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Nescorna Rocketworks

Information on Saturn V and other
Space Program Models

US Apollo Era

Soviet, "Apollo Era"

Post-Apollo


Modeling Manned space vehicles: some consider it among the ultimate crafts in the model rocket hobby. Here's some information on various flyable semi-scale models available of the US and Soviet manned space program.

 

 

US Apollo Era

Saturn V

LUNAR, the Livermore Unit of the National Association of Rocketry, is planning a commemorative launch to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the flight of Apollo 11, scheduled for July 18, 2009 at our regular launch site at Ames Research Center located at Moffett field in Mountain View. Several LUNARians have asked about different Saturn V kits available. Below is a sample, with a summary table at the end.

I can also recommend John Duncan's Apollo Saturn Reference Page as an excellent source of detailed information on the Saturn V (and the Saturn IB), including such arcane information as the differences in the markings among the various launch vehicles (e.g., Apollo 8 vs. Apollo 15). An important thing to note, for those detail sticklers, is that many of the Saturn V models are based on the "Facilities Integration Vehicle," AS-500F, which has some noticeable differences from all the flight vehicles. See, for example, the site's Saturn V markings guide page, and the "Individual Vehicle Variations" section.

The three-stage Saturn V was 363 feet (111 meters) tall, 33 feet (10 meters) in diameter, and weighed 6.7 million pounds (3 million kg mass). The five F-1 engines in the first stage produced just over 34 million Newtons (7.6 million pounds) thrust.


Saturn V Kits

Manufacturer Size Scale Motor Mount MSRP
Quest 5½ inches
14 cm
1:800 Micro Maxx $5 (with Shuttle)
Neubauer 10.7 inches
27 cm
1:296 13mm $15
Dr. Zooch 18 inches
45 cm
1:250 18mm $25
Saturn Press 22 inches
55 cm
1:195 18mm $50
Estes 3.6 feet
110 cm
1:100 24mm
(old: 3×18mm)
out of production
Apogee 5.2 feet
1.6 m
1:70 29mm $280
Sirius 5½ feet
1.7 m
1:64 38mm $360
Sheri's 7.6 feet
2.3 m
1:48 2×29mm
38mm
54mm
$450
Polecat Aerospace 9.6'
2.9 m
1:38 98mm + 4×54mm $800

Saturn IB

One could easily argue that the S-IB gave us the time to perfect the S-V. And who can forget the largest cluster in the US Manned Space Program, those 8 H-1 engines in the first stage?

The two-stage Saturn IB was 224 feet (68 meters) tall, 21.7 feet (6.6 meters) in diameter, and weighed 1.3 million pounds (590 thousand kg mass). The eight H-1 engines in the first stage produced just over 7.1 million Newtons (1.6 million pounds) of thrust.


Saturn 1B Kits

Manufacturer Size Scale Motor Mount MSRP
Neubauer 6.8 inches
17.3 cm
1:396 13mm $15
Dr. Zooch 17 inches
43 cm
1:160 18mm $25
Estes 38 inches
97 cm
1:70 4×18mm out of production
Semroc 37 inches
94 cm
1:70 4×18mm
24mm
$60

Gemini, Mercury

Coming soon.

Soviet "Apollo Era" Models

Coming soon.

Post-Apollo

More coming soon.