what about the Manned Space Vehicle Kits by Strombecker

Okay, here's what I've been able to piece together. Krafft Ehricke was one of the German scientists that came to America via Operation Paperclip in 1946. He worked for Convair during the 1950s and posited an idea to build space ships and stations from parts of launch vehicles. These never really got past the discussion stage, but a number of drawings were put together to show how these ships would have looked. Nothing scaled or especially detailed as far as I've ever heard of, but I have seen copies of the drawings in a few books of the period. As far as finding detailed drawings, good luck! Convair was absorbed by General Dynamics which in turn has been absorbed by others, LocMartBo, I think. I looked for drawings from Curtiss-Wright years ago (we're both from Buffalo, NY) and was informed that everything that was of a military nature went to the Air Force and all civilian drawings were discarded. Maybe (Hopefully!) your quest will be more fruitful than mine was.

In something like three hours of looking this is about the best I was able to come up with. Well the only one that actually did have a drawing anyway.

I don't really know enough about some of these sites , is he trying to sell the images that are here. I know that it just Can't be an add for a KIT now could it.

That would be just waaaaaaay too much to ask for now wouldn't it ....... :( :( :(

... Carl ..........

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You found more than I did - where is that drawing located?????

You found more than I did - where is that drawing located?????

Couldn't find much either.

Just 1 page in Ron Miller's "The Dream Machines"

This suggests an overall length of 300 feet.

The following book is also referenced:

"Exploring the Planets" by Ehricke and Miller. (Little Brown, 1969)

If you can find a good library it could be worth investigating...

Going to Fantastic Plastic's site

I found that the Ehricke Space Station is 1:200 and the Lunar Reconnaissance is

1:100. I did a quick check and the figures in the Nuclear ship appear to be the same figures as those in the Lunar Reconnaissance craft, so 1:100 may not be too far out of line, although, I'd figure it to be a little smaller, maybe 1:144. Anyway, I'm going through a similar concept. I put together parts for a Lunar Reconnaissance craft in a larger scale (I'm thinking 1:72, based on the Strombecker being closer to 1:144). A good source of fuel tanks are the scale propane tank models that I got from a shop that deals exclusively in model railroad stuff (and a great place to buy diorama equipment!). I found two different lengths with similar diameters, so there's my second-biggest problem solved. The main fuselage is from a PVC pipe and all I have to do is come up with a crew cabin and I'm good to go. The biggest problem, you ask? Getting off my fat ass and getting to work on the furshlinger thing! 8-P Regards,

(Peter=A0Baxter) wrote: '' Couldn't find much either. Just 1 page in Ron Miller's "The Dream Machines" This suggests an overall length of 300 feet. . . . ''

Could you let me know just what the information on that page is. That is if you've already got this wonderful book. That would be just great if you could.

300 feet seems really big. That would make it around 4 ft in 1/72 scale I think.

Could that length possibly be for that really Huge ''Nuclear Powered Space Station'' they thought of. This drawing had a big set fuel tanks at either end of the craft. The ''Interplanetary Vehicle'' had tanks only at one end of it. That is the only reason i'm asking the question.

Because the instruction sheet says that the connecting shaft between the Fuel Tanks and was Crew Cabin was to be about 100 feet. I'm guessing about 36 feet for the Fuel Tanks -&- about 50 feet for the Engine -&- Bell Housing and then like another 20 feet for the Crew Cabin. That would make a possible length of around 170 feet or so just a rough aprox

This is all going be the small drawing on the instruction sheet for the Model Kit.

I really do want to build one of these and display it. I will have to do a lot of guess work when it comes to the Crew Cabin as well as all the exterior detail on the Fuel Tanks and stuff like that. But that's one of the parts that will be the most fun I think. Trying to think what it really would have looked like back in the 50's , trying to get ''inside the designers head'' as it were to see what he might have been thinking.and what he might have drawn given what the limited references were at the time.

It would be all very Basic , while being so Striking and very Dramatic at the same time to be sure. Mans Quest for the Stars the most Intense Journey of our Lifetime IMHO anyway........ !!!

... Carl ..........

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snipped-for-privacy@webtv.net (cyberborg 4000) wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@storefull-3116.bay.webtv.net:

I do indeed have it. As I said the information is somewhat sparse. Just a few paragraphs about his rockets and modular designs from '58 and outline drawings of the ships in the Strombecker kit.

It doesn't mention that - just the interplanetary vehicle. It suggests the connecting tupe to be 250 feet. - that would give the

300 overall.

I'll try to take a photo and email it. But don't expect a lot...

I think the space station is where he mentions: "At either end of a 400-foot long tube will be a cluster of four parallel cylinders;" rotating on the short axis for gravity. Unfortunately for comparing to the Station and the Reconnaissance Rocket, he writes: "Its fuel tanks are several times larger than those of the previous ship."