In honor of the 50th anniversary of the moon landing, I figured that I would put together this kit.
It’s the Apollo 11 Lunar Lander model by Airfix. It’s 1/72 scale so should be close in size for miniature figures. It seems to have all the parts, as well as the instructions and decals.
I had picked it up a few years ago at Value Village for $2.99. It seems to be worth a bit online, and I’m not sure I’ll do it proper justice, but I figured I would give it a go.
With plastic kits, it’s always good to give them a quick wash before starting. Using dish soap and an old toothbrush to gently scrub the mold release agent from the parts helps to prevent problems with painting later. It’s always good to wash the sprues in a tray or container instead of the sink itself. If a part becomes loose, it helps to contain it so you don’t lose a critical piece down the drain.
Make sure they are well rinsed and you can let them air dry or dry them gently with a paper towel.
Now it’s ready to start on the assembly.
So I sanded along the seam with an emery board and then applied model putty.
After it dried I did a bit more sanding to blend it a bit better and then repainted.
It is better but still noticeable. So the paint needed to be sanded again. More putty applied, more sanding, and painted again.
I got a good start to the assembly on the Lunar Lander when I had time on the weekend of the anniversary of the Moon Landing. I put together the main parts of the upper and lower assemblies. I painted parts of it as I went – especially around where the clear pieces would go. The clear pieces were glued in with white glue to prevent crazing.
I put the base together but the seam is still rather noticeable from certain angles. I may have to fix that.
While working on the lander, I watched a bunch of the Apollo 11 shows on CNN and NASA. I would occasionally pause the program and take a photo of the screen if there was a good picture for reference.
It’s the Apollo 11 Lunar Lander model by Airfix. It’s 1/72 scale so should be close in size for miniature figures. It seems to have all the parts, as well as the instructions and decals.
I had picked it up a few years ago at Value Village for $2.99. It seems to be worth a bit online, and I’m not sure I’ll do it proper justice, but I figured I would give it a go.
With plastic kits, it’s always good to give them a quick wash before starting. Using dish soap and an old toothbrush to gently scrub the mold release agent from the parts helps to prevent problems with painting later. It’s always good to wash the sprues in a tray or container instead of the sink itself. If a part becomes loose, it helps to contain it so you don’t lose a critical piece down the drain.
Make sure they are well rinsed and you can let them air dry or dry them gently with a paper towel.
Now it’s ready to start on the assembly.
