Holding the Saturn V (photo courtesy Jerry Morrison)

During the first flight, there was very, very minimal damage: one small grass stain (star thistle stain, actually) on the CM, and one of the fins had a small separation just behind the leading edge. It was easy to fix the fin with a little 60 second epoxy. The launch was on a G80-4T (single-use, Blue Thunder propellant, though the 4 second delay is no longer available) provide plenty of initial thrust, and the rocket left the pad very quickly. One of the parachutes billowed slowly, presenting a slightly anxious moment followed by a big cheer when it fully inflated. Both pieces of the rocket landed in the grass (star thistle field, now!) between the ramp on runway 14R/32L. The Launch Escape Tower survived completely intact and still attached to the CM BPC. (Yes, I flew with the tower on, defying the advice of various people. I wanted a reasonably authentic look!)

The second flight was on a G64-4W: a fabulous motor for this rocket. The G80T has more impulse than the G64, and higher average thrust, but comparatively small flame and little smoke. The White Lightning propellant has much more (white!) smoke and a bright, yellow flame. Cliff was a little leery of flying such a large model on the G80, thinking that a G104’s higher thrust might be a better motor. After the first flight, he changed his mind, and thought the G64W would be fabulous. Though I don’t have any reload cases, I do have a bunch of G64-4W reloads; Paul volunteered his RMS 29/40-120 casing, and agreed to build the motor for me.

Apogee Saturn V Second Flight (photo courtesy and ©2009, Igor Tryndin, http://www.unifiedcolor.com).

After the chutes deployed and filled, I asked Cliff to retrieve the rocket, so I could finish hosting our Honored Guest Launch Control Officer, Don Pettit, NASA Shuttle and Space Station astronaut. Cliff and Dave retrieved it. The bottom section landed in the star thistles; similar sort of minor fin damage as the first flight. The top section landed on the concrete, softly enough that the landing did no damage (except, perhaps, for the Launch Escape Tower popping off: it popped off, not broke off; Dave tucked it back in the rocket), but the wind in the chute dragged the rocket along the ramp. Three of the four RCS quads fell off and went missing, and the fourth lost two of its four nozzles and was partially detached. All the EVA handrails and the EVA light were also gone.

I’m guessing that the damage occurred not from the landing, and not even from the dragging, but from the recovery bridle’s loop, around the SM, being shimied up the SM as the parachute pulled the rocket forward along the ground.

What to do, other than replace the RCS quads, EVA handrails, and EVA light?

I did not include the scimitar antennae on the SM when I detailed the model. Though the scimiter antennae’s housings are solid (so they look rather like complete half-disks), I might vary the representation of the antennae. There’s one on each of two of the SM’s sides, and I could use two loops of wire, well secured in the SM (perhaps even backed by a piece of tube coupler) as paired anchor points for the recovery bridle. At least then, there won’t be a loop to shave off the details! And, with good anchoring and proper reinforcing, it should be plenty strong.

I’m looking forward to flying the rocket again at the August launch!