1/16 Resin Astronaut kit

Astronaut Alan .B Shepard Jr. - Apollo 14

"It's been a long way, but we're here."

Gallery Article by Michael Jack "ApolloMan" on Sept 30 2015

 

      

"It's been a long way, but we're here." - Alan .B Shepard Jr.

HISTORY: 
Alan .B Shepard Jr was the first American in space, on May 5th 1961, with his sub-orbital flight lasting just 15 minutes. He was also selected to be the Commander of the first Gemini mission, but due to his Meniere's disease diagnosis in 1964 was replaced, and removed from flight status. After experimental surgery he was restored to full flight status in May 1969, and given Command of Apollo 13.

Many in NASA thought Shepard and the two rookies he was taking with him to the moon, were not yet ready for a lunar mission, between them having only 15 minutes in space; and being a decade earlier. NASA deciding to bump Shepard's crew to Apollo 14 instead. With the near tragedy of Apollo 13 putting at risk any future moon flights, Shepard was lucky to have been bumped, which is the reason for his first words on the moon. "It's been a long way, but we're here." 

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Alan .B Shepard Jr.

ASTRONAUT: 
Like the Neil Armstrong figure I made, this went together very well. I found out that these are recasts of Re Heat models. I had seen allot of them depicting Al's famous golf swing, and decided to move away from that, and more on the exploration of the moon. I had always liked the Alan Bean painting of Jack Schmitt LMP Apollo 17, carefully side stepping down a steep hill. So I cut the arms and legs off at different points and re-positioned them so as to close as possible recreate this pose. Then used miliputty to fill in all the gaps and fix the joints.

BASE: 
This is again the same as from my Neil Armstrong build. An MDF box from a craft shop, I built up the incline with foam and plastic sides. Then used a thin layer of resin and added crushed granite to simulate lunar surface. Several greys were used to bring out textures to the moons base. I added the plaque being from my previous Al Shepard figure (1/10 revel/monogram kit) which was damaged beyond repair in a house move.

I hope you enjoy my model of the late great hero Alan .B Shepard Jr, who become the 5th man to set foot upon the lunar surface after making the voyage from the Earth to the Moon.

Michael Jack

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Photos and text © by Michael Jack