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  #1  
Old 10-11-2010, 08:29 AM
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Default October Sky

A couple of months ago, I talked about an R-7 build thread for the upcoming 50th anniversary of manned space flight. My ADHD kicked in and I got side tracked rebuilding a Maxi V-2, but now I'm running out of time to be ready by April, so here goes.

We're going to end up with a 1/63rd sport-scale, 24mm powered, R-7 that can be used to model Sputnik, Vostok and Soyuz.

I'm going to divide this build into two sections: the basic R-7 booster build and then the open framework/Vostok build which will be the nosecone section for our booster. I promise this will be a lot easier than you think and given the beautiful rockets displayed on this site, well within the capacity of all but the most novice builder. If you've made a paper boat tail, you can build this model

Generally, I'm going to follow Peter Alway's Art of Scale Model Rocketry plan with some "improvements". All of the shrouds and the custom ring are drawn using the Template Widget from the EMRR site.

For those scoring at home, here's what we're going to need for just the R-7 booster:

4 2.5" sections of BT-60;
4 9" sections of BT-20; (edit: make it 9.5 ")
4 Semroc BNC-20SU;
4 .375" sections of BT-60 coupler;
8 6020 adapter rings;
4 cardstock shrouds from BT20 to BT60 with a central length of 6.5 inches; (edit: make it at least 6.875" and 7" is better)
1 small piece of 1/16" bass or ply sheet to make fins;

The foregoing will be turned into the four strap-on boosters; if you're the fire-breathing, steely-eyed missileman type, you could add a motor mount to these, but I'm not going to . . . .

The core needs:

1 14.5" section of BT-55
1 3.5" section of BT-60
1 24mm BT-55 motor mount
2 6055 adapter rings
2 heavy cardboard adapter rings BT-55 to 1.82" outside diameter
1 cardstock shroud BT-55 to 1.82" diameter with a central length of 2.875"
1 cardstock shroud BT-60 to 1.82" diameter with a central length of 3.5"
4 1/16" x 1/8" x 7" balsa strips
1 1/4" x 1/8" x 18" balsa strip
1 1/16" square x 24" spruce strip (edit: make it 1/12 round dowel)
kevlar/elastic shock cord
sheet of Chrome Monokote Trim
20" parachute
1 can Testors European Gray spray

I got all the rocket parts from Semroc and the strip stock from Hobby Lobby. The Chrome Monokote trim (adhesive backed) is from Balsa Machining Service. I'll start with the strap-ons later today. This is going to be a real-time build thread so be patient . . . .

Unless you fly with Peter Alway or Chan Stevens, you'll be the only Vostok at the field come April.

On last thing, if you want a super-accurate R-7, order one of Sandman's kits; they are beautiful.
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Awaiting First Launch: Too numerous to count
Finishing: Zooch Saturn V; Alway/Nau BioArcas; Estes Expedition; TLP Standard
Repair/Rescue: Cherokee-D (2); Centuri Nike-Smoke; MX-774
On the Bench: 2650;
Dream Stage: 1/39.37 R-7

Last edited by MarkB. : 12-26-2010 at 04:38 PM. Reason: parts list edited to reflect build discoveries
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  #2  
Old 10-18-2010, 01:58 PM
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Are those plans currently available for download on the 'net somewhere?


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  #3  
Old 10-18-2010, 04:22 PM
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Default Sport Rocketry Mar/Apr '96

I know they are in a Sport Rocketry mag somewhere(Mar/Apr'96).
Peter Alway Simplified Vostok 1/100 scale. Using a BT-50 and paper shrouds.
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  #4  
Old 10-18-2010, 05:16 PM
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Actually, its a BT-55 based rocket at 1/63 scale. And I haven't forgotten . . . its just that life intervened.

I looked at NARTS and ARA Press, and as far as I know, the Art of Scale Rocketry Vostok plan isn't available right now. The book is listed every once in a while on eBay for about 20 bucks and in my opinion, must be part of any scale modeler's library. I don't know if Peter Alway checks this site but I know that there are guys that fly with him here. Maybe he can agree to have the plan published here while I do a build thread over the next few weeks that mostly follows his plan.

I promise to have the first of the build pictures up by Sunday night. We're going to start with the strap-on boosters.
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I miss being SAM 062

Awaiting First Launch: Too numerous to count
Finishing: Zooch Saturn V; Alway/Nau BioArcas; Estes Expedition; TLP Standard
Repair/Rescue: Cherokee-D (2); Centuri Nike-Smoke; MX-774
On the Bench: 2650;
Dream Stage: 1/39.37 R-7
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  #5  
Old 10-19-2010, 07:33 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill
Are those plans currently available for download on the 'net somewhere?



To answer my own question, http://www.rocketryonline.com/jimball/alway/plans.htm


Bill
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  #6  
Old 10-19-2010, 09:24 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dlazarus6660
I know they are in a Sport Rocketry mag somewhere(Mar/Apr'96).
Peter Alway Simplified Vostok 1/100 scale. Using a BT-50 and paper shrouds.
Peter Alway's Vostok plans (the simplified ones, I think) are also in his lesser-known but excellent book The Art of Scale Model Rocketry. If NARTS (NAR Technical Services, see: http://www.nar.org/NARTS/ ) doesn't have it in stock, copies may be available from used book sellers such as AbeBooks.com www.abebooks.com and Alibris.com www.alibris.com . Used books are also sold on eBay www.ebay.com , Half.com http://www.half.ebay.com/ , and Amazon.com www.amazon.com. If you'd like to get a copy of his "Magnum Opus" book Rockets of the World, these sources might also have it.
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Last edited by blackshire : 10-19-2010 at 09:45 PM. Reason: This ol' hoss done forgot somethin'.
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  #7  
Old 10-20-2010, 02:07 PM
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My apologies to Bill.

There are two different Peter Alway plans for a Vostok. The link above, which I assumed was the same as the one in The Art of Scale Model Rocletry, is in fact different. The link above will build into a 1/100 scale Vostok on a BT-50/T-25/#9 body tube. I have not built this one but I've never built one of Pete's plans that didn't fly.

Hopefully, Pete will put the larger plan on his site as well. I'm going to build based on the larger plan.

Again, my bad, Bill.
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Awaiting First Launch: Too numerous to count
Finishing: Zooch Saturn V; Alway/Nau BioArcas; Estes Expedition; TLP Standard
Repair/Rescue: Cherokee-D (2); Centuri Nike-Smoke; MX-774
On the Bench: 2650;
Dream Stage: 1/39.37 R-7

Last edited by MarkB. : 10-20-2010 at 04:04 PM. Reason: I am a no-spelling fool
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  #8  
Old 10-20-2010, 08:21 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MarkB.
There are two different Peter Alway plans for a Vostok. The link above, which I assumed was the same as the one in The Art of Scale Model Rocletry, is in fact different. The link above will build into a 1/100 scale Vostok on a BT-50/T-25/#9 body tube. I have not built this one but I've never built one of Pete's plans that didn't fly.



I was so happy to find that page I posted the link before I had a chance to actually look at the plans. Because the other plans on that page are from his book, I naturally thought this was the same. The search continues. It would be nice if NARTS is able to reproduce that book like it does the Army Missiles of the Cold War.


Bill
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  #9  
Old 10-25-2010, 09:16 AM
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As promised:

Picture 1 shows basic parts for the build up of the strap-on boosters. (technically, I believe them to be the first stage like on the contemporary Atlas, but I digress). It took about an hour to cut the lengths of BT-60 and coupler stock with my X-Acto saw, as well as cut out the shrouds from cardstock and trim and sand the nose cones.

Picture 2 shows the parts for one booster.

Picture 3 shows the initial assembly: one 2060 ring on the base of the BT-20 and the other under the coupler length in the BT-60. At this point, I set it aside to dry while I assembled the other three boosters to the same status. By the time I finished the other three, the glue had set well enough on the first to glue the BT-20 and ring through. Total time: 30 min.

Note: if you want to cluster simply add an engine block to the BT-20. I didn't.

I then took a deep breath and started on the tough part: Origami - making shrouds. I carefully glued the first shroud. Because I intended to hide the joint by attaching that side to the core, I didn't have to get nuts about a super smooth joint.

The first one didn't come out very well -- In fact, I threw it away. I took a breather, mowed the front lawn and came back. I cut out a replacement and glued them together and taped the joints using low-tack masking tape and a little help from my son. I set them aside to dry while I cut the back yard. Total time: 40 minutes.

Picture 4 shows the almost completed boosters. The nose cones are glued on at this point. Trimming and glueing the shrouds took about 30 minutes only 'cause I trimmed for as close a fit as possible to minimize the need for putty later.

All that they need at this point are the mounting strip and the little fins which we'll add at final assembly.
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__________________
NAR 79743
NARTrek Silver
I miss being SAM 062

Awaiting First Launch: Too numerous to count
Finishing: Zooch Saturn V; Alway/Nau BioArcas; Estes Expedition; TLP Standard
Repair/Rescue: Cherokee-D (2); Centuri Nike-Smoke; MX-774
On the Bench: 2650;
Dream Stage: 1/39.37 R-7
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  #10  
Old 10-31-2010, 01:29 PM
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Alrighty,

Here's the next installment of my sport scale Vostok build. First a disclaimer: I suck at all things paper -- boat tails, shrouds, transitions and wraps. By golly if it's made out of paper, I'll screw it up.

In the last installlment I did the initial built up of the strap-ons. This time we're going to work on the core.

Before starting, make sure you mark six lines on the BT-55, one for each strap-on and then two opposite each other centered between the strap-on lines fro the lug and the big conduit.

Picture 1 shows the top section of the core: you are looking at the BT-55 core, the hand cut cardboard BT-55 to 1.82 shroud support and glued to the front of that is the BT-55 to BT-60 ring. At the very front is a second BT-55 to BT-60 ring. There is approximately 1.5 inches between the 5560 rings

Also in the picture is one of the strap-ons with the piece of 1/16 x 1/8 balsa standoff. This strip is glued immediately adjacent to the seam on the paper shroud and hids it very well .

Picture 2 shows the 3.5 inch piece of BT-60 glued over the rings with the shrouds in the background.

Disclosure - at this point "dry" fitting the core shrouds indicated more surface area was needed at the widest point so I cut another cardboard ring (out of a Priority Mail box) and stacked them.

Picture 3 shows the now shrouded top end of the core. This is THE finest work I have ever done with paper shrouds: seams line up, no fingerprints in the glue, no wrinkles .

Yaa-Hoo!

Also note that I have glued a paper disk to the bottom of the strap-ons.

Disclosure: I had to cut out a second set of shrouds 'cause I screwed the first set up gluing them on.

Note that I have not yet installed the engine mount, and good thing too. Dry fitting the strap-ons indicates that some trimming of the bottom end of the core will be necessary to get everything to look even. Also, it appears the the nose cones on the strap-ons which Peter had indicated to be 2.5 inches long are a little too long at that length. Although I have already filled and sealed the cones, I'm probably going to go back and trim them at least another 1/8 to 1/4 inch.
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__________________
NAR 79743
NARTrek Silver
I miss being SAM 062

Awaiting First Launch: Too numerous to count
Finishing: Zooch Saturn V; Alway/Nau BioArcas; Estes Expedition; TLP Standard
Repair/Rescue: Cherokee-D (2); Centuri Nike-Smoke; MX-774
On the Bench: 2650;
Dream Stage: 1/39.37 R-7

Last edited by MarkB. : 01-23-2011 at 09:06 AM. Reason: Edit reflects build discoveries
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