I’ve restarted working on the models I did of the manned Soviet Lunar program, with a view to taking them to the next level.
I’m starting with the rotating gantry, here are the old and new versions of the hub:
Here’s a reference shot, lookinmg down at the hub from the tower, grabbed from video.
I thought of quite a few significant improvements I could make, and I think it’s worth doing.
I did start some of this a while back, but managed to trash the files with the improved gantry somehow. And I really hate redoing things…
- The whole gantry and rotating tower can be improved considerably.
- I never used the somewhat rough versions of the launchpad scenery I started on.
- The lightning towers and lighting towers were very basic.
- I want to do the internal structure of quite a bit of the rocket, where I have the references. Support cone for the tanks, thermal bridge, inside the fuel line covers, plumbing.
- I have the improved engines, which can tuck into the existing models.
- I have the photos of the LK Lander, taken at the London Science Museum, and can soup that up quite a bit.
- And I >>think<< I can maybe have a sensible shot at the N1-8L and N1F
As far as I am aware there is not one photo of the whole 8L, but I have some descriptions, and photos of broken up parts. And it had a clear difference in paint finish. And I found ONE decent reference to the new upper stage planned for the N1F.
So I think I can have a shot at a credible rendering of these almost undocumented versions.
And for those who never saw it the first time around, here’s the video I did for the kickstarter that got the book published.
I still late that landing at the end though, downright embarressing!