The Eagle has Landed - Revell 1/48 Lunar Module

[DrSprue]

Thanks guys - looks like the top hatch is a no go without wrecking what I've done already.

As you spotted there is a hole already drilled into the ascent engine bell so I'll see if I can squirt some air up there - memo to self: make sure the airbrush is dry first!

I'll let you know how it goes

Oh yea, a small pipe with canned air into that hole!! A much better Idea. Good luck bud... I hope it works!

[Tomcat64]

Quick mid-week update.

Instead of using an airbrush I used one of those air-cans with a small nozzle used for cleaning laptop keyboards & vents and squirted up the ascent engine, the good news was that it cleared on of the windows completely The not quite so good news is that it looks like the other window has a couple of attached blobs that are resisting but we'll give it another few goes before finishing up. So thanks for all the suggestions on that one guys.

Then it was onto the foil - the descent stage is roughly 8cm square so I cut out a square of 12cm to allow for the various slopes and steps on the bottom, then started in the centre and worked my way out. I didn't take too many photos as my time was pretty fully taken up with CA & swearage but here it is about halfway done.


Once the underside was done and cut to shape I attended to the long side panels which needed some coverage


And as you can see from the previous shot I then moved onto the four short "corner" panels - all of which needed covering. By the time I got the third one I think I'd figured out the best way of approaching it to get around the upper leg supports. Although the foil is in a single length for each corner in these shots I ultimately ended up trimming it in half and rejoining


And here it is covered with some tidying up to be done where the CA has seeped out a little. Unfortunately due to my ham-fistedness I've managed to remove some of the "gold" from the foil in places - I'll see if I've got a paint that matches otherwise I'll just leave it be.


Back underneath as well


This is how it looked stacked up at that point


Next day I added the foil around the hatch - I had debated chickening out and just painting this but went ahead with the foil in the end


Then tidied things up and picked out the antennae in black as well using Vallejo model colour via a brush


Now it's starting to look the part I think


Next up is a start on the spindly leggy bits, picking out the antennae details and adding the RCS nozzles; I've noticed that the RCS thrust deflector chute thingies on the descent stage are missing from the kit as well.

Thanks for looking.

[Stokesy44]

Very cool. Foil looks really nice mate. The swearage was worth it

[ElCapitan]

That's coming along nicely! The foil looks tricky - did you have enough for a bit of trial and error, or was it a case of get it right first time or you're screwed?

[Twokidsnosleep]

To The Swearage!!!

That is what foiling is all about
Looking great and will finish out better than paint

[DrSprue]

No deflector chutes tho, I wonder why? Oh its really close now with that foil work Neil, it looks really nice so far.

[Twokidsnosleep]

Thought this was a cool pic for you, shows the gold wrinkly foil on the lander
Buzz Aldrin Apollo 11 June 1969 setting up the Solar Wind Experiment

[Tomcat64]

Very cool. Foil looks really nice mate. The swearage was worth it

Thanks mate - there's more swearage under way already with the spindly leggies!

That's coming along nicely! The foil looks tricky - did you have enough for a bit of trial and error, or was it a case of get it right first time or you're screwed?

Thanks Rob, the instructions are very detailed about how & where to cut the foil! Someone reminded me that it's a bit tight so I've been as frugal as possible and think I've got just about enough to do what I want to with it.

To The Swearage!!!

That is what foiling is all about
Looking great and will finish out better than paint

Thought this was a cool pic for you, shows the gold wrinkly foil on the lander
Buzz Aldrin Apollo 11 June 1969 setting up the Solar Wind Experiment

Thanks mate - the foil definitely looks better than flat paint, but I think there may be a small section on each leg support that I'm going to end up painting, partly due to lack of foil and partly due to lack of patience

No deflector chutes tho, I wonder why? Oh its really close now with that foil work Neil, it looks really nice so far.

Thanks Tony - I suspect the lack of deflectors is down to the early planning of the kit and they simply didn't realise they would be there. I especially noticed when masking up the ascent module that there's several shapes which are inaccurate when compared to the FM model.

[DrSprue]

Oh Im sure inaccuracies exist with this model (and any really) but thats whats fun about this hobby is that it pays respect to a great machine and the people that built it, but puts a little of us into it. Its like a moonscape. The colors look real but who cares how many craters are in it as well as being in the right spot. Its the imagination that makes it cool.

[Tomcat64]

Oh Im sure inaccuracies exist with this model (and any really) but thats whats fun about this hobby is that it pays respect to a great machine and the people that built it, but puts a little of us into it. Its like a moonscape. The colors look real but who cares how many craters are in it as well as being in the right spot. Its the imagination that makes it cool.

Yep I agree Tony and I'm definitely not in the rivet-counting camp but I guess I'm a little disappointed that Revell marketed this as a 40th anniversary edition and all they've done is changed the box art and reissued a 1982 retread of a mid-60s kit without addressing any of the obvious inaccuracies - here's hoping someone issues an all new kit (or kits) for the 50th anniversary in a couple of years. Either that or we'll have to get bfrd to run us up some 3D printed kits

Anyway - I found out today that this coming Thursday (9th) is the 50th anniversary of Apollo 4 becoming the first launch from Kennedy space centre. NASA article is here

[DrSprue]

So true with everything you said Neil. Nov 9th with Apollo 4..sweeet! I did not remember that as well. Thx for the link too. I used to read everything about that back in the day when I was launching rockets in my club. I really miss that.



God I loved the machines they made.

[Tomcat64]

More progress - and started on the leggy bits. Here's all the pieces laid out - one of the leg supports was missing, I've had a look around and can't find it anywhere and the cats are adamant that they're not holding it to ransom for more biscuits so I'm assuming the carpet monster has grabbed it at some point. So - I've fashioned a replacement out of brass wire and will install this on the rear leg so it's around the back out of the way.


And here are the parts foiled up and painted


I started by attaching the main struts to the module


Then added the "coat-hanger" parts with the exception of the replacement which will be added when the other three legs are completed


The legs themselves were attached using the base as a rough jig


Allowing the scratch part to be CA'd in place


Before attaching the "V" pieces all around, and then installing the descent stage engine bell


Final job for the weekend was to add the RCS nozzles and paint them up on the ascent stage, and add the ladder and "porch" for the descent stage.


So that's all the parts attached. I want to give the RCS nozzles another coat, and tidy up the subtle CA thumbprint I added to one of the panels Then it's sorting out the base, this shouldn't be too much of a problem, but I will need to fill the "footprints" as they don't quite line up correctly and are a little deep. Oh and will need to add the two decals to the descent stage.

Thanks for looking.

[DrSprue]

Very cool recovery on that missing part Neil. Wow, I think the Cats (being I have 2 in my house as well) took it. I found all of the parts for my entire P51 mustang at one time in their kat litter box!! ( ... no just kidding, but I thought it would be funny to say that! )

They had this problem on the moon as well with missing stuff.

[Stokesy44]

Stunning work on the legs mate and a good recovery after Lord Lucan rode in on Shergar and stole your missing part.

The foil on the legs looks way cool

[Twokidsnosleep]

Yep loving the foil work on there
She is coming together nicely

[Tomcat64]

Very cool recovery on that missing part Neil. Wow, I think the Cats (being I have 2 in my house as well) took it. I found all of the parts for my entire P51 mustang at one time in their kat litter box!! ( ... no just kidding, but I thought it would be funny to say that! )

They had this problem on the moon as well with missing stuff.

LOL! Yah - I'm not yet convinced our furry friends haven't got it stashed away for future blackmail attempts!

Stunning work on the legs mate and a good recovery after Lord Lucan rode in on Shergar and stole your missing part.

The foil on the legs looks way cool

Thanks mate! Your explanation for the missing part sounds so much more likely than mine

Yep loving the foil work on there
She is coming together nicely

Thanks Scott - I followed your example with the strategic thumb-print approach! I knew you'd approve

[Twokidsnosleep]

I am the thumbprint expert

[Tomcat64]

You know what... I think I might actually have finished this one...

I've spent some time on the lunar landscape base, first off was a coat of Ultimate Grey primer and then to create a dusty effect I applied thinned white glue and sprinkled Vallejo Light Slate Grey pigments. The excess was shaken/tapped off and then the process was repeated until I had the coverage I wanted. Needless to say this is a messy process and I used a kit box lid to work in.


The decals were applied to the descent stage, and the final picking out done on the ascent module and here are the finished components


So, with the aid of a bit of clear Perspex and some natural wool roving I think I'm ready for the final reveal

And the reveal is available here

Thanks as always to everyone that stopped by and offered advice, guidance, encouragement and goofing - it's always appreciated!