One thing that modelers of Apollo program equipment cannot get enough of is references. Here's where David Weeks has stepped in to provide us with detail-loaded plans of a launch vehicle second only in popularity to the Saturn V: The Saturn IB.The Saturn IB is a very interesting booster. Its grandfather, the Saturn I, was built with limited funds and so the team that designed it had to rely on ingenuity to get the job done. They didn't have the funds to build single tanks with the diameter required, so they used existing equipment for building Redstone and Jupiter missile tanks. The Jupiter tank became the large, center oxidizer tank, and the Redstones became the outer eight tanks which give it that distinctive clustered look. The Saturn IB was a lightened and upgraded version used to test the S-IVB (the third stage of the Saturn V) and the Apollo Spacecraft. It has been said that the Saturn IB was NASA's "prettiest" launch vehicle.
Now onto the plans! The four 24"X36" sheets are reproduced on white paper in an easy to read format. If only NASA's drawings were so clear!
Sheet One: The S-IB
This sheet is in 1/4"=1' scale. All dimensions and STA numbers are shown in inches (STA stands for Station, the NASA reference system which assigned STA 100 to the gimbal point of the first stage engines), allowing the modeler to derive most any dimension necessary. STA numbers are used extensivly through out the entire set.
The following appears on this sheet:
- Fins
- Antenna panels
- Arrangement of fuel and oxidizer tanks, looking down from STA 935.304
- Location of all hatches, valves, propellant dispersion charges, umbilical connections, etc.
- View of the base of the stage, with locations of rivet lines, engine mounting points, etc.
- "Unwrapped" views of the thrust structure/lower shroud, fuel and oxidizer tanks and the aft interstage aerodynamic fairing showing locations of all details and rivet lines (uwrapped: if you peeled the skin of the booster away and layed it flat)
- The variations between vehicles is also shown, with the items deleted on later versions called out. (The Airfix Saturn IB kit seems to represent the SA-202 S-IB)
Sheet Two: S-IVB and IBM Instrument unit
In the same scale as sheet one, this sheet is complicated as it shows the dimensions of all the external fairings and protrusions.
On sheet 2:
- Instrument unit top view, showing location of all antennas, umbilicals, etc.
- Top views of Forward and Aft Skirts with locations of all details.
- Dimensions of all fairings, antennas, etc.
- Excellent "unwrapped" view of outside skin of S-IVB, showing all detail locations, markings, etc.
- Details of variations between vehicles.
Note: The S-IVB was different for the Saturn V. David's upcoming Saturn V drawing set will feature that version: The 500 Series S-IVB.
Sheet Three: Painting and Markings
This sheet has the complete markings used on all versions.
- Tank lettering, vehicle designators, fin position markings, black roll marking positions, etc.
- The two "bullet" fairings used on SA-203 and SA-204 (no CSM was carried on these flights)
- Several variation details, such as the outboard engine fairings used on SA-201, the inboard engine turbopump exhaust fairings, etc.
- Plan view of the entire SA-201 and 202 stacks (almost identical)
Sheet Four: Vehicle Markings
This sheet has four side views, showing the markings of the entire stack. Each view represents a different vehicle, so the differences are obvious. The all important tail roll markings are clearly visible. This sheet also has the references used and a flight roster.
These plans are excellent as a reference for building that Saturn IB that's hiding in your closet. I know my kit is being dusted off!These, as well as the other drawing sets by David Weeks, are available through RealSpace Models.
Copyright 1997, 1998, 1999 by John
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