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Nuclear Disposal Area 2

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Sponsored by BLAP! Models






by Bruce Rollins

Scale: 1/72

The premise of the TV series, "Space: 1999" was that, in the future, nuclear waste was stored on the far side of the moon. The accumulation of this material causes a build-up of magnetic radiation that explodes and launches the moon out of Earth orbit enabling the crew of Moonbase Alpha to roam the universe and to get their butts kicked by every alien race they encounter.

The opening shot of the series shows an Eagle Transporter loading canisters of nuclear waste into underground storage at disposal area 2 (area 1 having been filled to capacity). This diorama is an attempt to capture that scene.

I started with an AMT/Ertl Eagle Transporter that I went to great lengths to make as accurate as possible using the kit. I hallowed-out the cages, scratch-built the access corridors, built spring-loaded landing gear, reworked the spine and engine area, and built a cockpit interior with a single, yellow LED in the nose. The cargo pod was scratch-built using sheet styrene and tubing. The nuclear waste canisters are made from wood dowel rod wrapped in a appropriate markings that I drew on my computer. I made one silo top from scratch and then duplicated it using a rubber mold. I did the same for the tank treads and legs. The round building was cobbled together using a container from a child's game and rest is simple wood and sheet styrene. The lunar surface was done with ballast poured over smeared glue. All of the lighting was done using yellow and red LEDs.

Image: Front view

Image: From above

Image: Back

Image: Building

Image: Conveyor

Image: Closeup on the Eagle

Image: Glow in the dark

Image: Left side

Image: Right

Image: Again


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This page was last updated 23 July 2009. © 2009 Starship Modeler