Revell 1:100, Apollo Command Module

[IvanV22]

My first finished kit this year!
The Revell Apollo : Command Module.
I built it strait out of the box, only added transparent plastic for windows.






I\m almost satisfied with the build, but I’m not satisfied with the chrome finish of the command module , I used black first and then chrome, but I think I maybe sprayed too much chrome?
Also I noticed that some dust had some know attacheditself to the model… I don’t know how this could happen, my house is dust free……







I also had to paint the heat shield 3 times… First grey, then I saw a pic on the internet that showed the unburned shield as black , but Andrew kindly informed my that it should be amber, so I painted it for the 4 time with acryl artist colours heavily diluted with water.

[Eric Mc]

I built it a year or so back.

It's a bit of a dog's breakfast of a kit. It's more akin to a Block I spacecraft than a Block II - but it is closer to a Block I - so that is how I finished it, with some modifications to make it even more like a Block I.

Block I Command Modules had a rounded cone shaped nose as they were not fitted with docking probes. Block IIs had a truncated end (like this kit) but the kit does not give you the probe assembly.
So it is incorrect for both Block I or II. The kit also shows the C shaped positioned antennas on the Command Module, which was definitely a feature of the Block I spacecraft. They were moved to the Service Module on the Block IIs.

[IvanV22]

Thanks for the info! I remember seeing / reading about your build! It was great. I didn’t have the patients … so I just finished the kit…But I have noticed one thing, the kit does not show any astronauts in the craft, so…..
It must be an early craft or it is Apollo 20 , the craft made of left over’s for surveying the dark side of the moon… In source of the Mystersns the craft was destroyed and was directed to strike cloud base, hope those Angels wil shoot down the Apollo Command Module !!!!!

[Eric Mc]

A plausible scenario - I suppose

The history of the parallel development of the Block I and Block II Apollo spacecraft is very interesting - and not that well known, even by some of the Apollo astronauts themselves.
In the 1979 BBC Documentary, "The Other Side of the Moon", astronauts Jim McDivitt and Harrison Schmitt get into a bit of an argument over how important the post Apollo 1 changes made to the Command Module actually were to the success of the later missions.

Schmitt states that without the changes brought about by the fire, the Block II Command Module (which was used for all manned missions) would not have been so good. McDivitt argues that the changes were being made anyway - because the Block I was too limited in its capabilities (no docking probe or tunnel, no hatch that could be opened in space so no EVAs possible).

In the end James Burke has to intervene in the argument to calm things down.

[Tarkas]

Hmmm... I admit to having been out of the loop in this respect over the years, but do we know the provenance of this kit? I find it a bit odd that Revell would bring out a 1/100 kit of the CSM when they already had a 1/96 scale kit of it that dated back to the 1960s. The parts look similar, though that's hardly surprising, as there's only so many ways you can construct a simple shape like the CSM. Interestingly, many of the faults listed for this kit are the same as those found in the old 1/96 kit, so it does make one wonder.

Anybody know whether the two kits are different, or has Revell simply fudged the scale issue?

[Eric Mc]

It's a former Heller kit (hence the metric scale). Heller also produced a lunar module in the same scale.

[AndrewR]

A plausible scenario - I suppose

The history of the parallel development of the Block I and Block II Apollo spacecraft is very interesting - and not that well known, even by some of the Apollo astronauts themselves.
In the 1979 BBC Documentary, "The Other Side of the Moon", astronauts Jim McDivitt and Harrison Schmitt get into a bit of an argument over how important the post Apollo 1 changes made to the Command Module actually were to the success of the later missions.

Schmitt states that without the changes brought about by the fire, the Block II Command Module (which was used for all manned missions) would not have been so good. McDivitt argues that the changes were being made anyway - because the Block I was too limited in its capabilities (no docking probe or tunnel, no hatch that could be opened in space so no EVAs possible).

In the end James Burke has to intervene in the argument to calm things down.

McDivitt knew far more about the engineering side of things than Schmitt - he commanded Apollo 9, the first mission with the full hardware set, and then
was Apollo Spacecraft Program Manager from '69 to '72. Schmitt was busy trying to get them to do some proper science experiments (not an easy task). So McDivitt probably has a better viewpoint.

[Eric Mc]

I agree.

And that is why I normally get frustrated because nearly every report or story in the media about Apollo states that the Command and Service Modules were completely redesigned after the fire - especially regarding the "outward opening hatch"..

My view since first seeing that discussion on TV 35 years ago is that this was not the case. The design of the Block II Command and Service Module was well on the way to being completed way BEFORE the fire happened for the reasons mentioned above.

The changes brought about by the fire were more related to quality control, post construction checking and fireproofing. Also, some materials which had been allowed into the spacecraft were banned.

[John Leah]

I may be looking in a year late but I have enjoyed looking at your work and thank you for noting the correct CSM underbelly colour as I would have used black had I not read your notes while building my 1/96 Sat V soon

nice work

[Eric Mc]

Although I don't really want to hijack somebody else's build, for John's sake I'm showing my version of the kit, modified to look like a Block I. The Block 1 modules were painted grey - rather than covered by reflective mylar.
They also had a different radiator pattern on the Service Module. They were very different in many ways to the Block II Command/Service Modules.

[John Leah]

wow - that is a superb piece of modelling Eric and thanks for the notes. I purchased some resin corrective parts for both my 1/96 and 1/144 Sat V's kits (I cant remember exactly what they were at present as I have not onto the build yet) but your notes about the colours is appreciated and duly noted.

Incidentally, I was with HP in Bracknell yesterday on a 3PAR Storage hands-on workshop with a client of mine from Nigeria who was unfamiliar with the technology - the HP engineer held up a 1GB module during the config assembly stages of the servers and happily pointed out that the single chip had enough technology to get man to the moon and back, back in the day...Quite incredible when you hold the chip in your hand and think of a Sat V blasting off....