Model Rocket Building Blog
Model Profile Dr. Zooch Saturn VWhile I'm posting about the Saturn 1 kit- Here's a favorite and one of the best kits available today. The Dr. Zooch Saturn V is a fun build and great flier. This is close in size to the old Estes Semi Scale Saturn V kit, #1239. I haven't seen the Dr. Zooch plans online, ...[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V Build Part 1 PartsThe Dr. Zooch Saturn V gets more searches and blog hits than any other model kit! When I built my Zooch Saturn I never did a build thread. Back then I wasn't scanning the wraps. It's about time I did a full build on it! All the small details will be made first. All I can take along with me on this ...[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V Fins Part 1This build will not be in the order shown on the Dr. Zooch instructions! I am buildiing the small details first. This was one of the first Zooch kits I made and I didn’t scan the wrap and pattern sheets! I’ve learned by past experience to scan all fin patterns and wraps before ...[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V Fins Part 2I went "old school" on this one, using a tape border to help sand the taper sharp and straight. TIP: Instead of using masking tape, you can use a strip of clear packing tape. You can sand through masking tape, you won’t sand through the edge of the thicker clear packing tape. Before ...[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V Fins Step 9 Part 3Don’t remove the tape yet! The picture shows anexample of how the edge should look before removing the tape. Just a little thin line of black remains. When you sand off the remaining blackened edge, the taper is squared off, like a dull knife. For a little more strength, some ...[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V Fins Step 9 Part 4Lastly, cut the trailing edge using the extended lines. All four fins are ready for grain filling. Sanding the filler correctly will sharpen the taper line more before spraying on a primer.[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V F1 Engines Step 10 Part 1Those small center curves are easier to cut with a large barrel on the rotary punch. I'm never able to cut anything that round and small with the tip of an X-Acto. Here's the other tools needed to cut and form the two piece nozzle bells. The long tweezers is for holding down the ...[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V F1 Engines Step 10 Part 2That upper engine bell piece has a very small closed end. I ended up using a toothpick to pre-form the shroud. I didn't bring a tapered dowel with me on this cruise so I ended up using whatever was handy. This tapered Holland America pen was perfect for forming the lower end of the ...[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V F1 Engines Step 10 Part 4Apply a small line of glue to one side of the engine nozzle edge. Line up the two tab seams. You'll hide these seams later on when they are glued to the rear plate. While the glue is still wet, roll over the edges smoothing over the seam. You can actually old the card stock edges while ...[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V F1 Engines Step 10 Part 5From the shroud line string, four lengths of line are cut. All are 8 1/4" long. I made the first (extra) nozzle as a practice piece, getting used to the wraps and spacing of the hatbands. Start your wrap by gluing the thread end at the seam below the upper shroud. Let that first end dry before ...[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V F1 Engines Step 10 Part 6The instruction drawings show six wraps. But with the recommended 8 1/4" length I was only able to make five thread wraps. This picture shows four wraps, getting ready for the fifth and last wrap. If you didn’t use a lot of glue on the string, you’ll be able push it in better ...[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V Funky Glue Putty Step 10A Part 1On my first Dr. Zooch Saturn V build, I had trouble making the F.G.P. or “ F unky G lue P utty”. I ended up using some of the “Fix-It” two-part epoxy I’d ordered from Apogee. Making F.G.P. is like anything else, your first attempts may not be usable. Stay with it and ...[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V - F.G.P. Step 10A Part 2Keep pulling the glue into a ball and roll it round. You should end up with a ball about 1/4" in diameter.[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V - F.G.P. Step 10A Part 4The heat exchanger dowel sits in a recess on the wide center of the F.G.P. exhaust manifold. Before the F.G.P. totally dries, make a round recess using the end of the supplied dowel. I had to wet the end of the dowel for it to press into the drying white glue "putty". Here’s ...[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V - F.G.P. Step 10A Part 3The "actual size" drawing in the instructions was a little too long when wrapped around the bell. The pencil lines show how much my pumps were shortened. Below the instruction drawing is one of my F.G.P. turbine manifolds ready to be set around and over the seam between the upper and lower ...[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V - F.G.P. Step 10A Part 5In Step 10, the instructions say to “Apply few drops of cyanoacrylate glue to harden the whole thing.” By simply applying a few drops of glue, you might end up with visible drops of dried glue or an uneven surface on the outside of the nozzle bell. Many kit instructions would have you ...[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V - F.G.P. Step 10A Part 6After the inside of the shroud is covered, go around the end edges. Don’t get the glue on the outside threaded surface. Lightly sand smooth the rear edge of the nozzle bells on some 400 grit sandpaper. The F-1 Engines are complete! Now onto the other details -[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V Detail Pieces S-IVB APMs Step 11 Part 1There is a lot of information in Step 11 The detail parts build will go around the page from the top, 11 o'clock position around the page in a counter clockwise direction. On the left are the S-IVB APMs on my earlier build of the Zooch Saturn V. These were cut from tongue depressor (or craft ...[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V Detail Pieces S-IVB APMs Lox Tunnels Step 11 Part 2The joints were cleaned up and the excess CA glue sanded smooth with the sides of the four sided file. Mark the underside taper shape 1/16" back from the top. Sand the front end to a triangle shape. Looking from the back is the before (left) and after (right) side shaping of the APMs. ...[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V Detail Pieces S-11 Lox Tunnels Step 1 Part 3While the instructions don't tell you to do it, I sand the dowels (or toothpicks shown here) flat for a better fit against the wraps and body tube surface. This shows the toothpick before and after the sanding. The top toothpick in the upper picture is a before, the lower toothpick is ...[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V Detail Pieces S-II Lox Tunnels Step 11 Part 4Next up are the S-II Lox Tunnels. Mark another flattened dowel to 1 3/16" long. Then mark the ends at 3/16" from each side. Continue the pencil line around the back flat side of the toothpick at the 3/16" mark. Mark the center point of the flat side tip. This gives you a ...[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V Detail Pieces S-II Lox Tunnels Step 11 Part 5File the underside from the 3/16" mark to the center tip on both sides. After forming the tip to a point. Taper the to sides down to a point, rounding the sides along the 3/16" line. The tapered toothpick can be cut to 1 3/16" long (from the pointed end) and the other side tapered as done ...[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V Detail Pieces S-11 Ullage Motors Step 11 Part 6You'll be making five, 1 3/16" long S-II LOX Tunnels and four, ½" long S–II Ullage Motors. In the next step we'll be sanding the round dowels to a half round shape for a better fit onthe body tube.[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V Detail Pieces S-11 Ullage Motors Step 11 Part 7Sand the toothpicks or dowels smooth with 400 grit. Don’t take off too much off the surface, keep them close to the original diameter. If there is any deep pits or cuts on the surface, don’t bother sanding that one. Throw it away and grab a new one. You’ll get a better fit on ...[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V Detail Pieces SB-IV Ullage Motors Step 11 Part 6A piece of the craft stick was smoothed and cut to 1/4" triangles. Be aware of the grain direction and cut the motor to shape.[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V Detail Pieces SB-IV Ullage Motors Step 11 Part 7These motors are very small. I cut plenty of them and will pick the best two to use on the model. The cut motor is on the left, a finished Ullage Motor piece is on the right with the rounded leading edge.[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V Build Step 10B Part 2 SpoofsRoll the spoof in place making sure the top edge is even with the top of the dowel end. The top of the spoof wrap should be even with the top of the upper shroud cone. I had to trim off quite a bit to get the two ends even. When the F.G.P. was totally dry, the indent dowel hole shrunk up ...[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V Build Step 10B Part 1 Heat Exchanger SpoofsToday we'll go back to Step 10B and finish up the nozzles: You’ll need five 3/8" long pieces of dowel for the heat exchangers, four for the build and one extra. The dowel is cut longer than needed and will be trimmed to size before gluing to the engine bells. 5 dowel pieces, each 3/8" long ...[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V Build Step 2 Engine MountThe engine block was dry fitted, slid down onto the engine hook without glue. After I'm sure it's in the right place, a fillet was applied using a Q-tip. I'm not a big fan of BT-20 tubes, they are a little thin especially in an engine mount. As powerful as some ejection charges are I decided to ...[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V Build Step 2 Engine MountI'm back home and able to get back to the Dr. Zooch Saturn V. The engine mount is actually Step 2. Step 1 was the parts list and parts illustration. The tube is notched for the engine hook, two inches from the rear. Some Zooch kits have the engine hook extend out farther than the standard ...[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V Build Step 2A Base Coat PrepStep 2A has you dry assemble the body tubes and balsa adapters for a white primer coat. I don't feel a sanded primer coat would fill the balsa grain on the tapered section of the Apollo adapter. Carpenter's wood filler was used on the (exposed) tapered section. Notice I painted on the edge but ...[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V Build Step 2A Adapter PrepThe large adapter had a bit of a "dip" on it's side surface. I sanded it down a little. This adapter will be covered by the S-II/S-IVB wrap. That dip won't be noticed. Still, I wanted a flatter surface for a better fit. You don't want to change the shape of these parts! The Dr. Zooch wraps ...[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V Build Step 2A PrimerFor the past year I've been using Dupli-Color Automotive Filler Primer. I've read about other modelers doing three light coats of primer sanding between coats. Lately I've done only one thick coat after filling the body tube seams with CWF. Any remaining recesses in the seams are filled with ...[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V Build Step 3 Fairings Part 1The Step 3 illustration shows the Zooch Ant cutting the fairings out on the outside lines. I cut mine a little outside the lines. When they are glued onto the BT-20, you'll cut through both the fairing card stock and tube at the same time. ...[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V Build Step 3 Fairings Part 2After the fairings are cut out they are close to a good fit against the BT-60 main tube. The ends make contact but the the center area is raised in a slight arc. Note: This picture was flipped so the fairing pointed the same way as in the other pics. This side facing you should actully be ...[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V Build Step 9 Jumping Ahead -The more models you build, the more you'll jump around the instructions. On this build I am jumping ahead to make the painting and masking easier. Only time and many builds will tell you where you can do this. The instructions have you glue the body wraps on in Step 5 and paint the vertical ...[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V Build Step 9 The Mask & RevealWith the rear wrap taped in place, the black areas were extended down the body tube using a pencil and aluminum angle. These lines will only go a little over an inch above the top of the wrap edge. I went back and double checked the width of the vertical strips. A piece of paper was ...[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V Build Step 4 Adapter WrapThe instructions have you form and glue the adapter together and glue S-IVB tube before test fitting the wrap. The S-II / S-IVB adapter wrap was cut out and a test fit was done before gluing anything together. The wide end of the wrap didn't meet up, the small end fit seemed to be ...[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V Build Details Prime & PaintYep, there are more detail pieces than you'll need for this build. That was a LONG month on the ship, I had a lot of spare time. If I ever build another Zooch Saturn, much of the detail piece work will be ready! All the detail parts were set down on masking tape with the sticky side up. ...[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V Build Step 5 Wraps Part 1Here's where the Dr. Zooch models start to really look like something - the card stock wraps. This picture better shows how the wrap edges cover up the painted edges. Lightly sand down any raised paint edges, but don't sand high enough into the areas that will be seen with the wrap in ...[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V Build Step 5 Wraps Part 2When rolling on wrap D, slide the adapter in place to be sure it is in line. Just be careful not to glue the adapter into the main body! This is my second Zooch Saturn V build. On this build, the large adapter wrap had a bit of a ledge over the BT-60 tube. Not a big deal just a little thick. ...[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V Build Step 7 Apollo Spacecraft WrapsI've already primed, sanded and painted the LES dowel. For no real reason, I decided to glue on the Boost Protective Cover wrap first. Much like the adapter wrap in Step 4, the fit was a little off. The instructions tell you there will be a little sanding needed for the low end to match up. ...[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V Build Step 7 Apollo Spacecraft Part 1My service module wrap was a little tall. I wanted to fill the gap. A disk was cut from some scrap mat board. A hole was punched for the LES dowel with the rotary punch. The disk was sized (sanded) and glued into the recess. The LES dowel was already primed, sanded and painted white. It was ...[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V Build Step 7 Apollo Spacecraft Part 2The instructions say to "Use a large amount of glue inside the BPC when attaching it to the adapter . . . it will harden and form a solid nose cone." I didn't want to take the chance of the card stock shrinking up so I coated the inside of the shroud applying white glue with a Q-Tip. I ...[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V Build Step 8 Escape Tower Part 2TIP: It's easier to cut out the center of a small shroud first, then cut the outside. Leave as much stock on the outside of the shroud for something to hold onto. After gluing the tab, the shroud was formed round over the end of a shaped dowel. Set the shroud over the top of the dowel, ...[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V Build Step 8 Escape Tower Part 1It's easier to score the fold lines before cutting out the tower. For a better reference line, I drew pencil lines beyond the edges of the tower folds. The tower didn't have a glue tab, I added one to the side. It might be easier to have a glue tab instead of just butting up the edges with ...[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V Build Detail PrepSometimes when you pull pieces off the sticky side of a masking tape board, the paint and tape goo leave a uneven edge. Sand down the flat bottom of the detail pieces and fin root edges with 400 grit on a block. You'll get a better fit of the S-IV APMs if you contour the bottom to match the ...[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V Build Step 6 Shaping the Engine FairingAn earlier post talked about shaping the fairings for a better fit against the BT-60 main body tube. After test fitting, I had to go back and do some more forming. The instructions say to "use a 1/8" drill or some other solid round object to bend or round each fairing." I used a sharpened ...[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V Build Step 6 Gluing the Engine FairingsI did mark the edges of the fairings so the white card stock sides wouldn't show after gluing to the body. Do this quickly and carefully, you don't want the marker ink to bleed onto the face of the fairings. I actually used a Sharpie that was a little dried out. You are ...[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V Build Part 9 Gluing On The FinsNOTE: Be careful about changing the fin surface area. These models are very stable as built by the directions. They require the template size fin area and installed nose weight to fly. The model sill probably fly fine with the fin root edge adjustment adjustment shown below, but I won't take any ...[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V Build Step 10C Gluing on the Engine BellsA great thing about the Dr. Zooch Saturn V, the F-1 engines stay on for flight! I wanted to be sure they were well attached. Earlier I neglected to paint the inside of the engine bells. I used a Q-tip as a "brush" with some bottled silver paint. Use one Q-tip per engine bell. Paint ...[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V Build Step 11 Fit and Gluing Details Part 1The S-IVB APM and S-IVB Ullage motors glued on. Simply center them above the black /white color separation lines on the adapter wrap. When set over the wrap, the S-II LOX Tunnel front ends are raised. I filed a shallow step into the lower half for a better fit against the body tube. ...[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V Build Step 11 Fit and Gluing Details Part 2The upper and lower long cable tunnels were notched to fit over the wraps. Set the tunnel over the body and mark where it intersects the wrap edge. The square edge of the notch was cut with a razor blade and the rest sanded off with 200 grit on a block. This notch area is not deep, cut a little ...[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V Build Step 11 Fit and Gluing Details Part 3Here's how the 5" long S-IC tunnel sits over the wraps and black areas. It will have to be painted black where it covers the black vertical strips. I used Scotch tape for the masks. A small mask was set over the upper, smaller black tip area. The tunnel was set on the body and the lower ...[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V Build Step 11 Fit and Gluing Details Part 4The bottom of the long tunnels were notched for a better fit over the wraps. On the right I'm scraping a little of the paint off down to the body tube for a better glue joint. Look all the way down to the lowest wrap and you can see the black area the bottom of the tunnel glues on. Using ...[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V Build Step 11 Lugs and Extra DetailingInstead of just cutting the lugs in half, try to match their lengths to the wrap widths they'll be glued on. The lugs were filled and painted before cutting them to size. Here a launch rod is used to pencil mark the lug locations. Use the rod to check the alignment of the two lugs. ...[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V Build Fairing FixesI wasn't happy with the way the fin cut outs looked. After correcting the angle of the fins (sanding the root edge) the root edge was shorter and didn't fit the cut out areas in the fairings. On two of the fins there was a small white tip showing above the top of the root edge joint. ...[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V Build Step 11 Fin Letters and DecalsBack tracking to Step 9, I waited to glue on the fin letters and Roman Numeral position markers. The paper letters and numbers were held with tweezers for gluing and positioning. Below the letter "C" is a card stock piece cut so the letter edges can be lined up consistently from fin to ...[Read More]
Dr. Zooch Saturn V Build Finished!This is a great Zooch kit and a must have for any rocket enthusiast. A great flyer with Estes B6-4 and C6-5 engines. Don't use a Quest C engine in it! It will be on the ground before the ejection charge fires! Lessons learned in this build: 1. Double check the ...[Read More]
The Big Fix - Dr. Zooch Saturn VAfter the last hard street landing, my older Zooch Saturn V was missing a fin. A few flights before that a nozzle had broken off. I didn't follow my rule of checking the landing area when flying a detailed model. I always scan the pattern sheets for repairs or clones later on. New nozzles were ...[Read More]
DR. Zooch Saturn V TIPOn the DR. Zooch Saturn V kit you use quite a few printed wraps. This makes most of the masking and painting much easier and more detailed. At the bottom between the red USA decals, you do have to paint the black vertical bands. Not an easy task if you try to paint after the wraps are glued in ...[Read More]
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