Epilogue (2)

This was something I wanted to do for quite some time now.

The models I already have brought to the National Space Museum in Lelystad made me think about how some of their displayed stuff wasn't detailed or even in the same scale as other models in the showcases. I also wanted to clean up my shelves some more. So I have taken another batch of paper models to the museum. They happily accepted them.

This time I told them they were a donation. Not on loan, as before. And all models I already have brought also are donated now. So we signed an official contract in which I handed over all of my paper models to the museum.
I did however offered them my assistance when something should be in need of repair.

The models I donated this time are shown below.

The N-1 [1/96] with separately shown, the LOK/LK moon 'train'. The N-1 is placed on a pedestal with a mirror, so you can see the engines.

 

A set of different models, in different scales. the 1/48 X-20 Dyna Soar with Transtage and the X-37B were requests of the museum, who has a growing collection of space plane designs on display. They even have a real-scale mock-up of the XCOR Lynx space plane in front of the museum! I added the small-scaled Skylon space plane, which at the time wasn't yet cancelled. Now it unfortunately is. I really liked the concept. The rest are 1/96th rockets. UK's Black Arrow 'Lipstick rocket', The McDonnell-Douglas DC-X, and a landing first stage SpaceX Falcon 9. They may not yet be on display but I guess some will be in the near future. The rockets are shown on the ground floor in glass showcases opposite the stairs that lead to the terrace with the museum's artefacts.

 

This is the terrace of the Space Museum in the Aviodrome Air and space museum. It is located at Lelystad Airport and houses a load of beautiful planes, aerospace artefacts and the National Space Museum. They also have a restoration hangar you can visit in which several planes are being restored or awaiting restoration. The Space Museum has a display of various space artefacts, Dutch, and international.

The museum offers things for adults as well as children. Educational and entertainment. Lots of interactive stuff and on request you can get a guided tour.

 

This is the thing I am the most proud of. This is the cabinet made especially to display a selection of the remaining artefacts of ANS, the first Dutch satellite. Left, on a turntable, one of the few remaining test articles (the one for the electric systems) is shown partially 'disassembled'. So you can see what is underneath that golden covers. That was something I suggested. In the right side of the cabinet you can see instruments and housekeeping equipment of the satellite. on the centre shelf the on-board computer is shown (the black boxes). in the top part of the cabinet, the documentary film I made with my partner about ANS is shown in a loop. In a shortened version, though. One of the foundations that supported the making of the film had the condition we had to work together with a museum and so this side project came to existence because of that. I still feel happy and proud about the fact I now have a little part in the story of this satellite and it taking a rightfully earned place in the canon of Dutch science. At the same time, I think this cabinet as a whole, including the film, is a tribute to all the women and men that worked on the ANS project. They showed it is possible to create a magnificent little  hi-tech vanguard miracle from scratch that left even NASA completely baffled.

Well, maybe there will be more to show and/or tell some other day. You never know. However, for the time being, the paper modelling has come to a grinding halt. I don't have the inspiration nor the time to get back into it.

Stay safe, wish for peace.

--PK