1/72 Gemini

[Eric Mc]

1965 sees the 50th anniversary of the start of the US Gemini manned space programme. Gemini was instigated when it was realised that the jump from the very simple Mercury spacecraft to the much more sophisticated and capable Apollo was far too big a leap.

It was decided that an interim project was required which would allow NASA to learn how to carry out some basic techniques that would be required for Apollo - orbital manoeuvers, orbital plane changes, rendezvous and docking and Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA or spacewalking).

Because the project was put in place very quickly, permission was received from the government to skip the normal competitive tendering process and the design and construction of the spacecraft was allocated to McDonnell - who had also built the Mercury space capsule. The Apollo spacecraft had already been awarded to North American Aviation Inc.

The kit I have chosen is the fairly new (2012) 1/72 model released by Dragon. Being modern, it is very neatly moulded using the latest CAD and slide mould techniques. It looks like it will go together really well.

Despite its newness, it's not perfect. In particular, I am disappointed in the fact that the forward facing windows of the space capsule are not cut out of the sold plastic. I assume they expect the modeller to just paint a representation of the window on each hatch. I don't think that this is satisfactory and I will chain drill and cut our (carefully) proper window apertures and either use Crystal Clear or Acetate to represent a proper window.

The kit is arranged to represent Ed White's spacewalk on Gemini 4 in 1965. You get two astronaut figures which, for some odd reason, are moulded in bendy polythene rather than hard polystyrene.

[TobyC]

Looking forward to this. It may even prompt to get the kit.

[Eric Mc]

Dragon supply three hatches. Two are for setting in the closed position. An extra one features hinges to allow for the hatch to be posed open for the spacewalking astronaut. I've cut one out window aperture. A little bit of tidying is required.

You can see how they have been moulded solid by Dragon.

[ShaunW]

This looks interesting Eric. I have to agree with your assessment of those windows and would have done likewise had I been building this kit. IMHO painted on windows don't really cut it in this scale - especially not if I'm doing the painting

[Clashcityrocker]

This is a build worth watching. It's a great subject.

Nigel

[Eric Mc]

After a brief hiatus due to performing on stage all of last week, it's back to the Gemini spacecraft.

I've primed and painted the internal parts and started on the two crew.

I discovered to some consternation that only one of the crew has been supplied with a set of arms. I don't know what went wrong there.
So, to rectify the situation I decided, rather than try and scratchbuild some arms for the "armless one", I'd swap his head onto a fully armed alternative. It so happens that it is the seated astronaut inside the capsule who has been left devoid of appendages. Therefore, I decided that it didn't really matter if his body was not fully fitted out as an astronaut. The hatch will be closed over on him so he will mostly be invisible in the cockpit.
He may need a bit of fettling in order to ensure the lid closes down over his head. The Gemini capsule was extremely cramped inside.

The other "floating" astronaut is fully equipped in the limb department and one of his hands is holding the small gas manoeuvering device which was tested on Gemini 4 by Ed White. They both need priming and painting so that is today's first job.

[Eric Mc]

Finished. A neat little kit with virtually no filler required. It's not 100% accurate but it is good enough for me.

The only significant changes I made were the cutting out of the window apertures and I also fabricated a representation of the Infra Red Horizon Sensor. Gemini uses this device to "know" what way up it was pointing - crucial before firing its orbital manoeuvering rocket motors. The kit depicts this device as it is during launch i.e. under a streamlined fairing. The fairing was jettisoned immediately after orbit was achieved to allow the device to see the horizon so you would not see the fairing in any pictures of a Gemini in orbit..


My tribute to Ed White and what he accomplished a half century ago.

Also, another excuse to buy some Rolos

[Softscience]

I'm surprised nobody has commented on this. Lovely build!

[DavidWomby]

That is a beauty. Nice to have 1/72 models available of these historically significant spacecraft.

David

[Eric Mc]

Thanks. I enjoyed making it. I've just recently ordered and received the Dragon kit of the Apollo/Soyuz ATP mission of 1975. My plan is to build this before the end of the year as 2015 is the 40th anniversary year of that historic flight..

[Ratch]

That looks great
I built one in my youth (probably the Revell 1/32 kit), you've done a fine job

[Arcwelder]

That looks excellent. I've had a hankering to build the Revell/Monogram Gemini. Ed White's delirious joy at being outside and reluctance to come back in is suitably famous and even more poignant, considering what was to come.

[Eric Mc]

I built the Revell kit back around 1984 and still have it. It's inaccurate in many areas, mainly because it was originally released before any actual Gemini missions were flown.