Wonderful Saturn V Cutaway Illustration

[brotherofthemoon]

I came across this a little while ago while searching for information on on Stephen Biesty, one of my favorite illustrators as a child (okay, as an adult too!)
agaudi.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/saturnvcomplet.jpg
(Warning, big file!)

As you can tell, it's not 100% technically accurate, but considering that Biesty illustrates for the 9-12 crowd, it gets an amazing amount right, including the wire-mesh "tires" on the LRV and the tubes in the astronauts' Liquid Cooling Garments. Too bad there aren't more artists of his talent and interests around - there are really only so many cutaways of medieval castles one man can take!

I also found these other cutaways from him, of a Spanish Galleon (www.flickr.com/photos/27417638@N07/4226131663/sizes/o/in/set-72157622455202566/) and a German Type VII U-boat (www.flickr.com/photos/27417638@N07/3761885199/sizes/o/in/set-72157622455202566/).

[banjomd]

Apr 2, 2010 9:20:21 GMT -4 brotherofthemoon said:

...As you can tell, it's not 100% technically accurate...

One glaring mistake: the SII had 5 J2 engines! (I know, "Picky, Picky!)
It is nicely drawn!

[Jason Thompson]

Am I missing something? The illustration does show 5 engines on the S-II stage, and does identify then as J2 engines, so where's the glaring mistake?

It's an excellent illustration.

[banjomd]

Sorry, you're correct.
I must've (incorrectly) thought that I had scrolled to the bottom of the page.
Nevermind; I like it! ;D

[ka9q]

Wonderful illustration! Wish I had a wall-sized version of it when I was a kid.

[Halcyon Dayz, FCD]

Next time a HB makes yet another gaff I'll point him (they are always male, aren't they?) to this.

Kids can know this stuff. Why can't you?

[clipperride]

Great picture & thank you for posting the link. I remember seeing something similar at a relatives house when I was young and I most of the visit just looking at it!

Regards

Mark

[brotherofthemoon]

Apr 3, 2010 12:16:38 GMT -4 Halcyon Dayz, FCD said:

Next time a HB makes yet another gaff I'll point him (they are always male, aren't they?) to this.

Kids can know this stuff. Why can't you?

Yeah, isn't it amazing how a book for pre-teens shows the parachutes AROUND the CM's access tunnel?

Seriously though, the thing that impresses me about Stephen Biesty is that he illustrates for kids, but has a fastidious attention to technical and historical detail that makes him appealing for adults. Before you even get to the actual Saturn V, I notice he included the crushable ribs that were part of the Earth Impact System, accurately depicted the arrangement of the SM RCS's fuel and oxidizer tanks (which is something that Scott Sullivan didn't do in Virtual Apollo!), and does an excellent job overall showing how the CM and SM were laid out and assembled. All little things a 10 year old wouldn't notice - but an adult Apollo "nutter" would get a big grin out of.

[Kiwi]

Thanks Brotherofthemoon, it certainly is an excellent drawing. Very informative.

Just out of interest, and to save us from repeating something that is wrong, would everyone post whatever errors they notice. I saw two:
1. Rubber tyres on the rover.
2. That the astronauts would crawl through the tunnel to the LM. They didn't -- they floated. This is the second time I saw that error in two days -- it is common in press reports of Apollo 11.

[banjomd]

I liked his use of the traditional Latin plural form antennae!
(Hey, I studied Latin in Catholic high school! It's in my blood. ;D)

[Bob B.]

Apr 4, 2010 16:43:24 GMT -4 banjomd said:

I liked his use of the traditional Latin plural form antennae!

I used antennae somewhere on my web site and I got an email from some guy complaining that antennae are something that insects have -- the correct plural for the radio device is antennas.

[banjomd]

According to Merriam-Webster, both forms are acceptable with antennae the preferred one (listed first)!
I'm with you, Bob; antennae it is. ;D
(I also say fora as the plural of forum!)

[Bob B.]

Apr 5, 2010 13:47:05 GMT -4 banjomd said:

I'm with you, Bob; antennae it is. ;D

Actually, after I got the guy's email I changed it to antennas. I did some Googling and virtually every reference I could find to "aerials" used the plural antennas, so I caved and went with the majority.

[banjomd]

Retract, it's never too late!
(Just don't retract the antennae!) ;D

[brotherofthemoon]

Besides the whole antenna/antennae issue, the only thing that really grates on me about this illustration is the size of the S-IC. It's been heavily truncated here compared to the real thing - look at the gap between the American flag and the "USA" on the first stage. Biesty's take of the Saturn V gives it LH2 and RP tanks of roughly equal proportions, when the LH2 tank was really more than a third larger in volume and quite a bit longer. I also noticed he sorta cheated on the overall length of the stage by having the F-1s, thrust structure, and heat shield suspended from the base of the stage and in "exploded view." Besides that, his depiction of the internal arrangement of the three stages and the IU are spot-on.

Yeah, I know it's kind of pointless nitpicking the technical accuracy of an illustration drawing in a children's book, but considering Biesty's usually fastidious attention to detail, the S-IC sizing does annoy me.