Pages

Saturday, January 27, 2018

New Estes Saturn V Service Module Wrap

I'm building an Estes Saturn V kit for a client. I decided to upgrade the Service Module trim.

In the May/June 2017 issue of Sport Rocketry, Everett Stowe built a BIG 25th scale Saturn V. One page had a drawing of his service module trim.

In the past I've used the wrap pattern from the old Centuri Saturn V. Turns out, it wasn't accurate but did add more detail than just painting the SM an overall silver.

I scanned the magazine drawing and reduced it to the circumference of the upper tube on the model. The wrap was cut from chrome trim Monokote. The four small rectangles are the locations of the RCS housings.




The lower wide rectangles were removed letting the white paint show through underneath. The lower strips were stuck down after the wrap was in place.
Part of the template is taped around the tube for placement of the small squares at the top.


Here's how the wraps came out, a big improvement over just silver paint.
Decals and RCS nozzles will be added soon.

Patreon members: If you would like a copy of the Service Module template to fit the Estes kit, email me at: oddlrockets@bellsouth.net and request the Saturn V Service Module Trim PDF.

3 comments:

  1. You'll be getting a request from me for sure. and for the LGM foot, dang it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I can't believe that in the 50 years since Estes first released the Saturn V kit, they haven't done anything to improve the SM. Paint the SM silver... really? Kudos to you for coming up with an easy fix!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Unknown,
      I didn't do the drawing, I just scaled it to the 1/100 kit size. LThe Service Module trim should be more like an aluminum color, but most clients like it in a shiny chrome.

      Delete