Man in Space Rocket Kit Build

[Bowsewr]

Hey all just wanted to share my progress on my work through this kit, it's my first kit in a long time so I am excited. I had been working on a P61 Blackwidow kit before this one because I wanted some practice on painting and all before i started the kits i really cared about. Well, I lost interest in that kit and decided to start on this one.

The Kit.
Contains the major rockets used during the US space race with the Soviet Union:

The Gemini Titan II, Mercury Atlas, Mercury Redstone, Saturn IB, and Saturn V.

Pretty neat thought having all the rockets with the same scale so you can get an appreciation for the size increase throughout the Gemini, Mercury, and Apollo projects.

Test Fitting the big pieces together
It went together surprisingly well. I had some issues with tight fits in some places but i just took a razor to it and got it fitting. Only complaints are on the Saturn V near the bottom F1 thrusters the mold didnt take well and the flares are damaged or missing. Ill post pics of those tonight when I am home from "working" cough* cough*. Other than that so far the details seem as good as you could expect with a 1:200 scale kit. Especially on the smaller Mercury and Gemini rockets.

Plans for this kit and thoughts:

I recently recieved an older airbrush, not sure on the made and model will look later, from my dad which is one he used years ago. Its an older model but seems nice enough and is a bottom feed single stage. I am getting the adaptors to hook it up to the shop compressor but have never tried airbrushing, let alone know if that airbrush is any good.

So, I am not sure if i am going to do a full handbrush on this kit or try the airbrush. I want it to look good enough to display so we will see what i decide. I plan on making a rough diorama for this. I am going to have a wooden base with inserts for the rockets to attach to. On the 'ground' i will have 1:200 scale citizens and construction workers so you can really appreciate just how big the Saturn V is scaled with the other rockets.

This is my first trial kit putting together rocket models. After this kit i will begin my goal of building an entire collection of 1:144 scale Space Race era rockets:

US Spacecraft
Little Joe Rocket
Gemini Titan II
Mercury Atlas
Mercury Redstone
Saturn IB
Saturn V
Saturn Skylab

USSR Spacecraft
Vostok 1
Soyuz Launch Vehicle
N1 Moon Rocket


Thanks and enjoy!

 

[Capt_Taggert]

I saw this kit at the local Hobby Lobby, probably should have picked it up but didn't. It looks pretty cool. I'll be interested to see your progress.

 

[Grendels]

I saw this kit at the local Hobby Lobby, probably should have picked it up but didn't. It looks pretty cool. I'll be interested to see your progress.

I second this, I have passed on this kit many times mainly due to a lack of knowledge of what is in the box.

 

[FAUST]

I learn about the existence of cool kits every day. I did not even know this was available. Pretty awesome set of rockets. Looking forward what you are going to make of it. You are already off to a great take off.

And I just added another kit to the list of stuff I need to own some day.

 

[Bowsewr]

Thanks all for the replies. It really is a pretty cool kit with some modifying i think it could look real good. I got a lot of the bigger pieces primered today and the interstage ballist tanks painted a burnt red orange give us or take. More pictures to come. I hope I motivate some to get this kit.