Supersize Spacex Workshop

Spacex toys have always been a special favourite of mine, just as Sword is to Woodsy, so when professional model maker Kevin Davies contacted me with the news that he had begun a project to produce a 'realistic' model of a spacex craft, I was beside myself with excitement. So far Kevin has built a small fleet of some of the signature craft from the series and has promised more. In the process of showing us his creations, readers have asked for a little insight into the process. Kevin kindly took some photo reference of his latest build and has provided us with a step by step guide to the creation of the Nova 1.

Kevin describes the build in this three part article:
"I started off by choosing an approximate size that would be good for display, trying to keep it the same length as the others (after all, the toys are roughly the same size, regardless of scale). This meant searching my boxes of bits for some suitable diameter tubes. By chance, they were both perspex. I cut them to the right length.

The conical section that joins them came from an old metal desk lamp shade, cut down. It seemed to me that the only way to make this one look realistic (and not like a lipstick!), was to add a lot of detail. I used plastic strips to add ribbing like you see on the SaturnV.

I glued the two tubes and the metal cone together with araldite. It looked to me that the side boosters were dead ringers for space shuttle SRB's, so I bought a couple of suitably sized model kits off ebay and assembled the boosters.

More detail went on in the form of plastic strips. I left some gaps to put in pieces of old kits to represent such features as braking motors, vents, umbilical connects and ullage motors. The nosecone came from one of the shuttle kits main fuel tanks, which by fluke was the exact diameter!.

The lower bulkhead was made from a disc cut out of plasticard, with a hole in it, backed with more card.

Amazingly, it was warm and dry enough to spray outside today (winter is a real problem for me when it comes to making models, no light and not warm enough to spray paint), so I got some paint on the body."

Part two to follow shortly...

SUPER SWORDCAST EVENING!

Well it turns out that if you have a couple of hours to spare this evening from 18.30, you can kick back and enjoy Woodsy and Wotan as they wax lyrical about Outer Spacemen, Matt Mason and other stuff on Bill Everatts Underground Edition, then roll straight into the first part of the Saturn Probe serial on Dave Carringtons Squaring the Circle. Then the final part of Saturn Probe - Fire and Ice airs live at 20.00!

Just head on over to http://www.celticaradio.com/ and choose your preferred listening mode from the different players available. Celtica Radio is available worldwide, so theres no excuse to miss out!

CELTICA RADIO SWORDCAST

Moonbase Central and Celtica Radio invite you to experience the second part of the special dramatisation of the Saturn Probe tale on Dave Carringtons show Squaring the Circle at 8pm Narration is by the multi talented Andrew John, in the style of Colonel White and yorkshire based band Autopilot also provide the original score.

Join  Commander Skarvald and Exobiologist Anischaabe as they venture deep into the Saturn system in the next stage of their future historical mission!

This will be the third in a regular series of science fiction stories penned by your very own blogger Wotan, look out for more blogfiction very soon!

Supersonic Airplanes

I’m sure a lot of you, like me are interested in manned supersonic experimental planes which seem to bridge the gap between aircraft and spacecraft. Many of Britain’s test aircraft were being created in the early fifties and if the governments of the day had allowed these far reaching projects to fully develop their success might have signalled a prelude to a British manned space program.

Obviously, time has shown that this was not to be and the early British pioneers of supersonic flight and their achievements are consigned to history.

Some of these early research aircraft have survived to spend their days on show in various museums including R.A.F. Cosford, the setting for the Flights of Fantasy event.

Here's a few photos I took while I was there.

The Avro 707C was the final variant in delta wing tailless aircraft that would eventually develop into the Vulcan bomber. It made it’s first flight on 1^ST July, 1953.

The Saunders-Roe SR 53 was an experimental interceptor aircraft which used a mix of jet and rocket propulsion. It made it’s first flight on 16^th May, 1957.

　
The Fairey Delta 2 was the first jet aircraft to exceed 1000 m.p.h. at level flight reaching a terminal speed of 1132 m.p.h. on 10^th March, 1956. It had a long tapered nose which drooped during take-off and landing. A similar innovation was later used on Concorde’

　
The Bristol 188 was a supersonic research aircraft designed to travel at Mach 2. It made it’s first flight on 14^th April, 1962. It’s advanced design meant many construction techniques had be developed leading to delays and setbacks. However In spite of problems during development it did achieve a speed of 1440 m.p.h. (Mach 1.88) and earned the nicknamed ’The Flaming Pencil’.

The B.A.C. TSR-2 was a tactical strike and reconnaissance aircraft which would have used advanced avionics and be capable of speeds of up to Mach 2. It would have put Britain way ahead in military aircraft development. It made its first flight on 27^th September 1964. It was designed to be best at everything which meant spiralling costs. In 1965 the project was cancelled and to my mind any chance of Britain moving towards a manned space program at the time disappeared over the horizon.

BILLY BLASTOFF FROGMAN FROM JAPAN

Japanese issue Billy Blastoff Frogman set

from the collection of Andrew Cook.

David Sisson's Zero X

A few more photos of the mighty Zero X  built by modelmaker, David Sissons, that was on display at Cosford.

 

 

David's website http://davidsissonmodels.co.uk/

 

 

 

WHAT WAS THE BEST XMAS PRESENT YOU EVER GOT?

Given all the cool toys I had a s a kid this is a virtually impossible question but on reflection and based on the sheer longevity of the joy it has brought me right up to this day, I would have to say the Fly By Night LP by Rush. My old Mum and Dad got it me circa Christmas 1975, when I was a mere 14 years of age and dreaming of being the next Jimi Hendrix! I played it loud on Xmas morning on the family music centre and have loved it with a passion ever since.

 

 

So what was your top prezzie?

SAM LOOVER'S RACING TEAM

These superb photos are courtesy of Andrew Cook

and feature a trio of JR21 Sam Loovers Cars, a Clifford Racing Team Transporter and a Kellogs Joe 90 Car.

Your pictures of toys in more unusual combinations welcomed!