[Starship Modeler's 18th on-line modeling contest: To the moon]

Contest Rules | Entries | Home

APOLLO 11 ASTRONANT

[Proudly Sponsored by BLAP! Models]

Sponsored by BLAP! Models






by Ian Davies

Scale: 1/8

This model was built using a variety of multi media materials:

  • The plastic kit itself
  • Technical pens - various colours including silver, gold , white and black
  • Spray paints
  • Enamel paints
  • Paper and card
  • Silver and gold foil
  • Lead pencil

I started by washing all the kit parts in washing up liquid to remove any residue. The astronaut figure and the backpack were assembled followed by applying model filler to the joins. The base was sprayed gray and allowed to dry. Then silver on the famous quote part. The base was finished by using a black technical pen to highlight the words. I close silver and black as they closely resemble the colours used on the plaque on the lunar module leg.

More research was carried out to identify all the additions to be made to the kit to make it resemble an Apollo Astronaut, as the Revell kit, although very good only depicts the training version used on Earth. Yahoo Space modelers was a very good resource and there were several others too.

The main improvements I identified were:

  • Additional straps on the boots - paper and card used to replicate these.
  • Velcro - represented on the suit by using cut pieces of a brown envelope and brown marker pen.
  • The waist belt, from the front of the suit to the backpack - paper and card used.
  • Various written marking and emblems on the suit - yahoo modellers have done an excellent sheet of markings. I used these on paper and were cut and attached with white glue. I put them on paper as they real markings seem to have been applied on top of the actual suits. I had decal paper ready in case this did not work out.
  • Six hose connection points and not two. I used a circle template to mark our four additional points. In total four of them are blue (Top and Middle) the lower two are red.
  • Five hoses of the six are used, four are blue and one is red. Humbrol paint used to colour them. Red 153 and blue 52. The hoses are made by using a washing line (without wire inside and cut to length from the connector to the backpack. Super glue use to connect them, one at a time. And only the front end first. That was allowed to dry followed by the backpack end. If sufficient time not given to properly dry the hoses just to not stick.
  • Helmet colour - gloss white paint needed
  • External helmet details - five face visor hand holds are made from card and attached
  • Interior helmet and facial details. Using paint and colour pens. The interior is red so Humbrol 153 used. The face itself is Humbrol 61 flesh. Blue black and white marker pens helped finish off the details. A 50/50 mix of 61 ans 153 give me a very good lip colour
  • Boot and hand glove colours - Humbrol 53 (gunmetal) used for much of this.
  • Chestpack to backpack , thin connector - Stretched sprue used. Small circular handle was added by using a spare main undercarriage wheel from Trumpeter 1.350 scale Skywarrior set.
  • Astronaut watch. - made from paper and card. Picture found on internet of watch. Downscaled and printed off. Watch shape cut out. extra layers of paper glued underneath. Then cut to give a 3d effect, very much like doing decoupage.
  • Astronaut back details- noticed there is a prominent dark square of back of suit. Humbrol 53 gunmetal used to represent it.
  • Backpack details - Antenna on top made from pencil lead and glued on top.
  • Other details such as Velcro pieces made from brown envelope pieces. Additional written markings added as well with white glue.
  • Silver buttons - identified all over suit and backpack. Detail shown by using silver marker pen.
  • Eagle Leg and Ladder. - gold foil from chocolate bars used to cover it. Two types were used. A lighter gold covered most of the leg white thin strips covered darker details.
  • Thin silver foil was also used. All attached with white glue or a special glue that came with the silver foil
  • Ladder leg sprayed aluminium.
  • Plaque - On top of the leg the famous “We Came in Peace” plaque is added. This was done by finding a good example online. Downsizing it to the right side printing it off and adding it to the top of the leg.
  • The chest mounted camera was not attached at this point
The only additional detail on some photos is to use NASA's 40th Anniversary logo to accompany the model and it uses an amended Apollo 11 photograph

I believe this model best represents the 40th Anniversary of Apollo 11, on Starship Modeller, as

  • It shows humanity going from science fiction to science fact. So it is a cross cutting and all encompassing .
  • The model uses ancient and modern modelling techniques.
  • You also get to see the event from new angles.
It also shows what Apollo is best remembered for: That first step and Earthrise.

Total build time - 2 months

Image: Front view

Image: Left

Image: Left/rear

Image: Right

Image: Rear

Image: Up

Image: Looking down

Image: Face

Image: Dedication


Go back up | Starship Modeler Home | Site Map | Feedback

This page was last updated 14 July 2009. © 2009 Starship Modeler