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For some time, we\'ve looked into the idea of offering aspecialized decal set, specific to Orbiter OV-102, \"Columbia,\" in the laterphase of her flight history. We asked for customer opinions as to whether such a product would be beneficial to their modeling work, in building a late-era Columbia model. The results are quite positive.
The following are the reasons that this product seemed necessary.
The first two spaceflight-worthy Orbiters, Columbia and her first sister ship, \"Challenger\" (OV-099), had the mostindividual Thermal Protection System (TPS) tiles of any other active Shuttle Orbiter. This is why our original Early Era White Tile set would work on either Columbia or Challenger in their original upper-surface TPS configurations.
Because Challenger was lost early in its fight history, it never received any major \"upgrades\" to its TPS system, eventhough it played a role in proving them out. Challenger was used to test the Flexible Reusable Surface Insulation (FRSI) \"blanket\" styleinsulation, on upperareas ofthe shipprior to her final flight in 1986. That test work successfully laid the foundation forthe revisions to the upper surface TPS protection to be used on all the other Orbiters.
Columbia wore her original TPS system layout from the first flightinto space in 1981 until she went through a series of modification programslater in her flight career. By the time Columbia flew missions STS-109 and STS-107, she wore a combinationof originally installed individual white tiles and FRSI Blankets on her upper surfaces.
Individual white TPS tiles still covered the entire Forward Fuselage,the upper surfaces of the wings behind the RCC leading edges and in front of the inner feltpanels, and the forward-facing surfaces of the OMS Pods. On her Midbody,Payload Bay Doors, Vertical Stabilizer and main OMS Pod surfaces, the tileswere replaced by FRSI blankets, whichcould cover larger areas each and required less time for installation and maintenance. The new configuration also reduced Columbia\'s empty weight by 400 pounds.
According to Ms. Jean Wright. who was one of the \"Sew Sisters\" who made all of the flexible insulation components for the Orbiters, \"The blankets were originally called, \"AFRSI.\" Butpeople were confused about that term after we started using FRSI Felt/FlexibleReusable Surface Insulation on sections of the Orbiters as well. So, theblankets were called FIB - Flexible Insulation Blankets for roughly the last 20years of the program.\"
A Shuttle modeler who wanted to accurately build Columbia at this point in history hadto purchase both our Early Era and a Late Era Decal Set, so theywould have all the TPS elements they needed to do Columbia\'s TPS layout. The cost involved kept a few modelers from proceeding with this project.
Hopefully, not anymore.
This new product, the ColumbiaSpecial Edition Upper-Surface TPS Decal Set, contains all the correct elements, drawn togetherinto one product offerings, allowing the Shuttle Modeler to accurately recreatethe TPS configuration of OV-102 in her last flight history period.
Remember, the Standard BlackTile Decal Set is still required to complete the overall TPS covering build.
These decal sets are made in relatively small batches. We do attempt to keep set in inventory, but do run out from time to time.
Each of the primary model kit scales require more decal pages to complete the set. The 1/144 scale version only needs one sheet.The 1/100 scale version needs two sheets and the 1/72 scale version needs three.
Therefore, product pricing is as follows:
STS-CSE-1-144 - 1/144 scale -$14.00
STS-CSE-1-100 - 1/100scale - $ 24.00
STS-CSE-1-72(R/M)* - 1/72 scale - $ 34.00
* - The \"R\" version of the 1/72 scale set is sized to properlyfit the Revell Orbiter model. The \"M\" version is sized for the Monogram Orbitermodel.
These decal sets are printed on clear water-slide decalpaper stock, which allows the modeler the option of using different off-whitepaint undercoats to offset each of the TPS areas of the Orbiter, and to do selective \"aging\" of the TPS system, as desired.
Please remember, these are not completed Shuttle models. Theseproducts are decal sets ONLY. They are intended for modelers to use in the buildingof their own Shuttle modeling projects.
The Lake County SpacePort does not sell either modelkits or built models.
