posted 05-03-2004 03:30 PM               

Here are some shots of the CM during the skinning process. It is slow going, but so far (knock on wood) all of my measurements jive with the actual specs of the vehicle.
After making more phone calls than I care to think about, I managed to get some dimensions on the hatch so that will be next once the skin in completed.
The upper section with docking probe will be the last thing to be built.

The heat shield will actually be more of a skirt and not the complete shield. This will make the craft more stable for display and allow it to be displayed sitting upright without any cumbersome or detail hiding saddle or base. The very bottom of the craft will have inset castor wheels which will not be visible but will allow the owner to move the CM item anywhere he likes on the exhibit floor without help from anyone. There are eight castor wheels, but four of them have locking mechanisms which will allow him to "lock" the CM in place. All he has to do is open the hatch, go inside and lock down the wheels.

After considerable searching I finally found a supplier for the Mylar silver tape in the right width. This will be applied to the CM once all of the hatch, window and associated details are completed.

Dana

posted 05-05-2004 01:34 PM               

Dana