V-2 Combustion Chamber
The 15-piece combustion chamber is complete. The main body was painted a dark metallic copper, though perhaps when new the unit was more dark gray. But I like the copper-like hue that older units have in some museums. The six alcohol fuel lines and the two manifolds were painted a dull aluminum and attached, not an easy process, to be sure. Finally, a dusting of rust and silver powder added some interest.
The neat thing with 3D-printed parts is the accuracy that can be achieved for interior pieces that might have otherwise been cast in solid plastic. The final photo shows a view through the nozzle to the interior of the combustion chamber, where you can see a few of the 18 “pots,” just as you would for the real thing. These 18 pots were attached to 18 liquid oxygen lines, which were then bundled into groups of 3 to attach to 6 individual manifolds. These manifolds were arrayed in a “starfish configuration” and bolted to the turbopump. Needless to say, this is going to be a complicated build!
Next up: the thrust frame. With that in place, all the other complicated parts can been attached.
