Model Builders Inc Blog

Apollo 8 Command Module replica model in "The 1968 Exhibit"

Posted by Hal Chaffee on Tue, Aug 26, 2014 @ 12:32 AM

1968 was an incredible year with a spectacular ending - mankind's first trip to the moon. Commander Frank Borman, Command Module Pilot James Lovell and Lunar Module Pilot William Anders flew the Apollo Command Module ten times around the moon starting on December 24th.

Model Builders, Inc. created a replica of the Apollo 8 Command Module for "The 1968 Exhibit" which is a month by month journey through a pivotal year for the baby boomer generation. See this video tour for a 4 minute overview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hSSHSIJl08 and these photographs of the Command Module replica and some artifacts at https://www.flickr.com/photos/wbaiv/sets/72157632127075078/detail/ . This traveling exhibit is at the Chicago History Museum from Saturday, October 4, 2014 to Sunday, January 4, 2015.

Apollo 8 Command Module replica

Apollo 8 Command Module replica in "The 1968 Exhibit"

The real Apollo 8 Command Module is on loan from NASA to Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry and we examined it to ensure detailed accuracy. We had to deal with significant challenges however. For example, having gone through the extreme heat of re-entry the original Apollo 8 Command Module no longer has the silver reflective Mylar heat tape nor very much of the exterior labels that were originally on it.

Thanks to some careful analysis, the replica in "The 1968 Exhibit" has the silver Mylar tape and the pre-flight exterior labels. Like the original Apollo 8 the replica tape pattern is exactly same and the tape width is exactly 4" as on the original. Not all of the Apollo Command Modules had the same reflective tape pattern. However by closely examining the burned residue lines left on about half of the original Apollo 8 Command Module Model Builders, Inc. was able to confirm that the tape pattern we previously had found for the Apollo 13 Module was exactly the same as on the Apollo 8. Model Builders, Inc. was also able to find all of the exterior label details at NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

Apollo 8 CM tape pattern

Apollo 8 Command Module - Mylar tape pattern

real Apollo 8 CMReal Apollo 8 Command Module - Note parallel white Mylar residue lines 4" apart

The Apollo 8 was the very first in the series of Apollo Command Modules to have a probe for connecting to the Lunar Module and this detail is shown on the replica. It is based on original NASA drawings and also close up photographs taken of a real NASA Apollo probe at the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center in Hutchinson, Kansas. The probe mechanism is quite interesting in that on the later Apollo flights it had to latch onto a matching drogue parachute on the Lunar Module. After both were pulled together the twelve smaller latches around the circumference of the docking tunnel locked them together.  That explains the two red circles (representing the silicon o-rings) outside the tunnel. Once connected the hatch in the Command Module was removed, then they removed the probe assembly, then the drogue and finally the hatch on the Lunar Module to be able to get into it. 

Apollo 8 probe

Apollo 8 Probe replica

Model Builders, Inc. had already done a lot of the research necessary for accurately building this Apollo 8 Command Module replica. A few years earlier we built a 1/10 scale model of the Apollo 11 Command, Service and Lunar Modules and a 1/6 scale model of the Apollo 13 CSM -Command and Service Module (with the door blown off and the oxygen tank exploded) for the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center,  The 1/6th scale Apollo 13 CSM model sits next to the real Apollo 13 Command and Service Module in Hutchinson, Kansas. If you are interested in the details of the Apollo Command and Services Modules an excellent book with lots of illustrations in color and cutaway views is "Virtual Apollo" by Scott Sullivan. It is a pictorial essay of the engineering and construction.

We think you might really enjoy "The 1968 Exhibit". After Chicago the exhibit travels in 2015 to the Colorado History Center in Denver and after that the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana, California.

Model Builders, Inc. is known for helping industrial designers, manufacturers, institutions and individuals go from idea to reality. Take the next step by contacting us at Model Builders, Inc., 773-586-6500 or info@modelbuilders.net .

Tags: aviation models, model planes, model, exhibit, model builders, model maker, model makers, airplane models, museum model, aerospace models, props

GM Futurliner restoration gets a replica exhibit with aircraft models

Posted by Hal Chaffee on Fri, Jun 20, 2014 @ 05:06 PM

We were surprised and delighted last year to receive a request from Ryan DeCol of Kindig-It Design to build a replica of an exhibit that had been in a GM Futurliner they are restoring for a client. Ryan found our website and thought our models of planes, trains, spacecraft, interactive exhibits and cutaways were high quality so he called us. Model Builders, Inc. since 1950 has a long history of working on projects for GM. Eugene Kettering (son of GM's "Boss" Kettering) was a close friend of William Chaffee, the founder Model Builders, Inc., and also an early investor in the company.

Originally there were 12 GM Futurliner buses and each one had a separate set of exhibits in it. This particular GM Futurliner had a "PROGRESS FOR THE AIR AGE" theme which included a full size cutaway of an Allison J-35 Jet Engine. If you would like to know the history of the GM Futurliners please see this youtube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZGr3fLA5ow . If you are interested in the GM Futurliner restoration go to  www.kindigit.com and then click on the Facebook link in the upper right hand corner. Below are three photographs of the original exhibit.

GM Futurliner POWER FOR THE AIR AGE

POWER FOR THE AIR AGE - General Motors 2014 photo 

GM Futurliner talk

Discussing how a Allison J-35 jet engine works. It is cutaway so the viewer can see the parts. General Motors 2014 photo

GM Futurliner presentation

Presentation on the theory of how a Allison J-35 jet engine works. General Motors 2014 photo

Futurliner Cloud exhibit

Replica of the cloud on the backwall of the PROGRESS FOR THE AIR AGE exhibit

The cloud is 8 feet long and 3 feet high. The hemisphere diameter is 24". The continents and ocean we silk screened on the inside. The atmosphere is a 32" diameter clear acrylic disc that is 1"thick.

The aircraft are 1/27 scale models. From the top to the bottom they are the P-80 Shooting Star, F-9F Panther, Convair CV-240-2, A2D-1 Skyshark and the F-84 Thunderjet.

GM Futurliner Convair

Replica of the Convair 240 at the right end of the cloud exhibit. 

We did an extensive search but couldn't locate any of the original drawings. The pictures we found on youtube were too fuzzy or dark to be able to identify the aircraft. So we called retired GM manager Don Mayton who led the restoration at his farm in Zeeland, Michigan of Futurliner #10 starting in 1999 (however it had a different exhibit inside). A DVD on his restoration is available at http://www.futurliner.com/video.htm .  Don suggested we contact the GM Heritage Center in Sterling Heights, MI which has over 650 GM vehicles and extensive archives.  The GM Heritage Center was very helpful and found in their archives thirteen high resolution pictures of the PROGRESS FOR THE AIR AGE Futureliner which enabled us to scale the cloud exhibit and identify the aircraft.  Futhermore they sent us a copy of the script that the instructors used for this exhibit.

Some of our other projects for GM include the entire underseas section of the GM ride at the 1964 World's Fair on Long Island, a half size Aerotrain locomotive mounted on a truck chassis and also a half size steam locomotive mounted on a truck chassis, a 13 foot long Diesel locomotive with one half cutaway down the length so you could see the interior, a transfer press model, numerous diesel locomotive models and a cutaway of a full size turbocharger for a diesel locomotive.

A blog in November, 2014 featured several nice pictures of the restored GM Futurliner No. 3 after it had been in the SEMA show in Las Vegas. There is a particularly good picture of the cloud exhibit we made in the last picture.  If you click on the picture it gets larger and provides a dramatic highly detailed view of the cloud exhibit. See: http://blog.classiccars.com/sema-seen-1939-gm-parade-progress-futurliner/ . If you would like to see the before the restoration pictures of GM Futurliner No. 3 see  http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2013/06/21/most-original-unrestored-futurliner-goes-under-the-knife-for-full-restoration/  .

 Model Builders, Inc. is known for helping manufacturers, industrial designers, institutions and individuals go from idea to reality. Take the next step by contacting us at Model Builders, Inc., 773-586-6500 or info@modelbuilders.net .

 

Tags: aviation models, model planes, model, exhibit, interactive exhibit, model builders, training aid, model builder, industrial scale model, airplane models, museum model, aerospace models

Why quality matters for museum model boats.

Posted by Hal Chaffee on Thu, Jan 31, 2013 @ 11:23 PM

Quality craftsmanship is essential for a quality model, but it's not enough. The final result also depends on high quality research and planning, as John Into and Nancy Price point out in their book, "Fundamentals of Model Boat Building."

Quality always matters, but this is especially true for museum work.  Museum patrons expect authenticity, so that is a primary expectation for museum acquisition decisions, too. Curators look for quality in all three steps - research, planning and construction - and only then do they consider price and reliable on-time delivery. The same is true for any client that places high value on model quality.  Let's use boat models to illustrate the point.

 River tugboat model

River tugboat model

RESEARCH

Research is the first step and it often requires one-third or more of the total time to build a quality model. In many cases, the museum and the exhibit designer do not have detailed information on every element in their display and it is up to the model builder to ensure authenticity. Research like this is a particular strength for Model Builders, Inc. Often we have discovered original specifications unknown to museum personnel.

Research can be quite challenging. You may or may not be able to find a kit or detailed plans for the boat you are going to build. One difficulty is that if the boat model is a US Navy ship that is currently commissioned the policy of the US Navy is to not release any of the drawings. For ancient boats little information may exist.

You may have to work from a sketch or artist's illustration Unless you are willing to put in the hours necessary to search like an archeologist for as much relevant information on the boat as you can possibly find you probably won't be able to build a accurate boat model. If however you do the necessary research you often can find plans, pictures drawings and other information needed to build a quality model. Once in a while the real boat exists and you can do some research by going to see it.

There are a wide variety of sources for detailed plans, photographs, books, illustrations, magazine articles and other information on boats. The Hart Nautical Collection at MIT, the Mystic Seaport museum, the Smithsonian, the US Naval Academy museum, the Wisconsin Maritime Museum at Manitowoc and many other museums have real ships, scale model ships and boat plans. The Nautical Research Journal is an excellent magazine and starting in 2013 they are greatly expanding their coverage of model boat building.

I know of one model boat builder that builds limited edition boat models for collectors. He will only build that boat model edition if he has access to the original drawings of that boat. However working from all of the original drawings is a very time consuming and unless you can spread the cost over a limited edition (or a large production run for commercial kits) then the cost to build one boat for a museum might be too high for their budget. Many of the museums we have built boats for are looking for the highest quality model they can afford.

PLANNING

Research results normally shape the planning for the boat construction. If you have found detailed plans for the boat or a detailed kit model of the boat that will help minimize the planning time that would been taken up with creating scaled drawings based only on whatever other information you found.

You may have to design special jigs to accurately portray plank on plank construction. The Curator of the Navy checks the symmetry of the two sides of the hull to see if one side varies from the other. You may need to get or make special tools or jigs to keep both sides symmetrical. 

It takes a while to track down the expert boat modelers and historians for the specific boat you are building. Often they can be a very good source to find the right methods and steps to fabricate your boat. The Nauticaul Reseach Guild holds an annual meeting where you can meet some of the best boat modelers and historians. There are also many model boat building clubs around the country such as the Midwest Model Shipwrights which meets monthly. Several of their members have received awards in national model boat building contests.

CONSTRUCTION

Let's take a look at some of the boats models that we built for the Ft. Osage Museum in Sibley, Missouri.

Ft. Osage river boats

Above are seven very different boat models. A variety of source information was used to build these boats - from kits to plans to just illustrations. The tugboat, LCT boat and Keel boat were built primarily from kits of varying quality. The keel boat kit we bought wasn't detailed enough so we studied photographs and illustrations to determine how to upgrade the model to a higher level of detail and more realistic looking materials. For the flatboat there were no plans or kits.  We studied illustrations, found the basic dimensions in literature and consulted with the museum. Collaboration among the model builder, the exhibit designer and the museum often results in a high quality at a reasonable price.

Flatboat

This flatboat model is not made out of wood. It is made out of ABS plastic that was painted to look exactly like wood by a very artistic model builder. It will last much longer than wood construction.

 LCT boat

This World War II LCT (landing craft boat) is built from a plastic kit. However the model builder is also an artist who weathered the boat to look highly realistic.

Dugout canoe

This Dugout canoe model is based on photographs and illustrations.  It is hand carved out of wood and artistically painted.

Far West boat model

The Far West paddleboat model was built from plans and embellished with detailed loads on the lower deck. The paint was modeled to give the Far West a realistic aged look.

Most often museums are looking for boats that fit into into a specific exhibit such as one about the Missouri River. The boat model usually has to be at a specific scale for that exhibit. Consequently the boat model is custom built by a professional model builder.  

A high level of craftsmanship, realistic painting and researched details gives these boat models a quality that meets museum requirements and engages the viewer. 

If you have any questions or would like to discuss boat models or other projects contact us at Model Builders, Inc. 773-586-6500 or info@modelbuilders.net .

 

Tags: exhibit, boat models, museum model, ship model, boat model, ship models

Museum model of ARAMCO oil rig 7' high is a Saudi highlight

Posted by Hal Chaffee on Fri, Jan 04, 2013 @ 05:44 PM

The Saudi Aramco Exhibit is in a high-tech museum near Saudi Aramco's headquarters in Dhahran and is dedicated to energy education. There are 8 permanent sections to find out about oil production, Saudi Aramco's history and Arab-Islamic history. Also included are many temporary exhibits. Important information is combined with fun for youngsters and the family as well. There is a 3-D film "Energy to the World", a variety of ingenious hands on displays and interactive computer games to involve, intrigue and educate visitors. Every year the exhibit attracts tens of thousands of school children and international visitors.

The Saudi Aramco Exhibit opened in 1987. It features three dimensional models such as the 7' high detailed oil rig model shown below. 

Oil was first discovered in Saudi Arabia in 1938 and ARAMCO later became the largest oil producer in the world. The exhibit dramatically tells the story of the petroleum industry and relates it to over 10 centuries of Islam (from the 7th to the 17th Century) technological advances and heritage. By the mid-ninth Century Arabic had become the international language of scientific thought.

Recently a National Geographic book "1001 Inventions - The Enduring Legacy of Muslim Civilization" (now in its Third Editon) and a traveling exhibition "1001 Inventions" (originally opening in the United Kingdom in 2006) has exposed millions of people to the Muslim technological advances and heritage. Currently the "1001 Inventions" exhibition is at the National Geographic Society in Washington, DC until February 3, 2013. We like to think "1001 Inventions" exhibit is based on the pioneering ARAMCO Exhibit that opened in 1987.

Oil Rig model 8' high

This 7' high oil rig model scale is 1/2"=1'-0" or 1:24. The model is in a scale that people can relate to and easily comprehend the entire oil rig as well as the details.

Oil Rig Model - Hook

Oil Rig Model - Traveling Block, Hook and Swivel

Visitors are inherently attracted to a highly detailed model such as this oil rig that looks realistic. The traveling block and hook above are part of the hoisting system. Below them is the swivel which is part of the equipment that rotates the drill. This is a Loffland Brothers Rotary Rig. 

The model is all brass construction that is silver soldered into a very strong welded bond that enables this fine level of model detail as well as durabilty. It will withstand exposure to extreme temperatures if it is ever displayed outdoors or transported in a vehicle that is not air conditioned. 

Oil Rig Model - Monkeyboard

Oil Rig Model - Monkeyboard

Fine detail like the monkeyboard platform is possible with the strong silver solder welding of the brass. The monkey board is used as the oil rig man’s work platform. The monkey board is located at a particular height in the derrick or mast. It is the same height as single, double or triple pipes.

Oil Rig Model Mud Return Line

Oil Rig Model - Crown Block

The crown block is a fixed set of pulleys (called sheaves) located at the top of the oil rig mast over which the drilling cable is threaded. The companion blocks to these pulleys are the traveling blocks. By using two sets of blocks a great mechanical advantage is gained. Consequently small steel drilling cable (3/4" to 1-1/2" diameter) can be used to hoist loads many times heavier than the cable could support as a single strand.

Colorful museum catalogs at the entrance (according to the Saudi Aramco World magaine November/December 1992 issue) go right to the point of the Exhibit that "it is meant to be a place for joyful learning...a carvansary for the curious" revealing secrets about the past, present and the juxtaposition of the two".

If you have any questions or would like to discuss oil rig models, site models, ship models, plant layout or process models, industrial models, nuclear training models, topographic models or other projects contact us at Model Builders, Inc. 773-586-6500 or info@modelbuilders.net .

Tags: construction equipment models, industrial scale models, product model, engineering model, product models, industrial scale model, museum model, process model

Topographic model plays novel role in a Fortune 100 Christmas display

Posted by Hal Chaffee on Tue, Dec 25, 2012 @ 09:07 PM

A topographic model Christmas snow scene was built for the headquarters office of one of the largest department stores in the United States. The ojective was to display to employees and visitors some of the merchandise featured that season in their stores. Model Builders, Inc. designed and constructed a 30 X 50 foot topographic model Christmas display snow scene as the backdrop for the merchandise. Also a steel platform 12'X 12' X 5' high was constructed in the middle to raise the bottom of their Christmas tree to the top of the snow scene.

Topgraphic Snow Scene Display-1

 This 30' X 50' topographic snow scene displays new merchandise in Corporation HQ

Topographic Snow Scene

Views of the Christmas snow scene were excellent from four interior levels in the atrium, nearby stairways and three atrium cross bridges.

Topographic Snow Scene

All supporting tables had removable legs for easier storage and this Christmas display snow scene was used for several years. Four 4'X8'X5' high tables with one 4'X4'X5' high table in the middle formed the 12'X12' base that supported the 33' high Christmas tree.  The legs, framing and cross supports for tables that supported the tree were all steel with 3/4" thick plywood tops.

Topographic snow scene

Headquarters professional merchandising personnel displayed all of the products as well as setting up and decorating the Christmas tree.

Topographic snow scene

The multilevel snow scene created quite a backdrop for the merchandise.

Topographic Snow Scene

This was certainly a winter wonderland that brought the excitement of the Christmas shopping season to their headquarters.  It also served as a backdrop to some holiday events that were held in the atrium.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss topographic models, props, scenic sets, architectural models or other projects contact us at Model Builders, Inc. 773-586-6500 or info@modelbuilders.net  

Tags: topographic model, trade show product models, museum model, topographic models, props, terrain model