Apollo 13 Lunar Excursion Module "Aquarius" 1/35 Scale Paper Model from the Kit designed by "Uhu02"

I built this kit several years ago, and it has won a few prizes at scale model contests. Uhu02's original kit is in 1/48 scale. I decided that a larger scale would be easier to build, so I enlarged it to 1/35 scale, which makes the model about 8½ inches tall, with a landing gear that spans 12½ inches. It is made entirely of paper except for main landing gear struts, which are wrapped around steel wire. 

The kit is a free download. The PDFs and detailed construction photos are here.

Photographing the model for submission to Fine Scale Modeler magazine, I discovered that part of the landing gear was collapsing. I spent an evening repairing and reinforcing the supporting struts with extra layers and liberal application of ACC. Paper brushed with thin ACC takes on the rigidity of plastic.

Fun with Science . . . a digression from scale modeling

 We have a huge black locust tree in our front yard, probably well over 100 years old. Every few years, it produces a bumper crop of large, weird-looking seed pods that need to be raked or shovelled to the curb. This was a bumper year. My wife said it looked as though we were being swarmed by big, ugly earthworms. Then she left me without adult supervision, and I produced this:

Edward Gorey, Mortician, Paper Model 1/87 Scale

 The latest addition to my layout's business district is "E. Gorey, Mortician." The name is a nod to cartoonist Edward Gorey and his somewhat macabre books.

The buildng is "Hoosier Mama's Pie Co." from Clever Models. I gave it a new storefront widened and repainted from "Rudy's Printing," another Clever Models kit, and I added the small loading dock annex on the side. The leaded glass windows, curtains, and doors came from photos on the Internet, as did the gargoyle holding up the funeral parlor sign.

The mortuary has seen better days, evidenced by the peeling paint and the broken-up sidewalk. The Order of Odd Fellows has a meeting room upstairs, which seems oddly appropriate. My layout is set in 1943, when many funeral homes also operated ambulance services.

The building next door (still on my bench) will be E. Gorey, Taxidermist, a convenient sideline for the funeral home.

Big Surprise!

The Winnebago Auto Modelers Club held its annual Winnebago Area Modelers Classic contest and swap meet today in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. I decided to take several scale paper models -- several aircraft and a couple of Apollo spacecraft that I have built from paper kits.

There was no category for paper models, so I would be competing in categories for all media -- plastic, resin, wood, whatever. Before and during the show, I told several friends that competing paper against plastic was a probably a lost cause, and I didn't expect to win any awards.

There were eight judges and each judge chose his favorite model among all the models entered. And everyone at the show voted on their five favorite models with an award to each of the top seven vote-getters. 

Much to my surprise, by 1/35-scale Lunar Excursion Model (Uhu02) received both a Judge's Award and a Top Seven Award. Uh02 released the kit in 1/48 scale; I enlarged it to 1/35. I added interior lighting (LEDs), but sometime during final assembly, the circuit broke.

And my 1/12 Apollo Command Module (Ken West) and Service Module (scratchbuilt) won "Best of Show" for the most votes from everyone in attendance.

I made a sort of acceptance speech, telling the crowd, "I hope the awards you've given me today will bring out more paper scale modelers who will outcompete me at future contests."