Robert Hargrave’s Jupiter 2 part 3

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This is an overhead shot of the completed lower level, showing all the areas of the interior of the ship. The left center is the Flight Deck, then continuing clockwise is the Lab, Galley, Ladder, Elevator, Rear Landing Hatch, 2 Staterooms then the restroom area.

This shows the Elevator during the building stage, and one of the landing legs with some of the many modifications I made to them to enhance their look.

Here I started the building of the upper level by adding 2 sections of .060 sheet styrene to make the upper deck a complete circle. These were cut to shape using the deck as a template to mark the styrene. Also in the photo you can see the beginning work on modifying the kit supplied Astrogator. The six fins have been removed and the first tier on the inside top will be cut away to get a more accurate look.

Here is a photo of the modified Astrogator next to the stock unit supplied with the kit. I added eight new fins and top plates, a strip of styrene adds more detail to the base. I modified the interior unit by wrapping some .010 styrene around the pot that sits in the center of the table top. I cut off the saucer and shaft that was attached to the pot, and using hobby files and sandpaper I reshaped the disk on the kit part to more of a saucer shape. A piece of brass wire make the new shaft and also serves as the dome on the saucer.

In this shot you see the completed Astrogator, and the floor of the upper level is painted, the main control panels are cut out, shaped and new panels set into the openings. New control panel decals have also been applied. The old computer boxes have been removed and new units built from measurement taken from the new decals. These were built using blocks of .040 strip styrene cementer together and filed to shape, then strips of .010 styrene were applied the the top and side to form the cabinet overhangs.

This photo shows the parts I used to modified all the kit wall divider units, to enhance their look. Pieces of .030 styrene was cut to shape using the kit wall as a guide to mark the outline. Each wall took about 30 minutes to cut out and shape, then automotive body putty was smeared into any voids. After they were dry I wet sanded the parts using a piece of 240 grit sand paper on a sheet of glass this smoothed the sides and removed the little overhang area on the front face of the curved wall area. Because the elevator on the lower level sets in 3/4’s of an inch further than the upper level the three wall section that go between the ladder and the flight recorder panel. the ladder and the elevator and the elevator and the first freezing tube, these walls had to be lengthened and the wall sections between them will be moved forward to the correct position.

Here you see the completed flight deck with the computer boxes in place, you also have one of the modified wall divider units with a stock unit in the shot to see the change the modification make to the look of the wall units.

Here you see all the completed wall units A-H sit on each side of the flight deck control panels, B is the main hatch wall, C-D-E sit between the flight recorder, ladder, elevator and freezing tube 1st wall, F-G sit between the other two sections of freezing tubes.

In this shot you see my scratch built Radio/ Video unit and the kit supplied unit side by side, there are still some parts to be added after it is painted. The original unit was sanded away the hole left by removing it was filled with sheet styrene. And the new unit built using different sizes of strip and sheet styrene. The opening into the storage area behind the unit was cut out also.

The kit supplied main hatch and wall unit I cut apart to fix the upside down hatch, and also improve the look of the doorway. I made a second wall unit to go along side the wall divider to give the airlock two walls instead of the one, and by cutting off the excess material at the top and bottom of the door it gave me enough room to add a frame around the door. This made it look like it was set into the wall.

In this shot you see all the present modifications made to the master alarm, flight recorder and atomic clock panels, all the opening were cut out and new interior boxes made from sheet styrene, the master alarm globe was scratch built using a wood ball and plastic tubing. The flight recorder reels and atomic clock were also scratch built from sheet styrene pieces.

Here are 2 shots of the compleated first section of the upper level, there is even glass in the particially open main hatch door.

Robert Hargrave