Estes Mercury Redstone #1921

Bam

she looks GREAT!! well done!!

Flyfalcons said:

Some finish pics in better light with a better camera, after touching up some overspray with a brush and adding clear satin coat. Sorry, this forum software sucks, you'll have to tilt your head to the side.

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Here's the finished weight, minus wadding and motor.

We had perfect conditions during a backyard launch this evening, so I decided to go for it and maiden the Redstone!

[video=youtube;JRnLwsUklKE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRnLwsUklKE&feature=youtu.be[/video]

NJRick said:

she looks GREAT!! well done!!

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Nice work! Went to hobby lobby in hopes of spotting one of these but the section was bare where they were marked to be. I'll keep trying . Did pick up one of those new scorpions however!

Congrats!

Greg

Flying it with the aerospike... Ballsy! Instructions imply that the part is meant to be removable to prevent damage/loss

Nice flight!

K'Tesh said:

Flying it with the aerospike... Ballsy! Instructions imply that the part is meant to be removable to prevent damage/loss
Nice flight!

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The newest Estes instructions show the aerospike to be glued in place.
The earlier #1921 kit (with the plastic thru-the-wall fins) say "Spike for display only!"
https://www.estesrockets.com/media/instructions/001921_MERCURY_REDSTONE.pdf
See Step 30 on page 7.
The oldest Centuri instructions say not to glue it in - leave in in place for display, remove it for flight.

These Redstone rockets are always a crowd pleaser and your particular model is no exception. It looks very nice! It's fun to live vicariously through someone else's joy and happiness. If you're interested, I've got a Redstone project going on from Sheri's Hot Rockets in the mid power section. It's 1/24th scale with a few added details such as panel lines and 3-D water slide resin rivets. :wink:

I saw yours Steven and have been following it. Simply unreal how that thing is turning out!

beautiful!!! Looks like a perfect Redstone flight! well Done!!

Flyfalcons said:

We had perfect conditions during a backyard launch this evening, so I decided to go for it and maiden the Redstone!

[video=youtube;JRnLwsUklKE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRnLwsUklKE&feature=youtu.be[/video]

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Which parts did you use yello glue on and which parts did you use cement?

The reason I ask is because I picked one up at Hobby Lobby yesterday and I'm gathering info before taking this project on.

noffie79 said:

The reason I ask is because I picked one up at Hobby Lobby yesterday and I'm gathering info before taking this project on.

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The instructions may tell you, though I haven't bothered opening mine yet to find out.

All of the capsule parts got plastic cement and the rest of the rocket got wood glue.

It's beautiful! Congratulations! I ordered one on Amazon 2 days ago as my local Hobby Lobby did not have one. I paid retail ($25), but it was totally worth it

Flyfalcons said:

We had perfect conditions during a backyard launch this evening, so I decided to go for it and maiden the Redstone!

[video=youtube;JRnLwsUklKE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRnLwsUklKE&feature=youtu.be[/video]

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GREAT flight! Congratulations! Looks amazing!

Flyfalcons said:

Doing some fin work. Balsa parts are all laser cut and easy to work with.

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How did you bevel the edges of your fins?

I just drew a line where the bevel ends and eyeballed my progress while using a sanding block. Worked out great.

Flyfalcons said:

I just drew a line where the bevel ends and eyeballed my progress while using a sanding block. Worked out great.

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Ok great. Thank you. I just started on mine tonight. Probably won't get too far as I want to go nice and slow. I'm only hoping mine will look half as great as yours. Nice work!

noffie79 said:

Ok great. Thank you. I just started on mine tonight. Probably won't get too far as I want to go nice and slow. I'm only hoping mine will look half as great as yours. Nice work!

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You started noffie?? Nice! No kidding. Flyfalcons's looks incredible!!!

Purkeypilot said:

You started noffie?? Nice! No kidding. Flyfalcons's looks incredible!!!

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Yes I did. That capsule is a pain! The directions say to "scrape sides flat". Easier said than done. The front doesn't look too bad, but where the other two panels come together there are some small gaps, about 1mm. Any ideas if that may cause flight or fit problems later, anyone?

I picked one up at Hobby Lobby yesterday (last one they had!) but I'm planning on putting a 24mm mount in it. I've got some AT D17 reloads that I think may do well in it.

noffie79 said:

Yes I did. That capsule is a pain! The directions say to "scrape sides flat". Easier said than done. The front doesn't look too bad, but where the other two panels come together there are some small gaps, about 1mm. Any ideas if that may cause flight or fit problems later, anyone?

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Mine wouldnt fit and needed to be SANDED to get the base to fit, the whole nose part is a PITA. But looks cool when done. Finished mine a week ago or so

Deezil said:

Mine wouldnt fit and needed to be SANDED to get the base to fit, the whole nose part is a PITA. But looks cool when done. Finished mine a week ago or so

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Yours does look good! I finished my tower this morning. Have it taped up and drying now. I'll paint that and the capsule before joining the two. It's coming along slowly, but even with the gaps, I think it'll look fine once the paint is on and everything is in place.

Thanks! I did make a couple little mistakes, but only a purist will notice, haha. I have to fix it yet.

Deezil said:

Thanks! I did make a couple little mistakes, but only a purist will notice, haha. I have to fix it yet.

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What mistakes did you make?

Deezil said:

Thanks! I did make a couple little mistakes, but only a purist will notice, haha. I have to fix it yet.

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Oh no! I hope you are not as OCD as I am.

Regardless, it looks great and you should be pleased with the result, both for static display and as a flyer.

Greg

noffie79 said:

What mistakes did you make?

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Not tellin, haha! The instructions kinda suck and it got me.

Its the ring around the tube above the fins, I figured there was a decal (which the manual has zero about decal info, it says to look at the packaging picture), so my fault I guess for not double checking when I painted it.. doh.. But it still looks cool.. The decals make it really POP

Deezil said:

Not tellin, haha! The instructions kinda suck and it got me.

Its the ring around the tube above the fins, I figured there was a decal (which the manual has zero about decal info, it says to look at the packaging picture), so my fault I guess for not double checking when I painted it.. doh.. But it still looks cool.. The decals make it really POP

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Haha! I think that exact same thing was mentioned by Flyfalcons. So basically, you have to adjust your masking tape higher in order to get the ring above the fins, correct? I noticed there was no info on decal placement.