Sep/Oct 1990
Scout Sept 1988
Juno 1 Scale Jan 1988
Nike-Hercules Scale Aug 1984
"Rockets of the World: Second Edition"
by Peter Alway. 384 pages, hard cover.
THE DEFINITIVE SCALE MODELERS' GUIDE. Currently in print. See Part
2 of this FAQ for address.
Included in ROTW:
1. Dimensioned drawings, color-keyed drawings, B&W photographs, and
brief histories of selected rockets:
Germany:
- Maul Photo Rocket - Winkler's HW-2 - A-3
- V-2 (A-4) - OTRAG 1
The USSR, Russia and Ukraine:
- GIRD 09 - GIRD X - V-2-A
- V-5-V Vertikal 1 - V-11-A - M-100B
- MR-12 - MMR-06 - MR-20
- Sputnik - Vostok/Luna - Soyuz
- Small Cosmos B-1 - Large Cosmos C-1 - V-3-A Vertikal
- Proton - Tsyklon - N-1 moon rocket
- Zenit - Energiya-Buran
United States:
- Goddard's March 16, 1926 Rocket - Goddard's L-16
- American Rocket Society ARS-2 - Wac Corporal
- Bumper - Aerobee - Aerobee-Hi/150
- Aerobee 300 - Aerobee 150A - Aerobee 350
- Viking - Deacon - Deacon Rockoon
- Terrapin - Asp - Loki Rockoon
- Loki HASP - Super Loki Dart - Arcas
- Sparrow-HV Arcas - IRIS - IQSY Tomahawk
- D-Region Tomahawk - Sandia Tomahawk - Sandhawk
- Terrier-Sandhawk - Nike-Deacon - Nike-Cajun
- Nike-Asp - Nike-Apache - Nike-Tomahawk
- Nike-Smoke - Argo D-4 Javelin - Trailblazer I
- Taurus-Tomahawk - Hermes RV-A-10 - X-17
- Ram B - Shotput - Little Joe I
- Trailblazer II - Astrobee 500 - Astrobee 1500
- Astrobee D - Aries - Vanguard
- Juno 1/Jupiter C - Mercury-Redstone - Sparta-Wresat
- Jupiter - Juno II - Thor-Able
- Thor-Agena A - Delta B - Delta E
- Delta M - Delta II - MX-774
- Atlas-Score - Mercury-Atlas - Atlas-Agena D
- Atlas-Centaur - Scout - Little Joe II
- Apollo Pad Abort Test - Gemini-Titan II
- Titan IIIC - Titan IIIB - Titan IIIE
- Titan IV - Saturn I - Saturn IB
- Saturn V - Space Shuttle - Pegasus
- DC-X
France:
- Veronique - Vesta - Dragon III
- Diamant A - Diamant B - Diamant B-P4
Japan:
- Kappa 6 - Kappa 7 - Kappa 9
- Lambda 4S - Mu 4S - Mu 3S-II
China:
- Long March 3
United Kingdom:
- Skylark - Black Knight - Black Arrow
India:
- Rohini RH-75 - SLV-3
Argentina:
- Orion II
Australia:
- HAD - Aero-High
Brazil:
- Sonda 1 - Sonda 2
Canada:
- Black Brant II - Black Brant III - Black Brant IV
- Black Brant V - Black Brant X
Poland:
- Meteor 1 - Meteor 2K - Meteor 3
- RP-3 - Rasko 2
Spain:
- INTA-255
Europe:
- Europa - Ariane 1 - Ariane 4
- Maxus
2. Mail order Resources: Addresses for companies and institutions
selling scale drawings or photographs. Each drawing also provides
sources for more data in case you desire more detail.
Advanced Rocketry Group Ltd.
130 Matheson Blvd, East - Unit 10
Mississauga, Ontarion
L4Z 1Y6 Canada
Source of Ukranian and Russian launch vehicle scale data
Black Brandt series scale data
The Launch Pad
8470-H Misty Blue Court
Springfield, VA 22153
(703) 455-8418
Source of military missile scale data
"T minus 5" is the bi-monthly newsletter of the Huron Valley Rocket
Society (HUVARS) NAR Section #463. HUVARS is the NAR section with
which Peter Alway is associated. In the past it has been rich with
scale data and plans. Peter Alway has been a big contributor to
this and hopefully this tradition will continue now that Peter has
published his book.
Non-member subscriptions to "T minus 5" are $8.00 (U.S. and Canada)
and $11.00 elsewhere. Send correspondence to:
Jim Fackert
Huron Valley Rocket Society
10555 McCabe Rd.
Brighton, MI 48116
"Model Rocketeer" was the official publication of the NAR from
1971 through June, 1984.
Scale Data Published:
Nike-Tomahawk Scale Feb 1974
V-2 Scale Jun 1976
Trailblazer 2 Scale Nov 1980
"Model Rocketry" was published by George Flynn in the late 60's
and early 70's.
Scale Data Published:
Viking Scale Jan 1969
Asp Scale May 1969
Rohini RH-75 Scale Aug 1969
Little Joe II Scale Sept 1969
Nike-Smoke Scale Oct 1969
Nike-Apache Scale Nov 1969
Pershing Scale Jan 1970
HAD Scale Apr 1970
Vostok Scale Jul/Aug 1970
Falcon (AIM-4E) Scale Sept 1970
Skua Scale Oct 1970
Astrobee-D Scale Nov 1970
Aero-High Scale Oct 1971
D-Region Tomahawk Scale Jun 1971
Black Brant II Scale Dec 1971
Aerospace Industry/U.S. Government Contacts:
A very good source of photographs of NASA launch vehicles is the NASA
Photography Index which you can get for free by sending a request to:
NASA
Audio Visual Section, LFD-10
Public Affairs Division
400 Maryland Ave, S.W.
Washington D.C. 20546
(202) 453-8375
`
Photos can be ordered from the Index for a very reasonable cost.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
History Office
NASA HQ LH-14
Washington, DC 20546
This source was recommended by a museum technician at the Smithsonian
Institution at the National Air and Space Museum (see following).
National Air and Space Museum
Archives (Bldg 12)
3904 Old Silver Hill Rd
Suitland, MD 20746-3190
Received prompt service (2 weeks) from Paul Silbermann, Museum
Technician. This is a part of the Smithsonian Institution.
Aerojet-General Corp.
1051 La Jolla Rancho Rd.
La Jolla, CA 92037
Builders of the Aerobee and Astrobee series of sounding rockets
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Display Locations
---------------------------------------------------------------------
* Aberdeen Proving Grounds Armaments Museum
Nike-Ajax on launcher, Nike-Hercules on launcher, Pershing II, US
Army missiles?, V-2 on carrier, Wasserfall, WWII German SAM?
* Air Force Armament Museum at Eglin Air Force Base, SE of Pensacola,
FL
Bomarc, Bullpup, Sidewinder
* Alabama Welcome Center, I-65 south, near TN-AL line
Saturn IB
* American legion Hall, Lakewood, NY
Nike-Hercules
* Ames Research Center, Mountain View,
Gemini 11?, Skylab 3?
* Neil Armstrong Museum, Wapakoneta, Ohio
Gemini 8
* Alabama Space & Rocket Center, Huntsville, AL
Apollo 16, Atlas, Corporal, Entac, Hawk, Hermes A-1, Honest John,
Juno I, Juno II, Jupiter, Lacrosse, Little John, Mercury Sigma
7?, Mercury-Redstone, Nike-Ajax, Nike-Hercules, Nike-Zeus,
Pershing, Redstone (tactical), Saturn I, Block 2, Saturn V,
Sergeant, Space Shuttle Mockup, Sprint, Titan I, V-2, X-15 mockup
* Astronaut Hall of Fame, Titusville, FL
Mercury Sigma 7
* Bowfin Submarine Museum, Honolulu?, HI
Harpoon, Polaris A-1, Polaris A-3, Subroc, Tomahawk Cruise
Missile
* Centennial Park, Laurence, KS
Polaris A-1
* Octave Chanute Aerospace Museum, Rantoul, IL
Bomarc, Minuteman
* Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago, IL
Apollo 8, Arcas, Lunar Module, Polaris
* Combat Air Museum, Topeka, KS
Honest John, Nike-Ajax
* Cosmos Pavilion (now car showroom, some exhibits may
remain), Formerly of Exhibition of Economic Achievement,
Moscow, Russia
M-100B?, MR-12?, MR-20?, Vostok?
* Behind a Denny's, off I-75 near Warner Robbins, GA
Titan II
* Detroit Science Center, Detroit, MI
Nike-"smoke"
* Fireworks Factory, US 72, South Pittsburg, TN
Honest John
* Florence Air & Missile Museum, Florence, SC
Bomarc, Entac, Honest John, Sparrow, Titan I
* Fort Lewis Museum, Fortlewis, near Tacoma, WA
Honest John, Nike-Ajax, Nike-Hercules
* Fort Meade base museum, Fort Meade, MD
Nike-Ajax, Nike-Hercules
* Goddard Spaceflight Center, Greenbelt, MD
Delta-B, Gemini 12, IRIS, Javelin, Nike-Black Brant, Nike-
Tomahawk
* Golden Gate National Recreation Reserve
Nike-?
* Grissom Memorial Museum, Spring Mill State Park, IN
Gemini Spacecraft
* Grissom Memorial Museum, Mitchell, Indiana
Gemini 3
* Aerospace Park, Hampton, VA
Corporal, Jupiter, Little Joe I, Nike-Ajax, Polaris A-2
* Hill Air Force Base Museum
Bomarc, Minuteman, MX-stage
* Hong Kong Space Museum, Hong Kong
Mercury Aurora 7?
* Airport road & S. Memorial Parkway, Huntsville, AL
Hermes
* VFW post on N. Memorial Parkway, Huntsville, AL
Corporal
* Illinois Soldiers & Sailors Home, Quincy, IL
Bomarc, Titan I
* International Space Hall of Fame, Alamogordo, NM
Aerobee 150 (2 displayed), Aerobee 170 tail unit, Arcas, Loki-Dart,
Falcon, Hawk, Lance, LM ascent engine, Javelin 4th stage motor,
Little Joe II (not accurate), F1 engine, J2 engine, V-2 engine,
Nike-Ajax w/launcher, Nike-Cajun, Syncom apogee kick motor,
Sonic Wind No. 1 rocket sled (Stapp's sled), XLR-11 engine
* ISAS, Sagamihara Japan
M2-SIII
* Japan Science Society, Tokyo
Gemini 11?, Mercury Aurora 7?, Skylab 3?
* Jodrell Bank Radio Observatory Visitor Center, Cheshire, England
Skylark
* Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA
Corporal, Sergeant
* Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX
Apollo 17, F-1 engine (Saturn V), Gemini 5, H-1 engine (Saturn I
or IB), J-2 engine (S-IVB, S-II), Little Joe II, Mercury Faith 7,
Mercury-Redstone, Saturn V
* Kansas Cosmosphere, Hutchinson, KS
Agena, F-1 Engine, Lunar Module Mock-up, Mercury-redstone, Nike-
Hercules, Titan I, Titan II engine, V-2
* Keesler Air Force Base, Biloxi, MS
Bomarc
* Kennedy Space Center
ASTP, Atlas-Agena, F-1 engine, Gemini 9, Gemini-Titan II,
J-2 Engine, Lunar Module, Mercury-Atlas, Mercury-Redstone,
Saturn IB, Saturn V, Space Shuttle Orbiter mockup, Navaho SM-64 (X-10)
* 108th Light Anti-Aircraft Missile Batallion, North end
of Fresno Air Terminal, Fresno, CA
Hawk
* Leicester University Physics Department lobby, Leicester,
England
Skylark
* London Science Museum, London, England
Apollo 10, Black Arrow, Scout, Skylark
* Museum of Transport, Auckland, New Zealand
Gemini 12?
* Marshall Spaceflight Center, Huntsville, AL
Apollo LES-CM Boilerplate, Hermes A-1, Juno I, Jupiter, Redstone,
Saturn I, V-2
* McConnell Air Force Base, Wichita, KS
Titan II Re-entry Vehicle
* McDonnell Douglas, St. Louis, Missouri
Gemini 6?
* McChord Air Force Base Museum, Near Tacoma, WA
Sidewinder
* Miami Central High School, NW 95th St, Miami, FL
Honest John
* Michigan Space Center, Jackson, MI
Apollo 9, F-1 engine (Saturn V), H-1 engine (Saturn I or IB),
Mercury-Redstone, Talos, Tartar, Terrier
* Museum of Life and Science, Durham, NC
Mercury-Redstone
* Musee de l'Air, Paris, France
Apollo 13, Diamant A?
* Wallops Flight Facility Visitors Center, Wallops Island, VA
Aerobee 150, Astrobee F, High-speed reentry rocket, Little Joe I,
Nike-Cajun, Scout D
* National Air & Space Museum, Washington, DC
Aerobee 150, Agena stage (Gemini docking target), Apollo 11,
Apollo-Soyuz Mockup, Arcas, F-1 engine (Saturn V 1st stage),
Gemini 4, Gemini 4 spacecraft, Gemini 7, Gemini 7 spacecraft,
Goddard A-rocket, Goddard First Liquid, Goddard Hoop Skirt,
Goddard Pump Rocket, Goddard second liquid, H-1 engine (Saturn I
or IB inboard), Hale 24-lb rocket, Jupiter C (Juno 1), Lunar
Module, Mercury Freedom 7, Mercury Friendship 7, Mercury
spacecraft Freedom 7, Mercury spacecraft Friendship 7, Minuteman
3, Nike-Cajun, Pershing 2, Polaris (silver hill), Rheintochter,
Scout G, Skylab, Skylab 4, SS-20, V-2, Vanguard (late model),
Viking (model II), Wac Corporal, X-15
* National Atomic museum, Albuquerque, NM
Honest John, Little John
* Naval Serviceman's Park, Buffalo, NY
Talos (aboard USS Little Rock)
* National Museum of Science and Technology, Ottawa, Ontario,
Canada
Apollo 7
* Oakland Museum, Oakland, CA
Air-air missiles?
* Patric Air Force Base, FL
Atlas, Thor, Titan I
* Pima Air Museum and Titan Missile Museum, Tucson, AZ
Bullpup AGM-12B, Genie AIR-2A, Maverick AGM-65, Phoenix AIM-54,
Titan I, Titan II, TOW BGM-65
* Point Mugu Missile Park, Point Mugu, CA
Bat, Bullpup A, Bullpup A, Bullpup B, Bullpup B, Corvus, Hawk,
KDA, Lark, Oriole, Oriole, Petrel, Phoenix, Polaris A-1, Shrike,
Sidewinder, Sidewinder 1A, Sidewinder 1C, Sidewinder-Arcas,
Sparoair, Sparrow I, Sparrow I, Sparrow II, Sparrow III, Sparrow
III, Walleye
* Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville, AL
Redstone
* public park, Riverview, MI
Nike-Hercules
* Rockwell International, Downey, California
Apollo 14
* Roswell Museum, Roswell, NM
Goddard Rocket components
* Science Museum of Virginia, 2500 West Broad Street,
Richmond, VA 23220 804-367-1013
Farside
* Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Mt. Clemens, MI
Tiny Tim
* St. Louis Science Center, St. Louis, MO
Black Brant XIII, Gemini 6?, Thor
* Stennis Space Center, near New Orleans, LA
F-1 engine (Saturn V), H-1 engine (Saturn I, IB), J-2 engine
(Saturn V, IB), Jupiter C, Space Shuttle ET, Space Shuttle SRB
* Strategic Aerospace Museum, Bellevue, NE
Atlas, Blue Scout SLV-1, Bomarc, Thor, Titan I
* Swiss Museum of Transport & Communication, Luzern
Gemini 10
* Morthon-Thiokol Corp, Brigham City, UT
Space Shuttle SRB, Trident Missile
* Tsiolkovski Museum, Kaluga, Russia
M-100B, MR-12, Vostok
* US Naval Aviation Museum, Pensacola, Florida
Skylab 2
* U S Air Force History & Traditions Museum, San
Antonio, TX
Bomarc, Thor
* U S Air Force Museum, Dayton, OH
Aerobee, Agena A/Discoverer, Apollo 15, Bomarc, Falcon, Gemini
spacecraft, Jupiter, Mercury spacecraft, Minuteman I, Minuteman
III, Sparrow, Standard, Thor, Titan I, X-15, X-17, X-24
* U S Air Force Space Museum, Cocoa Beach, FL
Aerobee, Agena A, Agena B, Arcas launcher, Asset, Athena, Atlas
E, big shot shroud, Blue Scout, Bomarc A, corporal, Hawk, Honest
John, Jupiter, Lacrosse, Lark?, Little John, Minuteman I, Navaho,
Navaho engine, Nike-Ajax, Nike-Hercules, Pershing, Polaris A-1,
Polaris A-3, Redstone, Sparrow 1, Subroc, Tartar, Thor, Thor-
Able, Titan I
* public park, Warren, NH
Redstone Missile
* Virginia Air and Space Center, Hampton, VA
Apollo 12 capsule
* West Eight Mile Armory, Detroit, MI
Nike-Ajax, Nike-Hercules
* White Sands Missile Park, White Sands, NM
Aerobee 170, Aerobee Hi, Athena, Corporal, Crossbow, Dart,
Falcon, Genie, Hawk, Honest John, Lacrosse, Lark, Little John,
Loki, Nike-Ajax, Nike-Hercules, Nike-Zeus, Pershing, Pogo Hi,
Redstone (developmental), Sergeant, Shavetail, Shillelagh,
Sidewinder, SS-10, Talos, Tartar, Terrier, V-2, Wac Corporal
7.3 I've never built any scale models. Are there any recommended kits for
first timers?
The following recommendations have been made by posters to r.m.r:
For A-D powered rockets:
Estes IRIS (A-C power, sport/semi scale) - currently out of production
Estes Black Brant II (D power, sport/semi scale)
Quest Nike-Smoke (A-C power, sport scale)
Larger models:
North Coast Rocketry Patriot (E-G power, sport scale)
Aerotech ISQY Tomahawk (E-G power, scale)
Estes Terrier-Sandhawk (D-E power, scale, sport scale)
7.4 What other scale/sport scale kits are available? I'd like to build
another kit or two before tackling a scratch scale project.
Many of the really great scale kits (Estes LTV Scout, Centuri
Little Joe II, Estes Saturn 5) have been long since or recently
discontinued. Fortunately, there are atill a FEW scale kits from which
a modeler may choose.
The following is a partial list of available scale and sport scale
rocket kits available as of December, 1996. A more complete list may be
found on the r.m.r. archive on sunsite.unc.edu. The archived list
includes non-flying, out-of-production and high power kits as well.
Apprx.
Rocket Kit# Man SL Comments Cost
Aerobee 350 MSHRK105 MSH 3 sportscale;56x2.6in 40.00
Aerobee Hi NRL-41 AAA 3 1/9;31.3x1.64in 22.00
Aerobee Hi NRL-41 AAA 4 1/6;49.25x2.6in 43.00
ALARM K001 TLP 4 44.5x2.6in 28.00
AMRAAM AIM-120A K048 TLP 4 1/2.69; 54.125x2.6in 30.00
ANUBIS K038 TLP 3 24.75X1.6" 13.00
ASM-1 (Type 80) K002 TLP 4 29.5x2.6in 24.00
A.S.P. RK-004 VBR 2 sport scale;83.8x3.4cm 25.00
A.S.P. MSHRK100 MSH 2 sport scale;34x1.64in 24.00
A.S.P. MSHRK101 MSH 2 sport scale;50x2.6in 35.00
ASRAAM K003 TLP 4+ 34.75x2.6" 24.00
Black Brant II EST 1958 ES 2 1/13; 63.2x3.37cm 13.00
Black Brant II 1014 FSI 5 1/8; 41.5x2.1in 36.30
Black Brant II COS 3 1:6 scale 51x2.46in 50.00
BOLO TLP 3 27.25X1.6" 14.00
Bullpup AGM-12B K005 TLP 4 1/4.62; 29.0x2.6in 23.00
Bullpup 12D EST 1972 ES 2 39.7x3.37cm 9.00
Corporal K-41 NCR 2 41.5x1.88in 35.00
DC-Y Space Clipper 3004 Q 3 Semi-scale;Height = 34.3cm
D-Region Tomahawk AAA 3 57.5x2.6in 45.00
Dragonfly TLP 3 26.5x1.6" 22.00
Exocet AM.39 K041 TLP 4 1/5.30; 34.875x2.6" 25.00
Exocet MM.40 K008 TLP 4 1/5.30; 42.0x2.6" 29.00
Falcon AIM-4C TLP 4 31.5x2.6" 27.00
Flail TLP 3 29x2.6" 25.00
Gabriel III/AS K010 TLP 4 30.25x2.6" 27.00
Gemini-Titan BOY 3 1/100; 12x1.2 in.
Gemini-Titan BOY 2 1/160; 8.5x0.736 in.
Grail SA-7 TLP 3 31.25x1.6" 15.00
Harpoon AGM-84A TLP 4 29.25x2.6" 27.00
Hawk MIM-23A K035 TLP 4 1/5/45; 37.0x2.6in 25.00
Hawk CLR 3 2.6in diam. 32.50
Hellfire AGM-114A TLP 3 23.625x2.6" 25.00
Honest John BOY
IRIS MSHRK104 MSH 3 sportscale;50.75x2.6in 39.00
ISQY Tomahawk 2005 Q 2 sport scale;47.6x2.0cm
ISQY Tomahawk 89014 AT 3 104x4.7cm 43.00
ISQY Tomahawk AAA 4 len=146cm 45.00
Javelin 1025 FSI 5 1/10; 55.3x2.25in 42.00
Jayhawk EST 2085 ES 4+ 1/5; 76.2x6.35cm 36.00
Jayhawk CLR 4 1/5; 2.6in diam. 29.00
KORMORAN AS.34 K015 TLP 4 1/5.20; 33.3x2.6in 24.00
Lance MGM-52 K042 TLP 4 1/8.48; 28.75x2.6in 21.00
Martel As.37 K053 TLP 4 1/6; 27.0x2.6in 27.00
Maverick AGM-65B TLP 3 21.5x2.6" 25.00
Mercury-Atlas ES 4 1/35; len=33in
Mercury-Atlas BOY
Mercury-Redstone BOY 5 1/17.5; 58x4 in.
Mercury-Redstone BOY 3 1/100; 9.75x0.736 in.
Nike Ajax MIM-3A K060 TLP 4 55" long 50.00
Nike-Apache COS 4+ 1/6;52.5x2.63in 55.00
Nike-Smoke COS 4+ 1/6; 36.5x2.63 45.00
Nike Smoke 1030 FSI 4 1/8; 72.6x5.1cm 29.00
Nike Smoke 2007 Q 2 49.5x3.5cm
Nike-Smoke SRW 2 1/30; 7.64x0,55in 6.50
Nike-Smoke BOY 1 1/22; 10.5x0.736 in.
Nike-Tomahawk 1023 FSI 5 1/8; 46.0x2.0in 34.00
Patriot EST 0896 ES 1 mini-motors; 25.4x1.878cm 4.40
Patriot EST 2066 ES 4 1/5;99x7.62cm; 4 motor clstr 60.00
Patriot K-85 NCR 4 1/4;140.7x10.2cm 60.00
Patriot THOY 4 1/4;132x10.2cm 60.00
Patriot PML 4 1/4;132x10.2cm 60.00
Pershing 1A BOY 2 1/30; 8.5x0.736 in.
Perseus TLP 3 26.25x1.6" 17.00
Phoenix EST 1380 ES 3 1/9 (semi); 76.2x6.6cm 21.50
Phoenix AIM-54C TLP 3 25.75x2.6" 29.00
RP-3 ASP 2
Sandhawk CLR 3 1/5; 2.6in diam. 38.50
Sandia Sandhawk 1031 FSI 5 1/6; 49.0x2.0in 33.00
Saturn 1B BOY 2 1/396; 6.8x0.736 in.
Saturn V BOY 1 1/396; 10.7x0.976 in.
Scimitar TLP 4 39.25x2.6" 32.00
Sea Wolf K052 TLP 4 1/2.72; 29.0x2.6in 30.00
Sergeant CLR 3 3.1in diam. 38.50
Sidewinder AIM-9L K030 TLP 4 36.0x1.6in 24.00
Space Shuttle EST 1284 ES 4 1/162; len=34.5cm 25.00
Sparrow AIM-7F TLP 3 46.75x2.6" 29.00
SR-71 Blackbird EST 1942 ES 3 semi-scale; len=48.3cm 16.00
Standard AGM-78 K032 TLP 4 1/5.2; 34.6x2.6in 27.00
Standard ARM LS-101 MRC 2 1/14 (sport);25x1.17in
Standard ARM CLR 3 2.6in diam. 32.50
TAN-SAM (Type 81) K045 TLP 4+ 1/2.42; 44.0x2.6in 30.00
Terrier/Sandhawk EST 2083 ES 4+ 1:9.8; 116.8x4.66cm 31.00
Trailblazer LS-104 MRC 4 1/17;34.3x1.75in
Type 30 Art. K049 TLP 4 1/4/54; 40.75x2.6in 25.00
V-2 MSHRK103 MSH 2 1/25sportscale;22.5x2.6in 25.00
V-2 MSH 3 1/16.25sportscale;31.5x4" 60.00
Vostok COS 5 1:33 scale 45x3.1in 130.00
Wasp 1024 FSI 5 1/8;34.75x2.0in 39.60
There are also a number of Ready-to-fly (RTF) and Almost-ready-to-fly
(ARTF) flying rockets, if you want 'minimal' build time:
Honest John 5050 COX 1 1/24;len=13in 17.00
Saturn 1B 5025 COX 1 len=21.5in 34.00
Saturn V 5075 COX 1 len=34in 54.00
X-15 5000 COX 1 1/24 21.00
Some recently discontinued scale kits which you can still
occasionally find on hobby store shelves include (all of the below
were in the 1991 catalogs or later):
Honest John EST 1269 ES 3 1/9;94x6.6cm 40.00
IRIS EST 2007 ES 2 1/13; 17.125x.976in 7.00
Little Joe II EST 0892 ES 3 1/100;26.7x3.91cm 12.00
Mercury Redstone EST 1921 ES 4 1/35; 28.75x2.0in 20.00
Patriot EST 2056 ES 2 1/10 (semi);54x4.16cm 10.00
Saturn 1B EST 2048 ES 4 1/100;67.2x6.65cm 42.00
Saturn V 25th Anv. EST 2001 ES 4+ 1/100; 109.9x10.0cm 53.00
Sidewinder TR108 MRC 2 1/4 (sport);30.28x1.325
Titan IIIE(1) EST 2019 ES 4 1/73; 71.1x5.64cm 26.00/19.00
You say you like scale models, but want something BIGGER?? Try one of
these:
AMRAAM PML 4 56x3in 80.00
AMRAAM PML 4+ 73x4.0in 100.00
Astrobee D 89015 AT 4 1/2.5; 173x6.7cm 70.00
Hawk CLR 4+ 4.0" diam.; 54mm 78.00
HV Arcas 89012 AT 3+ 1/1.666; 142x6.7cm 50.00
Jayhawk CLR 4+ 4.0" diam; 38mm 58.00
Patriot PML 4+ 1/2; 97x7.5" 260.00
Sandhawk CLR 4+ 4.0" diam.; 54mm 93.00
Standard ARM CLR 4+ 4.0" diam.; 54mm 78.00
Standard ARM CLR 4+ 7.67" diam.; 5x54mm 245.00
Sandhawk CLR 4+ 5.54" diam.; 54 + 2x29mm 185.00
Navy Strike CLR 4+ 4.0" diam.; 54mm 93.00
Nomenclature Key:
SL = Skill Level (1 = Beginner, 5 = Advanced)
Prices are approximate retail prices in U.S. dollars
Man = Manufacturer (Refer to Part 02 for addresses)
AAA AAA Model Aviation
ASP Aerospace Specialty Products
AT Aerotech
BOY Boyce Aerospace Hobbies
CLR Cluster R
COS Cosmodrome Rocketry
ES Estes Industries
FSI Flight Systems Inc.
MSH Mountainside Hobbies
PML Public Missiles, Ltd.
Q Quest
SRW Seattle Rocket Works
THOY Tiffany Hobbies of Ypsilanti
TLP The Launch Pad
VBR Vaughn Brothers Rocketry
NOTES:
1. Dual prices reflect last full retail price and special 'closeout'
price offered by manufacturer. Kits with both prices may still
be found on hobby shelves.
7.5 O.K., I've done all my research, collected all the data I can.
I've even built a couple of scale kits a a warm up. Now I'm ready
to build a model I can be proud of. How do I...?
Get rid of body tube seams:
Use silkspan, applied with clear dope, or .5oz. - .75 oz. fiberglass
cloth applied with epoxy. Silkspan will require a number of
subsequent coats of dope or primer to seal the surface and fill in
the fibers of the material, while the fiberglass should only require
a few coats of primer to fill in the weave. Really deep seams in the
tube should filled with your favorite putty beforehand. Tubes covered
with silkspan/fiberglass will be less likely to have the seams pop
later on.
Sand sharp break lines in fins with diamond cross sections, like those
used on Nike motors:
You can't...use a built-up fin instead. Use 1/64 ply or thin plastic.
Cut out mirror images of the fin pattern, then score the breakline
with the back of an Xacto knife, being careful not to cut all the way
through. Gently bend at the break line. Use a spar under the breakline
to provide support and give the proper root to tip thickness
distribution. Glue the three pieces (two fin halves and spar)
together, and fill the open ends with wood and/or putty.
Form sharp edges on nose cone, transitions, etc. (when turning your own):
The most common material to turn these items, wood (balsa, bass)
just won't take a very sharp edge. Try forming the piece slightly
undersize, then apply several coats of epoxy (try to get the coats
as even as possible). Then use a sanding block to sand the surface
smooth, but don't sand all the way down to the wood. These steps
should be done without removing the part from the lathe. The epoxy
will hold a better edge than wood, and the resulting surface will
have a plastic-like feel. Make sure the epoxy you use will cure to
a hard surface in thin films...5 minute epoxy often remains somewhat
rubbery.
Simulate weld lines:
Thread can be used, but something with a flatter cross-section
usually looks more realistic. Try cutting very narrow strips
of thin plastic using two X-acto or razor blades glued together (may
need a plastic spacer between the blades to get the desired width).
The width and thickness of the strip will of course depend on the
size of the weld to be simulated, but a 2:1 or 3:1 width:thickness
ratio is about right. Paint the model body tube with primer
let dry and apply the plastic strip with a _small_ amount of liquid
cement. Use a strip of frisk film or masking tape to provide an edge
to insure the plastic strip gets applied straight. Then apply several
coats of primer to fair in the edges, sanding between coats. If
AmSpam ever gets around to publishing it, a future "Art of Scale"
will cover this in more detail.
Simulate screws, bolts, and rivets:
For large-scale models, you may be able to find small screws in sizes
0-80 or 00-90 that will do the job that will do the job (Small Parts,
Inc, P.O. Box 4650, Miami Lakes, FL 33014-0650 is one source). On
smaller models you can simulate screws by embossing slots into Sig
"scale rivets" with an X-acto blade. Sig scale rivets are available in
both round and flat-head varieties (Sig Manufacturing Co., Inc., 401-7
South Front St., Montezuma, IA 50171). To simulate really tiny screws,
emboss the shafts of the scale rivets. Socket head screws can also be
simulated using scale rivets by drilling or punching a hole in the
center of the head. Rivets can be simulated in a variety of ways. On
large scale models, Sig scale rivets may be appropriate. For small
models, the best (and most difficult) way is to emboss thin sheet
material (aluminum or plastic) using a punch and die. This method gives
very sharp definition to the rivet heads. An easier way that produces
less definition of the rivet head is to simply punch from one side of
the sheet only - no matching die is used. This allows the use of a
small spur gear (e.g. a watch gear or pounce wheel) as the punch,
thereby allowing a whole row of rivets to be punched very easily.
A sewing machine can also be used to punch a whole row in short order -
just grind down a needle to produce the correct size rivet head. Model
airplane types often use tiny drops of glue to simulate the rivet
(RC56 glue supposedly works well).
Make multiple copies of parts:
Often, an number of identical parts appear on a prototype, and it is
usually tedious to make just one of them. RTV rubber is a two-part
rubber compound that cures at room temperature. Space does not allow
a detailed discussion of the method here, but basically a high-quality
master pattern is made, over which the RTV is poured. When cured,
the rubber mold is removed. Epoxy or urethane resin can then be
poured into the cavity to make as many copies as desired at a small
fraction of the work needed to make the master. Fiberglass parts can
also be laid up in RTV molds (another yet-to-be published AmSpam/SRM
article). Check out back issues of "Fine Scale Modeler" magazine
for a number or articles on casting parts in RTV molds. This is an
extremely valuable technique for the serious modeler.
7.6 What tools do I need?
Well, that's kind of up to you....and your checkbook. With lots of
ingenuity and perseverance, many things can be done with simple tools.
For example, nose cones and transitions can be turned with just an
electric drill (small sized ones at any rate), but it's sure a lot
easier with a lathe (see Alway's book for details on turning with a
drill). An airbrush is almost a must to have, since even the cheapest
spray gun will (with practice) give a much better finish than a spray
can. Cans of propellant to operate an airbrush are available, but are
expensive in the long run; a portable air tank (found in many hardware
stores) could provide a refillable, cheap (free from service stations)
source of air for under $30. However, having a compressor is by far the
most convenient (if you live in a humid clime, you will also need a
moisture trap). Any precision scale work will require some measuring
tools, typically a steel ruler with 1/100 inch graduations and a
caliper are sufficient. Enco Mfg., a large machine tool supplier, offers
a line of low cost rulers and calipers. Their number is 1-800-873-3626.
Those who are really serious about scale modeling and have the $$$ to
spend may want to consider a small milling machine in addition to a
lathe (small lathes like the Sherline or Unimat offer an optional
milling column). With a lathe and mill, almost anything can be
fabricated, subject only to the skill of the operator and the size
of the machine.
7.7 Where can I get more information on modeling techniques?
Since scale modeling is such a small segment of model rocketry, there's
not much "how-to" info in the model rocket literature. Peter Alway gives
some basic, low-tech tips in his book. For more advanced techniques,
look in magazines for the plastic model enthusiast: "Scale Modeler" and
"Fine Scale Modeler" are two examples. Useful techniques also appear
occasionally in the model airplane model and ship magazines.
7.8 Got any tips for generating scale plans from original dimensions?
Peter Alway (PeteAlway@aol.com) suggests an old fashioned shortcut for
generating scale plans:
I find a slide rule is better than an electronic calculator for
scheming up scale models. You just set the proportion of prototype
diameter to a standard body tube diameter and slide the sliding
doohickey back and forth to find dimensions of all the other parts.
Jack Hagerty (jack@rml.com) counters with a more modern version:
Not to sound too snobby, but I have an even better way to make perfect
scale drawings of every piece AUTOMATICALLY. Use a CAD system. Even
the cheap ones (cheap meaning ~$100) usually have a scaling function.
On mine it's one of the commands under the "Copy" function.
CAD systems don't care if the screen is a mile across or .01" across;
it's all just numbers. When I did my Titan IIIB, the sceen was set to
be about 2,000" across (the Titan/Agena is about 1,700" from tip to
the bottom of the engine bells). You just draw in all of the pieces
from your prototype reference data full size. Then, when you're done,
you invoke the scale command to do essentially what Peter alluded to
above using the diameter of the prototype and diameter of the body
tube you're going to use to set your ratio.
Continuing my example, the Titan is 120" in diameter and I used Estes
BT-80 (2.62" dia) to build it. Once I had drawn the prototype I
invoked "Copy -> Scale -> 2.62/120 -> All" and presto! Every piece,
every conduit, every strut was now the correct scale size. I just
plotted it full scale on my plotter and I had the perfect layout
pattern.
Mark Bundick (mbundick@inil.com) adds:
Try using a spreadsheet. They are particularly useful in cases where
there are station numbers instead of actual dimensions in the drawing.
In column 1, enter the part name or dimension. In columns 2 and 3
enter the station numbers from drawing. In column 4, enter a formula
to take the difference between the figures in column 2 and 3. In
column 5, enter a formula to apply your scale factor to the figure in
column 4.
If you want to model in a different scale, just change your scale
factor and new dimensions are generated for every part you need on our
upscaled or downscaled bird. I find it particularly helpful to just
add different body diameters in different columns and then print out a
whole page of dimensions for various sized birds.
Copyright (c) 1996 Wolfram von Kiparski, editor.
Refer to Part 00 for the full copyright notice.