Lego Saturn V Launch Pad

I'ts been a while since I finished this model, probably some months after getting my hands on original Saturn V. The latter seemed lonely on the shelf and it was my mission to build it a company. As an engineer I always admired these large structures but always been too lazy to do something in that direction. After seen the proposal at Lego Ideas for Umbilical Tower, I started to gather ideas, pictures and most important the - bricks.

Since 20th of July marks 50 anniversary, it seemed like a good idea to present this project. Therefore I took model from the shelf, dusted of some dust and took some new pictures. The last time I didn't get the time since I was running late for our BrickFest.

1. Planing and Building

As any good creations, this started as a plan, something like this:

The next step was scaling. I am sorry Sariel, but I am more familiar with pen and paper than your great tool (the top should be at aprox. 140 studs).

The internals of the Launch pad was made out studded technic bricks which are quite suitable for carrying a lot of load. These proved vital in the later stage when Pad is occupied with the tower and Saturn V.

The outside was tiled with tiles and the building of the tower could go on.

The most critical component was how to attach the tower to 4 points, while allowing beams to be at angle in both direction (from the plans and pictures it could be seen, that tower is getting narrower and thinner at the same time). A person is added at the corner to get a feeling of a scale of the tower.

The solution is presented here, an angle connector at 157.5°:

2.The Big Thing

The result is here:

I've tried my best to show the whole thing but my dining area seems too small.

It looks more beautiful with Saturn V:

And picture from behind:

On the top there are some knobs to conrol the support rods, the position of the white room and the top support above the capsule. Please note that crane is also fully operational.

Another picture of the top with crane in lift-off position. The central column (gray) has room for an elevator, however it was not added since it would be very difficult to observe

White room and the Apollo 11. I hope the astronaut on the plank is not late.

And bottom up view.

3. Details

Mobile transporter is simplified to the bone: just some necessary things. And of course it should be capable of having a tone of bricks on its shoulders: