The Saturn V launch vehicle was designed and manufactured specifically to send men to the moon.

Development began in 1962 and the Apollo – Saturn V combination made eleven manned flights between 1968 and 1973..

In May 1961 the United States announced that it would land a man on the moon and return safely to earth by the end of the decade.

This led to a massive effort that included the design and construction of the huge Saturn V rocket, powerful enough to send the Apollo spacecraft to the moon.

The first stage was built by Boeing, the second stage by North American and the third stage by Douglas.

The first unmanned test flight occurred on 9 November 1967 and there were six successful lunar landings between 16 July 1969 and 6 December 1972.

This model represents Apollo 8, the first manned Saturn V flight and lunar orbit, launched on 21 December, 1968

Airfix 1/144 kit with Real Space Models upper section and New Ware decals completed by Leigh Edmonds in January 2007.