Vintage Estes R2-D2

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antisubae

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So I'm pawing through my old stuff over at my parents' place, and out pops this little guy:

rocket2d2.jpg


Fully assembled, partially painted, slightly dirty, but solid.

Much like Ben Kenobi, I don't even specifically remember owning any droids, but obviously I did at one point in my life. This thing's been buried in a box for at least twenty years, probably closer to 25.

The only thing missing is a parachute. Easy enough to make, but R2 is a somewhat portly chap and I'm not sure how big it should be to keep him from becoming a smoking hole in the ground. Has anyone seen one of these any more recently than I have, and if so, got a clue as to how much trash bag I need to cut up? :D
 
The clear plastic fins are also missing (unless they are REALLY clear).

VERY UNSTABLE WITHOUT THE FINS.
 
Ah! Fins! I probably should have thought of that. No sign of them in the box, guess I'll have to fabricate something. That might have been an...interesting flight had I attempted it.

Thanks for the info, everyone. I'll try to get him flight-worthy as soon as I can stop building these godforsaken paper rockets! :)

paper_rockets.jpg
 
This is a neat looking rocket, I own about 5 of these. Mine was a little unstable during flight and the parachute barely opened in time. Does come down a little fast with the parachute.
R2Dsscamp004-1.jpg

R2Dsscamp001-2.jpg

R2Dsscamp003-1.jpg
 
I got an opened (but unassembled) one, too. A model like this needs an 18 mm AT reload for good flights.
 
Ah! Fins! I probably should have thought of that. No sign of them in the box, guess I'll have to fabricate something. That might have been an...interesting flight had I attempted it.

If your R2-D2 is the kit #1301, I measured my kit's clear plastic fins for someone else a while ago, and have attached a pdf of the layout and dimensions.
 
If your R2-D2 is the kit #1301, I measured my kit's clear plastic fins for someone else a while ago, and have attached a pdf of the layout and dimensions.
That's perfect, thank you very much! *looks around for the "high-5" smiley*
 
I got an opened (but unassembled) one, too. A model like this needs an 18 mm AT reload for good flights.
I did just this, but with some strange endings. Hard to believe, but the LCO did not know who R2D2 was, and kind of "scoffed" at it at first. It was stable at boost. but R2D2 does not have an engine block, just the hook, so about 20ft up the hook straightened out, and let the rms 18mm d21 slide forward just enough to go unstable. He cart wheeled, then when the thrust quit, he headed back down, right over the LCO table. Just as he got to table height, the ejection charge went off, and deployed the chute, knocking the LCO's new coke right off the table. Broke both legs, when it hit. We had a good laugh, but the LCO was not amused! I haven't flown it since, but I have repaired him, and added an engine block!
 
CTulanko, I believe, has posted on TRF his modification of R2-D2 #1301 that uses 24 mm Estes motors, and that's what I plan to do if and when I ever build mine.
 
CTulanko, I believe, has posted on TRF his modification of R2-D2 #1301 that uses 24 mm Estes motors, and that's what I plan to do if and when I ever build mine.
And it needs a fair bit more nose weight when using a D12. It really screams on an E18 reload. :D
 
I have an R2D2 still in the bag..Kind of almost don't want to open it because the header card is inserted in the bag upside down..:lol:

I have the little 'plastic brick' R2 that I have flown a couple times on 1/2A's that were pretty underwhelming, will have to use an A10 the next time I fly him!;)
 
Hi, I know this is an old thread, but I'd love to get printable 3d scans of the head, leg, lens, fin and 'skirt' parts so I can build a new one. Anybody out there with one they can get scanned (or are willing to sell for a reasonable price so I can get them scanned)?
 
I sure hope somebody can get a scan. I would love to build one. I had one when I was a teen and love him. I'm not sure what ever happened to it.
 
CTulanko, I believe, has posted on TRF his modification of R2-D2 #1301 that uses 24 mm Estes motors, and that's what I plan to do if and when I ever build mine.

I had one of these when I was in high school. It went up about 7 feet off the launch pad, flipped over and power dove into the ground, still under thrust. After bonking on it's head, then the parachute popped out. It was the funniest series of rocket launches EVER!
I was able to find one of these of ebay a few months ago. It now has a 24mm mount in it. I put the build aside when I got my 4" Loc Goblin. Then put it aside again, when I got my Apogee Zephyr. So it's still a build in progress.

How much nose weight should be added for a D12? And how would a person go about stability checking this? I have and use Rocksim extensively, but can't imagine modeling this in Rocksim.
 
I have one of these if someone wants to scan it. It's the 13mm version, with the plastic fins and original parachute. It has been flown but not by me. Picked it up at a garage sale somewhere years ago.r21.jpgr22.jpg

r21.jpgr22.jpg
 
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