1/35 Lunar Hopper

[frank2056]

This is based on Alex Schomburg's cover artwork for the November 1964 issue of Amazing Stories. The artwork for the cover story is of a completely different design:



Ignore the fact that the astronaut's face plate seems to be open. Nothing like fresh vacuum in your face while cruisin' the lunar plains! It took a while to figure out how this hopper is supposed to be controlled. I think the astronaut uses his feet (!) to swivel the engine port and starboard, and maybe in pitch. No idea how yaw would work. I had to make some guesses about the hidden structure, but here's the first 3D iteration:

Not a perfect match, but OK-ish:



I used a scaled drawing of a seated astronaut to get an idea of where the seat and controls should be placed. It's slightly different than the artwork.







I made some 1/35 diamond plate. It should be interesting to see if it prints:



It looks like I'll be able to fit 4-6 of these on my Saturn 8K's build plate, but the vehicle disappears inside a forest of supports.

[kerick]

Hey! He's got a bucket seat and a cup holder in front of the handlebar! 
I'd say that was a very good representation of that artwork.
Obviously the faceplate is up so you can see his mug. Just before he wheezes out his last breath.    Just like every movie astronaut and deep sea diver always has lights on inside the helmet. Makes it difficult at best to see outside the helmet but it looks good in the movie.

[NARSES2]

That looks good   

[Weaver]

Interesting. It looks like a variation on the North American Aviation MOBEV F1B "Flyer". If that's the case, then it was balance controlled: the pilot achieved pitch and roll by moving his body weight, while yaw was achieved by a pair of small thrusters. A similar device is included in the Airfix Astronauts set.

More info: http://www.astronautix.com/m/mobevf1b.html


Video of flight testing:

Hoppers in the Airfix 1/72nd Astronauts set (the "Flying Sofa" is probably the Bell LFV/MOBEV F2B):




Note that MOBEV was a wide-ranging NASA study covering rovers and flying vehicles and involving several different contractors (but mostly Bell). The designations were assigned by the program, so "F1B" meant a flyer (F) with a one-man crew (1) that could perform mission set B. The contractors would then produce a Bell F1B, a North American F1B etc...

[frank2056]

Harold, that video is a good find. I remember seeing the Airfix figures when it was re-released; I should have bought it.

This one is similar to the Schomburg cover. I don't know which one came first:

[Rick Lowe]

IIRC the standing flyer was also featured in a James Bond movie... Thunderball maybe?
*Or after a quick goggle is that the jetpack I'm thinking of?

The Top Secret one he launched from the US submarine.
That he knew about from 'A Russian Translation of the Training Manual... Sorry."

[Weaver]

IIRC the standing flyer was also featured in a James Bond movie... Thunderball maybe?
*Or after a quick goggle is that the jetpack I'm thinking of?

The Top Secret one he launched from the US submarine.
That he knew about from 'A Russian Translation of the Training Manual... Sorry."

The jetpack seen in Thunderball was actually flown by Bell engineer Wendell Moore who invented the whole concept.