All Rocketry Blogs

Model Rocket Building: BMS/Alway Saturn V Build, Background (2018-07-03)

According to the BMS website, the BMS/Alway Saturn V kit has been out of production for eight years. The picture above is from a build I did a few years back. This is a very well engineered kit. ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: BMS/Alway Saturn V Build, Part 1, Parts (2018-07-04)

This picture is from the first build I did, from a few years ago. The new kits have the red and white Odd'l Rockets style 18" parachute. After a few kits were sent out, Bill at BMS realized the ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: BMS/Alway Saturn V Build, Part 2, Engine Mount (2018-07-06)

I did use my hobby knife to free the middle from the centering rings. The small squares are for attachment of the F-1 nozzle assemblies. This is the bottom ring of the mount. I usually clean up any ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: BMS/Alway Saturn V Build, Part 3, Nozzle Framework (2018-07-07)

Inside the nozzle shrouds is a three-piece plywood frame. I pushed the rectangular center out of the bottom disk with the inside longer strut. At the top end of the shroud small disk. Looking at ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: BMS/Alway Saturn V Build, Part 5, Nozzle Assembly (2018-07-09)

I did have to sand down the ring inside for it to slide down onto the lines on the nozzle shroud. The top (with the narrower laser cut side) was marked so I didn't sand out the slight inside taper. ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: BMS/Alway Saturn V Build, Part 6, Nozzle Assembly (2018-07-10)

Small holes were punched in some scrap cardboard and the nozzles set in standing up. Just the top, flat surface got a shot of Duplicolor filler/primer and smooth sanding. The bottom of the centering ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: BMS/Alway Saturn V Build, Part 8, Fin Prep (2018-07-11)

The fins are removed from the sheet and the sides sanded clean. On the right the outside edges have been rounded. The plywood grain is fine but still needs to be filled. Here the root edge has been ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: BMS/Alway Saturn V Build, Part 9, Fin Fairing Prep (2018-07-12)

Cut out the fin slot first. Keep the small end cut corners clean. Here I'm cutting from the outside corners to the center of the small top and bottom. You don't want the corners cut wider than the ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: BMS/Alway Saturn V Build, Part 11, Fairing Silver Paint & Fin Support Gluing (2018-07-14)

More Scotch tape masks were cut over glass, this is the curved silver line mask on the low end of the fairing. The shroud guide was set over the black and white fairings and the edge lightly marked ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: BMS/Alway Saturn V Build, Part 12, Upper Body Bands (2018-07-15)

I skipped ahead to Step 48 figuring it would be easier to apply the bands to the smaller tube first. TIP: Mark the end of the laser cut self-adhesive strip. When the strips are cut off it's hard to ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: BMS/Alway Saturn V Build, Part 13, Tunnel Shaping (2018-07-16)

The kit contains two half-round dowels to make the tunnels. Start by sanding the backs flat with 400 grit on a sanding block. TIP: You'll find it easier to smooth the round sides if the dowel halves ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: BMS/Alway Saturn V Build, Part 16, Escape Motor and Tower (2018-07-18)

The escape motor dowel was longer than the 1 1/2" needed. The tip was shaped to a cone and then cut to length. TIP: Why not cut the dowel to the 1 1/2" length first? Leave it long and you can have a ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: BMS/Alway Saturn V Build, Part 17, Escape Motor Shroud (2018-07-19)

You are supplied with a few extra escape motor shrouds. I would suggest making up a few and selecting the best one for your build. After carefully cutting out the shroud, you might still have an ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: BMS/Alway Saturn V Build, Part 18, Shroud Forming and Tower (2018-07-20)

After the shroud dried it wasn't a perfect circle. TIP: A dowel end was carved and sanded to a cone shape, matching the angle of the shroud side. Set the shroud on the carved cone. With your ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: BMS/Alway Saturn V Build, Part 19, RCS Thrusters and Details (2018-07-21)

The four RCS thrusters are removed from the 1/32" plywood sheet. These are also tiny so extras are included in the kit. Flip the sheet over and notice on one side the burn line is wider. The wider ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: BMS/Alway Saturn V Build, Part 20, Ullage Rockets (2018-07-22)

The Ullage Rockets are ridiculously small! You are supplied with four, you only need two. Before removing them from the sheet, sand the sides smooth. The top edge is sanded round. Tweezers help to ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: BMS/Alway Saturn V Build, Part 21, APS Unit Shaping (2018-07-23)

Save the dowel lengths left over from the long tunnels. This is an over exaggeration - but cut the dowels over size, longer than the APS Unit Core center piece. Two set of dowels and the center ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: BMS/Alway Saturn V Build, Part 23, Upper Body Black Paint and Vinyl (2018-07-25)

Please note: I use clear Scotch tape for masking. If your surfaces aren't clean, you probably won't get a sharp masked line using Scotch tape. If in doubt, go with the Tamiya tape. I'm just cheap! ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: BMS/Alway Saturn V Build, Part 24, Lower Body Roll Pattern Masks (2018-07-26)

The upper and lower vertical lines of the lower body mask are in line with each other. Use an aluminum angle to join light pencil lines between the top and bottom roll patterns. Here's the start of ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: BMS/Alway Saturn V Build, Part 25, Tube Trim and Engine Mount (2018-07-27)

Finally you get to trim the low end of the body tube. Cut the hold-down tics. You might have to do some other trimming if the laser line didn't go all the way through. Here's how the low end looks ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: BMS/Alway Saturn V Build, Part 26, Fin and Fairing Gluing (2018-07-28)

Look at the shape of the fairing from the top. You want a good smooth curve of the outside edge. On the left is the before, on the right is after some very gentle forming. I set the fairing tip ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: BMS/Alway Saturn V Build, Part 27, Hydrogen Lines and Nose Weight (2018-07-30)

The five Liquid Hydrogen Lines are glued in place, centered on the masked rectangle areas. The instructions don't mention to do this, but I cut away the wrap strips under the glued on lines. The ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: BMS/Alway Saturn V Build, Part 28, Decals! (2018-07-30)

Most all the decals went on with no real problems. This post will concentrate on the small fin decals. The fin letter decals are tiny! TIP: To make the placement consistent on all fin sides, extend ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: BMS/Alway Saturn V Build, Finished! (2018-08-02)

The fit of the fin fairings could have been better, three out of the four were good. I've mentioned before what a well engineered kit this is. It's a manageable sized Saturn V and flys well with a ... [Read More]