1:16 Space Shuttle flight deck
- Thread starter Tonino
- Start date
- Apr 5, 2013
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I think you have a better understanding of where every button goes than most of the Astronauts!!! Really superb!! 
Well... actually... I really had, recently, the rare luck to meet a real shuttle astronaut
He is Maurizio Cheli who flew as a mission specialist in STS 75. I met him last month in Fano Airport where he was for a conference. I showed him some images from my work in progress (you can see the photos in front of us) and... listen... he told me HE HAS ALREADY SEEN THEM ON MY FACEBOOK PAGE!!!!!
Do you believe it? He was aware of my shuttle flight deck building work!!! This explains my silly face in the photo: I just couldn't believe it.
Anyway he told me I'm doing a good job (even if he flew on the Columbia, not the Endeavour, and this happened much before the instrumentation upgrade to glass cockpit).
Well let's go back to the work.
Just a little update this time.
I've builded the front left console. Here are some photo.
Do you wanna laugh? As you see I've prepared six knobs. This because I counted them on the pieces you see on the table. I didn't consider that some of them was going to be covered by the upper layer... really I needed only 3 of them.
Well now I have 3 knobs ready for the next panels, no work was wasted.
Mmmmmm! The throttle handle is somewhat too long... I often realize I've done mistakes only when I see the photos... I'm getting old
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- Apr 5, 2013
- 13,876
- 10,216
- 228
Your experience with Italy's Premier Astronaut is out of this world. That is just so awesome!!! 
Perhaps there in USA it's easier to have the chance to meet a real astronaut. You have many of them all around!
Anyway to hear the life aboard a spaceship told by someone who had the oppportunity to experience it personally was really a great joy and a fascinating story.
Anyway to hear the life aboard a spaceship told by someone who had the oppportunity to experience it personally was really a great joy and a fascinating story.
Actually, it is very difficult to meet astronauts here in the US. Although, I did meet Francis Richard "Dick" Scobee (The commander of the Space Shuttle Challenger), when I was a youngster. He was the cousin of a friend.Perhaps there in USA it's easier to have the chance to meet a real astronaut. You have many of them all around!
Anyway to hear the life aboard a spaceship told by someone who had the oppportunity to experience it personally was really a great joy and a fascinating story.
- Apr 5, 2013
- 13,876
- 10,216
- 228
America is a very stratified country. I met David Letterman, a famous talk show host, he didn't live too far from me and I just ran into him, very nice. I knew Mary Travers, my wife knew her well, she gardened for her and I met Peter Yarrow through Mary. They were famous in the 1960's as the Folk Singers, Peter Paul and Mary. She and Peter were unpretentious people. They spoke to everyone who approached them. I met Daryl Hall of "Hall and Oates" in the late 1980's. I helped his girlfriend when she ran out of gas. He was also very amicable and a nice person.
Funny how you meet so many people and the ones who can influence you the most are unknown in other circles. I think that is is co cool Tonino met Astronaut Maurizio Cheli, I am not surprised he would follow Tonino's work though. It is in a league of it's own.
Funny how you meet so many people and the ones who can influence you the most are unknown in other circles. I think that is is co cool Tonino met Astronaut Maurizio Cheli, I am not surprised he would follow Tonino's work though. It is in a league of it's own.
Hi friends, here are front right panels. Nothing hard this time.
This concludes the approaching walk to the real leading spot of all the build: the FRONT PANEL! (Tah -Daaaaa!)
Stay tuned for next episodes! The great fun begins!
This concludes the approaching walk to the real leading spot of all the build: the FRONT PANEL! (Tah -Daaaaa!)
Stay tuned for next episodes!
The great fun begins!
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Hi mates!
Here is the first batch of front panels
Components for F5 and F6 panels
And panels completed.
The translational joystick on F5 will be added later.
From a lower angle are better appreciated multi-layer surfaces and greebling work.
F7 panel components
and the panel completed. Lots of screens here...
Another low angle shot for F7.
I'm planning to add black knobs to all monitors later. It's a detail that can't be ignored.
Paper is out of question here, I'll use plastic rod.
See you soon friends!
Here is the first batch of front panels
Components for F5 and F6 panels
And panels completed.
The translational joystick on F5 will be added later.
From a lower angle are better appreciated multi-layer surfaces and greebling work.
F7 panel components
and the panel completed. Lots of screens here...
Another low angle shot for F7.
I'm planning to add black knobs to all monitors later. It's a detail that can't be ignored.
Paper is out of question here, I'll use plastic rod.
See you soon friends!
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...and this is the last batch.
First of all F8 panel
The components (this time I cut also velcro patches before taking the photo... but I forgot the screens...
...and the panel completed.
Now with the F9...
This time I adopted a different approach. As these are the only "old style" analogic gauges in all the cabin I decided to put a piece of "glass" in front of the dials. So, eventually, the panel will have a 4 layer structure.
A rear view showing the layers in place.
And the front view, very realistic (not in the photo: by eyes they are fairly better...)
Unfortunately to fit the panel I have to remove part of the base piece because the added thickness prevented panel to lay flat on the surface.
The pieces needed to build front translational hand controller.
...and the control in its place on F5
The air ventilation (? at least I think this is it) components
And the part ready to flow fresh air on commander's face.
And with this little detail the front panel is...
First of all F8 panel
The components (this time I cut also velcro patches before taking the photo... but I forgot the screens...
...and the panel completed.
Now with the F9...
This time I adopted a different approach. As these are the only "old style" analogic gauges in all the cabin I decided to put a piece of "glass" in front of the dials. So, eventually, the panel will have a 4 layer structure.
A rear view showing the layers in place.
And the front view, very realistic (not in the photo: by eyes they are fairly better...)
Unfortunately to fit the panel I have to remove part of the base piece because the added thickness prevented panel to lay flat on the surface.
The pieces needed to build front translational hand controller.
...and the control in its place on F5
The air ventilation (? at least I think this is it) components
And the part ready to flow fresh air on commander's face.
And with this little detail the front panel is...
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wow! I think you are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel
... at least for the interior. Then the exterior, organize the part's sheets, the instructions ... O_O still a long way.
But I know you have the skill, the constance and determination to complete this incredible endeavour.
... at least for the interior. Then the exterior, organize the part's sheets, the instructions ... O_O still a long way.
But I know you have the skill, the constance and determination to complete this incredible endeavour.