posted 06-17-2005 03:10 AM               

Growing up as a Grumman kid was very special for me. My Father worked for Grumman Aerospace from 1962 until 1974. I have always referred to Grumman as my Disneyland. When I was a young lad I often spent Saturdays in one of the guard shacks (South Entrance off of Seaford Oyster Bay Road) while my father went inside to work. I always pretended that I was helping to protect the LM’s and all the “secret” stuff being built inside. In reality I was playing with the water cooler and eating donuts!

I remember signs posted on every length of fencing around the plant stating that no photographs are allowed to be taken and the US Government will arrest violators. That sign is pretty scary when you are 5 yrs old!

I also remember being allowed into the plant a few times a year. They would have a family day with a tour of certain places within the plant. I remember looking down into the clean room where the LM’s were being assembled. I had no idea what I was seeing but remember all the techs looking like Doctor’s in their white coats and hats. I may not have known what I was looking at back then, but I do now!

My father was an engineer who worked on many of the Grumman projects. The Apollo projects need I say more? The E2-C Hawkeye and the F-14 A Tomcat the greatest fighter ever built. My Father was instrumental in creating V.A.S.T. (Versatile Avionics Shop Test) allowed tech’s to test planes on site where ever the fighter sat.

The only thing better than hanging out at Bethpage was the Grumman family picnic held out in Calverton (F-14 assembly and testing facility) each year. Those were great times and if any of you remember the picnic then you know what I mean. They went all out, it was the best of times.

But what I am most proud of is that every employee from the engineers to the people who maintained the buildings at Grumman all signed there names on a poster from which negatives were made and flown to the moon on every mission. Knowing that our family name is on every descent stage left on the moon was the coolest thing. To this day whenever I look up and see the moon I smile and say to myself, wow...

As I have gotten older (I have just turned 41 this June). I felt an urgency to get things in order and start to gather all of my father’s mementos together. You have to understand that Grumman literature and “things” were all over our house. Many things were played with by my sister and I including the Topping Contractor LM model given to the Techs and Engineers who worked on the LM’s.

Doing a search on the web I was lucky enough to stumble upon Collect Space and while searching the site I found a post from a lady who was asking where she could sell her Topping LM model. I replied to her that she should never sell it. It is a glorious memento from arguably mankind’s greatest achievement.

A gentleman named Rick Mulherin read and replied to both of our posts telling us that he knew a gent out west who took wounded “eagles” into his shop and restored them. It was then I met Andy Lagomarsino (lunar rover on CS). I’m glad we met.

Years of playing with the model and neglect made her look old and yellow, and for lack of another word, a junkyard wreck. Andy (Dr Lem as I have grown to call him) got in touch with me after I sent him some digital scans of our LM. He told me that this model is in the worst condition of any of the models he has ever seen. I did get a good laugh about that but could not have the worst specimen in existence. Andy then told me that this would be the “Mother of all restorations” and normally would not attempt to revive a model that had this much damage.

Andy then went on to say that he wanted to take on this task because of a few reasons. First the challenge of trying to bring her back and secondly, it was the first time that Andy has worked on a model from a descendent of a Grumman employee who worked on the LM projects. Of course my chest swelled with pride knowing that Andy, Rick and many people, (myself included) regard these men and women of Grumman and the other contractors who did the impossible over 35 years ago as hero’s and a generation of folks that should never be forgotten.

During the restoration procedure Andy was kind enough to send me updates as we went along. Many parts were missing so they had to be fabricated to look like the originals. The porch for the ladder was gone, the ascent stage engine bell was gone, all of the antennas were gone or broken and all 16 RCS thrusters were gone as well.

We went back and forth discussing my model and many other things. After a while I started to call him “Doc” and then “Doc Lem”. He loves to hear about my Grumman adventures and what is was like for me to grow up a Grumman Kid.

We had a great time with the restoration, Fedex was kind enough to leave my model at the end of Andy’s driveway out on the street. It also took them 3 days to get it there when it should have been 18 hours !!! Doc Lem often called me and asked me questions during the transformation like where the hell is the porch or do you know the ascent stage engine bell is missing. I could tell Doc was not happy that the porch had been lost !!! But with no delay he had a plan and one was built. Along the way we traded stories and Doc shared with me a lot of things that I did not know. He is the salt of the earth. And I look forward to meeting him later this year

Lastly I would just like to thank Andy, Rick and Robert from Collect space. Our history is an important part of all of our futures. Please visit the museums and support their restoration work too.

posted 06-17-2005 01:31 PM               

I had been looking for a long time and Andy came to the rescue. He provided me with an excellent example of his work which sits in my study.

Thanks Andy,

posted 06-18-2005 04:46 AM               

I had also been looking for a long time and found via cs and Larry McGlynn a guy named Andy Lagormasino. We changed a lot of emails not only discussing about the LM´s we also talked a lot very personal. Andy offered me a LM he was already working on. When we met last year in september it was a great moment when he unpacked the LM and I was very excited about the work he had done. The model has now a special place in my own little museum and will travel in the near future with other artifacts to some exhibitions.

I have to say that Andy did a superb job of restoring my model and all the others I saw. I saw the photos from his article last year for the first time when we changed out emails and I was surprised about the bad condition of the model and also excited about Andy`s work to bring the model back to its glory! Andy`s passion for those models gives the guarantee for a beautiful model after restoration!

Well done, Andy

posted 06-18-2005 10:21 PM               

Thank you also to those who have emailed questions, or comments on the article. I am currently travelling (in Kansas for the opeing of the Mercury/Gemini gallery at the Cosmosphere...WOW!). I will reply individually as soon as time permits.

"Magnificent Creations" owes a great deal to the stylistic input and the deft editing of Robert Pearlman. Robert, thank you for your contributions and patience. This literally could not have happened without you.

It is my hope that "Magnificent Creations" will remain a work in progress. I have just received an email from a reader of the article, who's neighbor worked for Precise Models. Such is the power of the internet.
Perhaps this contact, and others which may follow, will provide the leads and data necessary to fill in many of the blanks in the present paper.

Hopefully updates will appear as new information becomes available. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any input.

posted 06-19-2005 05:44 AM               

Thank you for sharing the story about OY-1 and growing up as a Grumman kid. When I read "Magnificent Creation" I became embarassed as I read it because I too own one of these models, but I may have ruined mine. The base looks like the one in the photos but the landing gear and footpads are made of plastic. I recieved it many years ago from my brother who had built a piece of furniture for a Grumman retiree.

I probably lowered the value almost immediately by painting the ascent stage to match the aluminum color in photographs I'd seen of the real thing. Then I painted the landing gear and footpads gold. At present I am missing two RCS thrusters, rendezvous radar, S-band and VHF antennae as well as the porch rail. The windows were missing when I got it.

What am I looking at for restoration cost? Have I ruined the model by painting it? I appreciate any info you might provide.

posted 06-19-2005 10:53 AM               

I cannot speak for Andy with regards restoration of your model but I would like to see some photos/scans of it, if possible? That was how it started with Joe's model so who knows what the pictures may lead to...

Regards,

Rick.

posted 06-19-2005 01:53 PM            

I need to schedule an appointment with the good Dr LEM.

I too grew up on Long Island, not far from the Lunar Module Factory, and have had one of these models in my collection for 35 years now.

Minor yellowing, an S-band and a few thrusters are missing.

What a great opportunity to have these models restored.

Thanks Rover!

Aloha

posted 06-21-2005 02:32 PM               

Regards,

posted 06-21-2005 04:59 PM               

Thanks for the tip. I'll try to get the images done this weekend.

posted 06-21-2005 06:49 PM               

Regards,

posted 07-12-2005 06:10 PM               

Regards,

posted 01-25-2007 08:45 AM               

According to this site, production of the LM models was less than my earlier research had indicated, perhaps only 6000 total made, 1500 or so by Precise.

This additional production data could serve to explain the tendency of the later pre-quote base models to yellow more easily than earlier builds; perhaps the clearcoat formulations were changed when model production shifted to Precise, and not as a result of new EPA guidelines as had previously been speculated on.

Further, this new data might hold clues as to observable tendencies as to differences in build quality; the later builds of the non-quote base model(which seem to yellow more easily) perhaps would have been done by a new group of assemblers. However, by the time quote base models were being produced, build quality had improved, perhaps as Precise's assemblers became more familiar with the model.

Great job, Blake! Thanks!