This was originally going to be a display for my classroom. My plan was to have the Saturn V displayed with its stages separated. As I started the project, I learned that the Airfix kit would be a better kit to show in an “exploded view”. So, I decided to build this up as a lamp for my office. The only “innards” I used from the kit was the top “dome” of Stage 1’s fuel tank. Otherwise, the kit’s totally hollow. To light it, I used some LEDs from Evan’s Design and polyfiber for the smoke. It sits on a threaded rod and some “girders” shaped from wire screen.
Hope you like it!
Thanks for looking. Comments, questions and criticisms welcome.
That looks great, I know it’s one I have in my stash and as it’s old how well does it go together? I made the space shuttle with boosters and nothing fit but looks great so I was wondering what this was like.
Love it - very nice! I have the Revell 1/144 Saturn V in the stash, with just this type of display in mind. I also have some LED strips to wind around an armature under the engine “bells”. I wasn’t sure what to use for the smoke, but your use of the polyfibre looks great - I’ll have to track some down. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the pats on the back. Sorry for the delay in my response(s), I don’t usually build space projects so I don’t get to this forum much.
keavdog, you’ve seen my other stuff in the Aircraft and Helicopter Forums. That’s usually what I build. This is only my second space subject. I have the shuttle and stack and shuttle and SCA in my stash. My goal is to build them all to display in my classroom.
Kitwrecker, my kit was old! I bought it on consignment, and the decals and instructions were in bad shape. The instructions were brittle and browned and fell apart when I tried to unfold them. I didn’t even bother with the decals. I bought an aftermarket sheet. The plastic had A LOT of flash on it. The rocket halves don’t go together very well. The parts aren’t really round and build up more ovoid than circular. The seams were tough to deal with, especially in the corrugated sections. The engine bells are simple, but their shape and detail makes cleaning their seams tough. The petals on the LEM adapter/S&ID stage didn’t fit very well. That section probably required the most work. The whole kit’s designed to be taken apart, but I built it with none of the innards. Overall it went together OK. Just be prepared for some seam work, and don’t expect your rocket to be perfectly round. If you can deal with that, it’s a fun build that looks cool when done.
Thanks for lookin’ gang! Feel free to send any other comments, questions and criticisms my way.
