Launch Complex 14 - Mercury/Atlas Service Tower

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On 20 February, 1962 Lieutenant Colonel John H. Glenn Jr. was boosted into orbit atop a modified Atlas launch vehicle in his Friendship 7 capsule. That morning he circled the Earth, in all, three times. He became the first American in orbit and the third American in space. Glenn spent a total of 4 hours 48minutes and 27 seconds in weightlessness.

Launch Complex 14 was the pad he was launched from - as were the following three Mercury astronauts. LC-14 was originally an Atlas Intercontinental Ballistic Missile pad located on a section of the Cape known as ICBM Row. It was converted for manned operations late in the 1950's.

Lower Levels

This model is made almost entirely from photo-etch brass and represents the A-frame Service Tower which was used to perform maintenance on the Mercury/Atlas inside. The tower rolls back on a set of rails to a second platform, which also rolls away at 90 degrees to the first to keep the tower at a safe distance during a launch.

The model includes working flip-up sections of the floors around the rocket and has a pair of elevators on the outside which move. Finally, there are some screens near the top of the tower which close to protect the capsule from the elements.

Upper Levels

This model is designed to complement the LCM Launch Complex 14 Mercury/Atlas Launch Pad model which is available separately.

Three scale versions are currently planned. The 1:144 and 1:72 versions will be primarily designed to work with RealSpace Models Mercury Atlas and Atlas Agena D scale models, although any correctly scaled model should work just as well. The 1:110 scale version is designed to complement the Revell/Monogram John Glenn Mercury Atlas kit.

Legs

If you would like another scale, such as for the 1:48 scale Eagle's Talon kit which is being Proposed, of if you would like models of LC-11, LC-12 or early era LC-13 "Hush Hush" Pad (which are all fairly similar) please do e-mail me to let me know.

The images show some of the designs of the Service Tower - these are not the final versions, but give an idea of the design. All are half size, except the images of the Leg structures - that is quarter size.