Tracked vehicle

[Bunkerbarge]

I had a chance to have a look around this yesterday so I thought I would crop a bit out of a picture and offer it up for anyone who can guess what it is. It would make an amazing model but it would take a very brave man to scratch build one.

View attachment 72298

 

[Gern]

Looks a bit small to be one of the Saturn V transporters, but maybe a smaller rocket?

Gern

 

[0ne48thtel]

Is it a moveable conveyer for quarrying or somethibg along those lines

 

[eddiesolo]

That is the Apollo and shuttle crawler by the looks of it, one of a pair. 1 mph loaded and 2 mph with load, takes 5 hours approx to get from the VAB to the launch complex.

Si

 

[CDW]

Yep, that looks like the crawler .....

Edu-craft diversions do a 1/144 kit for about 25 dollars.

 

[Bunkerbarge]

It is indeed the Nasa rocket transporter, many thanks Si for looking up further information.

This is the whole unit:

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This is an idea of the size of the thing:

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and this is the road it goes down to transport the rockets to the launch pad. Picture taken from Number Four Firing Room (Mission Control):

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[Bunkerbarge]

Yep, that looks like the crawler .....Edu-craft diversions do a 1/144 kit for about 25 dollars.

That's interesting Colin, thanks for that.

 

[0ne48thtel]

I couldn't have been any wider of the mark if I had tried o_O

 

[yak face]

That is the Apollo and shuttle crawler by the looks of it, one of a pair. 1 mph loaded and 2 mph with load, takes 5 hours approx to get from the VAB to the launch complex.Si

Imagine being the driver !!And i think ive got it bad getting delayed in the roadworks on the M62!!! This combination is probably the worlds fastest manned vehicle on top of the worlds slowest !!!

 

[Bunkerbarge]

I hadn't thought of it that way Tony but you are right and the transporter actually has a worse consumption than a large cruise liner to achieve it's speed. There is now a Shuttle simulator at the Visitor's Centre and I must admit to being surprised that it reaches 17,500 mph before it drops the fuel tank. I had no idea it was that fast.

 

[Ian M]

Some good photos Richard, but don't you think they would sit better in the chat section....

Ian M

 

[Bunkerbarge]

I thought the pictures in this section were a resource for modellers to refer to in assisting them build thier models so that's why I put them here. They would be lost in the Chat section.

 

[Andy2035]

Why do they have grass in the centre of the road...o_O

Amazing photos to, thank you Richard...

Just how big would the 1/144 kit actually be, this is where I get lost when it come to the different sizes in modelling...

 

[CDW]

Its 131ft long by 114ft wide so that would be approx

10.5ins x 9.5ins at 144th scale

Unless airfix made it then it would be 12 x14 including flash

 

[papa 695]

Its 131ft long by 114ft wide so that would be approx10.5ins x 9.5ins at 144th scale

Unless airfix made it then it would be 12 x14 including flash

Tut tut Colin its not flash. Its Airfix's way of supplying the modeller with plenty of plastic to fill any small gaps in there superior kits

 

[CDW]

Sorry Ian ... my mistake.

 

[Bunkerbarge]

Just a couple more for any would be modellers. I had a look at the Edu-craft kits and I have to admit they look very good. One of the transporters with a launch pad on top and a shuttle sat on that travelling down the roadway would look stunning.

View attachment 72333


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Finally if you have a go at a model just a quick shot of the Shuttle launch pad.

View attachment 72334

 

[Bunkerbarge]

Why do they have grass in the centre of the road...o_O

The two tracks fit the width of the transporter so I can only suppose it is unecessarily expensive to finish the road along the middle when it will never be used. An interesting fact that might be a bit less known is the fact that the road is finished with a round pebble gravel. The gravel is supposed to be of a fairly consistent diameter and is designed to settle as the tracks pass over it to ensure the best distribution of weight across the track.

 

[CDW]

Looks a complicated beast Richard..... The kit does seem to capture it though which is quite impressive.