MetalEarth Apollo CSM with LM
![Album image #1 Album image #1](/albums/img/3/2/2/1040322-11453-37-720.jpg)
What lies ahead - 4 metal frames for this one - one in GOLD
![Album image #2 Album image #2](/albums/img/3/2/0/1040320-11453-92-720.jpg)
Great start - first join & the tab breaks off - Super Glue to the rescue
![Album image #3 Album image #3](/albums/img/3/2/1/1040321-11453-43-720.jpg)
Back of the LM, with troublesome jet thruster in the foreground
![Album image #4 Album image #4](/albums/img/3/2/3/1040323-11453-27-720.jpg)
This is what they want you to achieve....
![Album image #5 Album image #5](/albums/img/3/2/4/1040324-11453-38-720.jpg)
This is me trying to achieve it.....
![Album image #6 Album image #6](/albums/img/3/2/5/1040325-11453-39-720.jpg)
Two of them in situe - they look ok from this side.
![Album image #7 Album image #7](/albums/img/3/2/6/1040326-11453-88-720.jpg)
![Album image #8 Album image #8](/albums/img/3/2/7/1040327-11453-95-720.jpg)
and 2 more of the little suckers (blowers, actually) on the other side.
![Album image #9 Album image #9](/albums/img/6/3/0/1041630-11453-60-720.jpg)
Joining the front to back is very troublesome - I reversed some of the steps - making the joining sections completely, then using them to bridge the front to back
![Album image #10 Album image #10](/albums/img/6/3/1/1041631-11453-90-720.jpg)
I think I got it right
![Album image #11 Album image #11](/albums/img/6/3/2/1041632-11453-89-720.jpg)
This is a sprue holder, which makes the handling of photo-etch frames much easier - a lot of reflection makes it a bit hard to comprehend. Frame "A" at the back, then "B", "C" & "D".
![Album image #12 Album image #12](/albums/img/6/3/3/1041633-11453-30-720.jpg)
The effect of having "gold" parts in the mix is very smart. Looks good, eh?
![Album image #13 Album image #13](/albums/img/6/3/4/1041634-11453-30-720.jpg)
Even a gold ramp!!
![Album image #14 Album image #14](/albums/img/6/3/5/1041635-11453-23-720.jpg)
The above parts reversed, so you can see the jet nozzle. not perfectly round, but it will disappear soon....
![Album image #15 Album image #15](/albums/img/6/3/6/1041636-11453-58-720.jpg)
I found this assembly very troublesome, and ended up reversing the instructions....
![Album image #16 Album image #16](/albums/img/6/3/8/1041638-11453-91-720.jpg)
Instead of assembling these parts into an octagon and somehow being able to fasten them together - I sat them each into the bottom of the module they get installed into - Note that all the joins are "secret tabs & eye" joints, so you have to bend them ahead of assembly.
![Album image #17 Album image #17](/albums/img/6/3/7/1041637-11453-30-720.jpg)
Once they're in place & secured from the bottom, the final joining can take place - much less jugglesome!!!
![Album image #18 Album image #18](/albums/img/6/3/9/1041639-11453-65-720.jpg)
Carefully bending all the bracing struts 90 degrees - getting ready for a merger.
![Album image #19 Album image #19](/albums/img/6/4/0/1041640-11453-27-720.jpg)
I carefully bent the steel struts out of the way, and gently guided the top & bottom together, then bent the steel struts back to their proper position.
![Album image #20 Album image #20](/albums/img/6/4/1/1041641-11453-95-720.jpg)
Out of curiosity, I thought I'd see if there was any size difference between this and the regular LM - nope, the same!
![Album image #21 Album image #21](/albums/img/6/4/2/1041642-11453-89-720.jpg)
Added the legs - the main leg stay consists of 2 flat pieces that are crimped together by the ladder, and the mounting points. I decided to strengthen these by super gluing them together.....fluked the first one OK, then decided to use a couple of small PE super-glue applicators as dummy tabs, to correctly align then next 3..... a wise move, methinks!
![Album image #22 Album image #22](/albums/img/1/4/3/1043143-11453-24-720.jpg)
Now to start on the CSM - rear jet nozzle
![Album image #23 Album image #23](/albums/img/6/4/3/1041643-11453-33-720.jpg)
Side by side - Goldie & Chromey!!!
![Album image #24 Album image #24](/albums/img/1/4/4/1043144-11453-11-720.jpg)
Found a bottle the right diameter to wrap this around.
I decided to make these small parts more sturdy & added a drop of superglue to the inside.
I decided to make these small parts more sturdy & added a drop of superglue to the inside.
![Album image #25 Album image #25](/albums/img/1/4/2/1043142-11453-67-720.jpg)
Another 4 Jet thruster sets.
![Album image #26 Album image #26](/albums/img/1/4/5/1043145-11453-20-720.jpg)
mounted on the CSM
![Album image #27 Album image #27](/albums/img/1/4/7/1043147-11453-27-720.jpg)
Nozzle added to the CSM
![Album image #28 Album image #28](/albums/img/1/4/6/1043146-11453-24-720.jpg)
Making & attaching the nose of the CSM
![Album image #29 Album image #29](/albums/img/1/4/8/1043148-11453-16-720.jpg)
Well, look at that.......it's finished all of a sudden - all the final components added to the nose very easily.
Pair of reading glasses just to give you a sense of scale.
Pair of reading glasses just to give you a sense of scale.
![Album image #30 Album image #30](/albums/img/1/5/0/1043150-11453-92-720.jpg)
Rear of CSM view
![Album image #31 Album image #31](/albums/img/1/5/1/1043151-11453-60-720.jpg)
The "far" side, but not of the moon!
![Album image #32 Album image #32](/albums/img/1/5/2/1043152-11453-76-720.jpg)
3/4 view of the LM end
![Album image #33 Album image #33](/albums/img/1/5/3/1043153-11453-64-720.jpg)
and again
![Album image #34 Album image #34](/albums/img/1/5/4/1043154-11453-74-720.jpg)
The whole thing, complete with plaque.
FINITO!!
FINITO!!
Comments
13 29 July 2021, 12:42
![](/profiles/img/83984-935-s.jpg)
A couple of beauties Roger. You've really got the knack for these MetalEarth kits. 👍 I've got a few stashed away and on occasion have dug one out to start, but never actually did start any. 😳
31 July 2021, 13:08
![](/profiles/img/11453-615-s.jpg)
Thanks Mark, yes, I've had a bit of a run on these.... probably, in all honesty, just avoiding some airbrushing that I've been neglecting... When you do start, make sure you have a really good set of very pointy PE nippers, and a very fine set of sturdy twisting pliers.
On that note, the Tamiya "twisting" pliers are rubbish!
31 July 2021, 22:35
![](/profiles/img/101455-446-s.jpg)
I almost bought the LEM kit just earlier today, but knew I wouldn't have the patience to do the kit justice. They look fantastic, excellent work!!!
1 August 2021, 00:03
Album info
More Space Junk....50th commemoration
I must say I'm impressed with this one!