1/32 CSM Build

A Self-Critique of the End Result

Overview In this paper, I want to document a self-critique of my recently completed

build of a 1/32 CSM in the hopes it may generate some discussion in the Yahoo

Spacemodelers group. I hope to provide my honest assessment of what I think I did well

and, more importantly, those areas I need to improve. Hopefully, discussion within the

group will provide some tips and techniques to help me in those areas. Most of the photos

used are of the completed build but a few WIP shots are included to illustrate things that

can’t be seen as well on the completed model.

My goal for this build was to build a well detailed, accurate, CSM that I might enter

into the IPMS Nationals (if I ever make it back to one). As I envisioned it, it would not be

a super-detailed build but would take the basic Monogram kit and add the available after

market bits plus a little bit of scratch building. I planned on keeping the kit’s clear

sections to show off as much interior detail as possible. I also thought I’d display the

model with an open hatch to both show the detail of the RealSpace hatch and provide

better visibility into the CM.

For the build I used the basic Monogram kit (#5902, Young Astronauts, released

1987), New Ware CM Interior (NW002), New Ware Apollo Astronauts (NW051), New

Ware Apollo Exterior detail set (NW070), New Ware Apollo CSM decals (NWD002M),

and the RealSpace CM hatch. For references, I relied on Mike Mackowski’s SIM # 6,

Apollo CSM, David Weeks’ drawings, my photos of the CSMs at the NASM and KSC,

and internet image searches.

What I Think I Got Right/Like Some of the PE bits in the New Ware CSM exterior set

were the smallest I’ve ever worked with and I managed to get them right without even

having to use any of the generously supplied spares. The photo on the next page where

one of the two PE swing arm support brackets below the umbilical panel is visible

provides an example,. This part measures about 3x2 mm with a tiny bit of .5mm rod. I’m

quite pleased with how well they turned out.

Also visible in this photo is a little bit of scratch building on the EVA floodlight. To

more realistically represent the light’s lens, I first lopped off the rounded end of the kit’s

part with a fine toothed saw. I then rough shaped the end of a bit of clear sprue to the

appropriate shape and with progressively finer wet sanding I finalized the shape. A drop

of Future then got rid of the slightly hazy appearance. I small detail I know, but I like it.

I’m also fairly pleased with how the main panel turned out. Detail painting is one of

those areas I need to improve and trying to detail the panel pushed me well out of my

comfort zone. I’ve never had much success with washes but was able to do a fair job here

and it helped pull out some of the great detail on the New Ware PE. Likewise, dry

brushing was another technique I hadn’t used much but employed here. Overall, not a

work of art but I’m happy with the result and believe that I’ll improve on my own with

practice.

Continuing on with the detail painting theme, I’m also pleased with how the New

Ware astronauts turned out. I’m probably least experienced with figure painting and it

shows in the faces (especially the eyes) but I think I did a good job on the suits.

The hatch proved to be challenging, primarily in

cleanup and preparation for painting, but I like the

end result. With a minimum number of parts, much

of the finer detail is molded into the hatch itself and

at least my copy had quite a bit of flash, etc.

Although it can’t really be seen from the photos,

the double panes of

the window turned out

well. I sanded off most

of the detail on the

exterior and added the

New Ware PE and

added Bare Metal Foil

(BMF) to finish it off.

The New Ware high gain antenna is

another excellent improvement over the kit

parts. I did cuss and swear some as I tried

to form the dishes as they tended to want to

buckle as I pressed them into my form.

However with patience and a lot of

pounding I got them into smooth parabolas.

It also took patience to mount the dishes on

their supports. I stripped the wires that I

added out of an old computer printer cable,

recycle, reuse, repurpose!

Areas I Need to Improve Now its time to turn a critical eye to those things I need to

improve. Hopefully members of the group will be able to provide some tips and advice.

I’ll start off with something that I’m not displeased with but that I believe could be

done better, weathering the SPS and RCS engine bells. My results are shown in the

following two photos. In both cases, the bells were first painted with Testors Jet Exhaust,

brushed onto the RCS bells and sprayed onto the SPS. Over this, I layered Tamiya Clear

Blue, Clear Yellow, and Smoke again brushing the RCS and spraying the SPS. I

definitely need to flat coat the RCSs to remove the shine and also need to even out the

application some to make the effect more subtle (thin it out some before brushing?). I also

need to eliminate the speckling noticeable on the SPS. I seldom spray acrylics and

believe I may have been spraying with too much air pressure and need to back it off some.

This next problem area is the one that bothers me the most because it's something we have

to do with just about every model we build, correcting problems with fit.

In the photo on the left, the seam between the two halves of the CM is visible as a

ridge with one side a little lower than the other. I was unable to get the two to match up

properly on this side and failed in my attempt to fill the low side to match the other. This

mismatch also creased the PE in the lower right. I struggle trying to get an even seam

while retaining the raised detail surrounding it.

Also frustrating was the seam between the clear panel and the reminder of the CM.

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get it to fit without a gap and I figured that if I tried

to fill it, I would only make things worse by messing up the clear part so I let it slide. If

anyone has any ideas on how to correct this the next time I encounter the same problem,

I’d love to hear them.

I’m also ambivalent to the results of my decision to replicate the CM’s thermal tape

pattern using BMF. I find the overall look to be too pronounced and distracting, in future

CM builds I’ll just spray Alclad Chrome. That being said, I’ll still be using BMF in other

applications and need to overcome some of the problems I experience here.

The major problem was due to the amount of handling required to apply all the

individual strips, one that had been applied early would occasionally start to come off or

were damaged. Three of these spots are in red circles below. This would happen no

matter how carefully I burnished the strip down. I had considered attempting to seal

completed areas every now and then under Future but was afraid to do so.

In an attempt to be as accurate as possible, I attempted to foil the frames of the access

panels and windows individually. This meant I had to cut very thin strips, under 1/16”. I

then had a very difficult time getting these to adhere, the rivet detail may have been a

contributing factor. These areas were constantly coming off as I worked. I likely should

have left them to the very end to minimize the handling but getting them down in the first

place was a major headache.

The next couple of shots illustrate areas where I could do better but aren’t really

looking for any tips or help. Improvement will come with experience and repetition.

Both the planning and execution of my scratch

building skills can be better. The RCS thrusters in the

picture to the right are an example. I wantedt o add more

detail here since they were under the clear area of the

CM. To avoid any gap between the thrusters and the

outer hull, I attached them directly to the hull instead of

to the pressure vessel as called out in the instructions.

However, I didn’t plan this out thoroughly enough

because it turned out that once attached to the outer hull, I

couldn’t fit them between the braces and in the end had to

remove a brace to get the clear section in place (that or

deal with gaps).

Summary When completed, I ended up with a model that I’ll be proud to display despite

it warts. I pushed myself in areas such as detail painting and working with very small PE

and, while not to the standard of the really good modelers out there, was able to achieve

above average results. I’ll continue to challenge myself to improve those areas in which

I’m weak and hopefully with experience and some help from the group I’ll achieve this

goal. Please feel free to post any advice to help me along to the Yahoo group. Happy

modeling!.