Artemis I, Part 9 - "A Trick of the Tail"

 That's the title my all time favorite Genesis album from 1976.

It also applies here with the Artemis build as I embark on the model's tail piece, which might be a bit tricky to engineer into position.

The piece is designed to be glued onto the rear of the main core rocket tube (where else, eh?). It also bears a lot if the small detail at the aft end of the rocket.

Since my core BT-50 motor tube protrudes a bit further than the end of this piece when installed, I will have to cut the bulkhead to fit.

A drill and Dremel tool does a fine job with that:

Here is the finished tail section dry-fitted in place...

I have decided that the four scale RS-25D engine nozzles will be retained on this model, but in order to do that, they must be cut back on the inner surfaces to clear the working BT-50 tube and protruding motor. Here are the four nozzles fitted in their locations. I've applied small guide marks with a Sharpie marker to show where the parts must be cut back:

The nozzles will attach to the tail base plate via two locator pins apiece.  Each nozzle is finger-held while being carefully trimmed back with the Dremel.  Delicate work, folks.

Here is the first finished nozzle after cleaning the edges up with needle files:

Now to make theee more just like it.

The nozzles won't be glued on until after all the parts are painted separately.

Moving on...