Zil 4906 - The Soyuz capsule [2]

Well it all is going better as expected, actually. Today I managed to get all of the stuff around the wall up and ready. The only things left are the hatch on top and the exposed bottom (the heat shield is jettisoned in the descent, remember?)
Here's a pic on how it looks now, the rest follows below.

I first added even more layers of colour to the scorched metal area of the capsule. More paint and more watercolour pencil. I also added more small openings (vents? those who know, please tell me) and since this capsule is a kind of amalgam of all the photos I have of returned capsules, I put some partially exfoliated foil around one of the holes.

Porthole time! They're deep inside the capsule. But that is because the outer glass gets quite sooted during re-entry and it is jettisoned afterwards to let the people inside have more light and perhaps a small peek outside. So I used brass coloured paper and some other colours to make the deep porthole. For the glass I used a piece of thick transparent sheet. 

Note the thin outer 'gold 'layer around the outer skin of the capsule.

Next: holes! Holes, holes and openings all around. This one is for the RCS thruster set on the bottom part of the capsule (RCS = Reaction Control System) for turning the spacecraft around on its vertical axis.

I made them from two layers of the same paper as the capusle's skin upon a base layer which will be glued inside of the hull. So they're just protruding above the hull a tiny little bit.

Small cylinders inside to suggest thruster piping.

When the glue is set, a dab of paint for a more blended-in look. The final paint will come on later.

Using the old sand paper try as a temporary reinforcement ring.

Now, I could cut out the reserve chute's hatch for the seam but I decided not to to prevent hassling with the outlining of the seams. Instead, I used my knife to carve the seam into the hull's surface. I reinforced the weakened hull from the inside with a ring of paper.

Repainted, now the aerodynamic rim on top of the hatch. (the jettisoned main chute hatch also has one of these. I presume it prevents the heat and the flames that engulf the capsule during re-entry to reach the top access hatch to easily. Doubled-up paper (same as capsule skin) and all cut out in one go without any measuring or drawing beforehand. I was quite amazed it fitted.

Dab of paint and we're good to go.

Opposite the two chute hatches there is a little bulge covering the RCS thruster set that makes the capsule be able to tumble head over tea-kettle. (it s horizontal axis)

Looking good already. Later I will put some holes in top and bottom. The innards were reinforced with CA glue to make it sturdier. And also to be able to shape the bulge a little more when curing.

A dab of paint and on with the show. Two rectangular holes this time, for the two thrusters that will let the capsule rotate on its diagonal axis.

Card on the inside to make a base for the actual parts

Parts added. The thruster openings are hidden behind an aerodynamic cover.

 Again, a dab of paint and ta-dah. Now on to the part I had to postpone and was a bit scared of becasue it looked so good I was scared of messing it up putting it in.

But I didn't mess up, luckily.

However, the chute canister is a little sturdy and has a bit more weight to it than the small components around it. So I 'spot welded' the hatch to the hull with four drops of CA and after drying, I secured its position with PVA glue from the inside around the outside of the ring.

And there we are. Now like I said, the crew ingress/egress hatch on top and the inner shield of the bottom will follow.

Thanks for watching and until next time,
--PK