1/72 Mercury "Liberty Bell 7" Spacecraft (Space) DRW-50393

1/72 Mercury "Liberty Bell 7" Spacecraft (Space) NASA's Mercury program was a series of manned spaceflights in the important buildup to putting man on the Moon. Spacecraft "Liberty Bell 7" flew 480km at a maximum altitude of 190km and maximum speed of 1,969m/s. The naming is because of the shape of the craft, as well as an association with the original Liberty Bell. Indeed, a "crack" was painted onto the side of the craft to add to the illusion. Of interest, the 1,286kg Liberty Bell 7 was the first Mercury craft with a centerline trapezoid-shaped window instead of two portholes. Another innovation with this spacecraft was an explosive hatch release that allowed a rapid emergency escape. After performing its flight, Liberty Bell 7 splashed down in the ocean, although the craft subsequently sank to the bottom before it could be retrieved by helicopter. As a fitting final note, the Mercury spacecraft was salvaged 38 years later in 1999 Dragon’s 1/72 scale model depicts the Mercury-6 spacecraft at its launch. The model of call sign “Friendship 7” is accurately constructed and painted, and the correct series of markings are in place. With the miniature model’s release coinciding with the flight’s 50th anniversary, this is the perfect item for space fans to commemorate this important milestone in the history of American, and world, spaceflight. Diecast Aerospace Model 1:72 Scale