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“Fit three components in place on the reactor platform.”

As we build up this Reactor Platform, I will be using colored electrical tape to match the same tape on The ‘A’ car. We do get some colored Adhesive Stickers in Issue 125 for this, but I want to be more accurate using my own tape and I feel it is going to be easier to do now instead of later. If you want to use the stickers and have that issue available now, you can install them now as well.

For example, this short Hydraflow on the real car has a red tape band on it:

Therefore, I added a similar red tape band to this hose that we installed back in Issue 82. If you like the braided hose look I am using, I explain how to did this back in Issue 59:

Contents

Parts

Materials: The Reactor Platform is metal, but the rest of the non-electrical parts are plastic.

Magazine

• Drive Time: Model Instructions
• Back to the Future: The Ride – A Chase Through Time
• A Time Traveler’s Guide: Shoot-Out in Hill Valley

Build

Reactor Platform

Step 1

Fit the post and pin of Reactor Component (111B silver) to this location on the Reactor Platform:

On The ‘A’ Car, this is a an upside-down extruded aluminum can from Zero Manufacturing:

Step 2

Secure these parts together from below with one (1) GP screw:

Step 3

Slide one end of the Pipe over this peg on the Reactor Platform:

I inserted a length of 22 gauge Craft Wire inside this tube to make it stiffer and allow me to bend it into a specific shape. I also wrapped a small strip of yellow electrical tape around the midpoint of the Pipe. The ‘A’ car does have this yellow band, although it is very faint (see below):

Step 4

The open end of this Pipe should be facing towards the rear of the platform.

This will eventually be inserted into this hole of the left Rear Exhaust Cowl, so lay it down on the Reactor Platform with that in mind:

Step 5

Fit the two posts of Reactor Component (111C red) to this location on the Reactor Platform, as shown.

On The ‘A’ Car, this is a ribbed aerospace duct 711374-1 from Arrowhead Products that was found in Bell Helicopter engines:

It really bugged me that this part arrived molded in the color red. So, I 50/50 mixed some Tamiya XF-3 Flat Yellow and Tamiya X-7 Red until the color looked about right and then airbrushed it. Using a flat and a gloss color together gives it a semi-matte look:

Then, I installed the part. I think the new color is much more accurate!

Step 6

Secure this part into place from below with one (1) GP screw here …

… and one (1) AP screw here:

Step 7

Fit the pin and two posts of Reactor Component (111E silver with wires) to this location on the Reactor Platform, as shown.

On The ‘A’ Car, this part is an aircraft cabin heater from Janitrol:

Step 8

Secure this part into place from below with two (2) GP screws:

Thoughts

Based on this issue alone, I can tell that I will be doing a lot of mods to this Reactor Platform! Since we will be building this platform up over the next fifteen issues, I recommend reading ahead if you are curious as to what I will be doing along the way.

Next Up

 Issue 112 – Reactor: Components, Separator, Multi-Colored Wires