Space Ark Update: Happy New Year!
Happy New Year!
My Dear Wife and I spent a very low-key New Year’s celebration. We watched the Mummer’s Parade. If you want to know just what the
Mummer’s Parade is about, click on the link. It’s a uniquely Philadelphia experience, and there is nothing like it in the world.
We also didn’t make a big deal about Christmas. Once again we didn’t get the cards out. I am going to compose our annual Holiday letter and send the cards out late, and maybe join the
Procrastinators’ Club.
Progress on the Space Ark:
I am going to make three of the things before I am done, and I have started building the first one. Its basis is the Estes V-2 Kit from back in the 80’s. Here’s what it looks like:
Estes V2 Kit It has the basic shape I need for the Ark. I will be modifying the fins into a more sci-fi format, with two sweeping main wings and two opposing tail fins. I hope to be able to include landing pods.
My vision of this particular Ark is more along the lines of the original Ark in the book "
When Worlds Collide." The movie was based on this book from the '30s. In this book, Dr. Hendron and company built not one but two arks. They were, according to the book, atomic powered. The first Ark was capable of carrying 100 souls plus animals and provisions to re-establish humanity on Bronson Beta (which was re-named Zaira in the movie.) The second ark was larger and ferried 453 souls. So my plan now is to build BOTH arks as well as the 40-man ark from the movie.
As of right now I have the basic body assembled. I will be cutting out the fins in a week or so.
The basis of my second ark will also be a V-2 kit, this time from the late Atlantic Rockets company. Don't bother looking for them, thay don't exist any more. I bought two V-2 kits from them as well as a Bell X-1 kit, both of which currently languish in my Pile of Unbuilt Kits.
I am also building an
Estes X-Ray clone. It is almost complete, with the fins and launch lug glued on and the payload assembled. Ironically, it appears in this link next to an earlier Estes V-2. I still need to seal the balsa parts and paint the model. Then I might build my 2X upscale version I am tentatively calling "
Dos Equis." The pun is intended.
Today's cup of coffee was Starbuck's House Blend, a dark roast with intense flavor and aroma and one heck of a caffiene kick. One mug with breakfast and one for the road. Woo-Ha!
