What's on your build pile?

What do you all have on your build pile? Ever find something in it that you forgot you had? I've been digging through mine this week. I've found more then this, but here's a sampling of what I found:

-- The 2002-ish re-release of the Orbital Transport. Someday I will build this!

-- A Scissor Wing Transport

-- A Trans Wing Super Glider....kind of a rare bird

-- A Super Alpha

-- A Mini Max I totally forgot I had

-- A Generic E2X from when it was still a bulk pack only kit. Imagine my surprise recently when I found it as a stand alone at Hobby Lobby. If I'm ever bored and want a quick weekend build/fly project (and nothing in my build pile or anything else on the shelf fits my fancy that exact moment), I'll pick up one or two more of these.

There are more. Counting scratch builds and clones I want to do, I won't be for lack of anything for awhile. The pile will probably get deeper on occasional trips to the local Hobby Lobby or whatever hobby shop I find myself in.

My build pile hasn't been touched since summer with all I've had going on. However, I currently have:

(all Estes kits)
QCC Explorer
MIRV
Vintage Sentinel
Vintage Black Brant Ii

7.5" Polecat V2 that was started long ago.

Madcow 38 Special with dual deploy

Converting second 38 Special to minimum diameter

Formula 75 converted to head end dual deploy

Wildman thick wall 3" Wildman Dual Deploy

Loc 4-29 SS

Loc Graduator

Big Bertha


Sent from my iPhone using Rocketry Forum

Right now, I have a Polecat 5.5" Mercury Redstone that I've been working on for a while.
Also there's the Qmodeling Mars Snooper, the Estes Solar Sailor and the Neubauer 4" Mercury Redstone. Then there's the Apogee Saturn V or the Rocketry Warehouse Double Shot.
That's just the cool ones. There's a ton more LPR and MPR that would take me forever to list.

I need to reattach a fin on my Blackhawk 75. Other than that my build pile is empty.

Cabernut said:

My build pile hasn't been touched since summer with all I've had going on. However, I currently have:

(all Estes kits)
QCC Explorer

Click to expand...

Oh I like that!

My build pile is a mess of 1/2 complete and 1/2 broken rockets. Seams I can triple my flyable fleet by fixing the broken rockets so I’m on a mission to have every assembled rocket I have in flying condition or retires BEFORE Ipurchase another kit, but then again BF coming up....ok it sure seems like I’m limiting my potential here and we wouldn’t want to do that. How about fixing before I BUILD another but buying is ok.

...build pile
3” Punisher
4” Super Batray
Estes QCC Explorer


To fix, complete or repaint;
38mm Wildman
LOC Hi-Tech H45
Mac Performance VTS
LOC Magnum
MAC PERFORMANCE Firestick XL
County line Hobbies Super Alpha 54mm

To Purchase:
MAC PERFORMANCE 3” Rainmaker
Whatever Gus wants to drag race


Sent from my iPhone using Rocketry Forum

The under construction pile consists of:
- Scratch Quantum Leap II
- 1/2 scale Phoenix AIM-54
- BSD Horizon 54
- HyperLOC 835

The waiting pile has:
- MC Go-Devil 29
- Estes Cosmic Interceptor
- PSII MDRM
- PSII Nike Smoke
And a dozen other smaller kits.

Currently on my bench is a scratch built 24% scale (4") Aerobee 150 that is roughly 75% completed. Just need to finish a few structural items, figure out the electronics, and then wait for spring to paint.

On deck is a LOC 5.5" Sandhawk

and on the build pile is 2 PSII Nike Smokes, a Mega Der Red Max, a couple of other Estes kits that I cannot remember what they are, and then what ever I add to the pile over the winter!

Just finished a Loc Expediter, Putting together the quick switch for a PML AMRAAM 4, which is my next.

3"/2.1" scratch build - needs paint
3" stubby scratch build - needs to start
NCR Interceptor G - have new Stickershock vinyl, need to start
Estes Maxi Brute V-2 - may never start...


Sent from my iPhone using Rocketry Forum

Metropolitan Police Call Box
Quinstar
Mercury Redstone
Orbital Transport
Loadstar II
Estes Cobra
Estes Star Trek Klingon Battle Crusier
Estes Star Trek Enterprise
Estes Saturn V
Estes Sidewinder clone
Scratch build 2 stage
RC boost glider ( not sure of the make )

Well, my sorrows of having a free Friday evening where once again I didn't have date or anything else was short lived. And two rockets can now come off the list in my OP.

I knocked the Generic E2X out in a couple hours. It would have been less then an hour, but either my cousin or hunting buddy kept calling to talk while they were driving home. I built it per instructions, and it still looks pretty sharp. Even that Alpha nose cone on there looks pretty good. I'll build more of these, but go off instructions and get personally creative with décor, and do stuff with paint, etc. Living on a farm gives me plenty of space to launch rockets, even up to D and E engine birds, but my main launch site has been occupied by the enemy. So once the Bovine Forces move out, I'll get to do more. I may try driving to the back field and see if it is free of cows.

The other rocket I knocked off the physical construction was that Super Alpha. I pulled an all nighter to get physical construction done, but Gunsmoke and the Jeff Foxworthy Show and then Travel the Road were on, so I had other things to do. It awaits paint, which I should get to this coming week. I'll admit, I chuckled when I found the letter from Estes explaining the balsa shortage and their substitution. It's not quite right, but does look slick with that PNC-60AH though. I'll think of it as the long wheelbase version.

Only one, a Fliskits Decim8....I've been looking hard at it here lately....

dave carver said:

Only one, a Fliskits Decim8....I've been looking hard at it here lately....

Click to expand...

Easily one of the most difficult kits I've ever built. Between actual construction and figuring out what to pre-paint before final assembly, it took me a few months. It's the only kit I've had to put away and pull back out several times.

Go for the build Dave, as you are a predominantly scratch builder, I think you will enjoy it.

Pile has been paired down nicely from the overstock condition after Secret Santa in July. (Join Secret Santa!)

To build:
24mm motor Honest John
Partizon (build in the RRC3 to practice with)
Scion (-> convert to Leviathan to finish the PSII fleet)
LOC Cruiser (for L2 ~next year)

Needs work:
Big Sam my L1 rocket (4" Patriot needs a nose paint refurb and chipped fin corner blending)


All is right in the world now that I'm back in my "No more than 5 unbuilt kits" zone!

Too many to list, but here the top of the mountain...
King Kracken (in progress)
Slightly Irritated (extremely shortened Mean Machine) (in progress)
LOC Starfighter
Madcow Bomarc
Madcow Sensor
BTH70 Blue Bird Zero
BTH70 Bandit (including ducted ejection)

Several scratch builds that need paint

I have a good number of mostly Estes LPR kits hanging on my wall, but this is my build plan for the winter, in no particular order:

Estes Shuttle, already started
Wildman Drago 4XL
Polecat 5.5" BBII
Rocketarium Turbo Vortico
Some US Rockets high performance LPR/MPR kits
Estes Sidewinder
Estes Comanche-3

An ambitious list for the winter but some will go together quicker than others. I really want the LOC 5.5" Patriot, but my plate is more than full for now.

Broken Arrow 54
Modified Go Devil 38
2x modified Mongoose 38s
2x custom 24mm min-diameter rockets

in progress I have a 1.6" Nike Smoke and an e2x Prowler
many other ladies in waiting including Estes nike X, 4" Loc Iris, Loc iris mini missle, Estes indicator, Estes mammoth and trajector (I got a bundle7), mini fat boy, Estes QCC Explorer, another Vagabond, probably two or three more I cant remember right now

Getting vinyl applied: Apogee Snarky clone in ThunderBirds scheme.

Awaiting decals: NewWay Sky Fighter in Blue Angels scheme, Solar Warrior

Awaiting Final Paint: Shrox Skonk Wolf, BAR Stryker in USAF colors, Oddl F-16 in USAF colors

Awaiting Paint: Original Estes Super Big Bertha, NewWay prototype

Under Construction: Estes Mega Der Red Max, Squirrel Works Yankee Clipper, Estes Interceptor-E, Estes Executioner down-scale

On Deck: Semroc Yung Un Nuke, Estes Nike Apache, Centuri Phoenix Bird clone from Estes Eliminator

MALBAR 70 said:

Easily one of the most difficult kits I've ever built. Between actual construction and figuring out what to pre-paint before final assembly, it took me a few months. It's the only kit I've had to put away and pull back out several times.

Go for the build Dave, as you are a predominantly scratch builder, I think you will enjoy it.

Click to expand...

I want to do a maximum effort job on this one. That requires tools and materials I have yet to procure. It was an XMas exchange gift, I asked for something complex...

Nothing on the pile at the moment, but plenty "in progress" in the que.

Thinking it over...likely to be a real race to the finish before I shuffle off this mortal coil..................

FAT CAT F-104 Partially started just haven't the time as of late.

My list is in my sig. The last 2 are kits I got for my GF's 6 year old son. Gotta start'em early... :wink:

Semroc Midget from my NARAM-54 goodie bag.

- 9" V-2
-7.5" Alpha
-2.6" Quasar (modified as 2-stage)
-Unamed 4" Quantum-tubed rocket wit 54mm MMT
-5.5" V-2 with FG tubes

Sent from my SM-G935V using Rocketry Forum mobile app

Build pile ? Becoming more like a build mountain.

Madcow Tomach 54
ShadowAero Shock
ShadowAero Raven 3
Wildman Blackhawk 38
PML Cirrus
FSI Oso needs 1 fin repair
Scratch built Atlantic Reseach IRIS downscaled to 2.76" diameter
Scratch built ARC Blackwidow
Scratch built Estes X-ray upscaled

Herman Miller Aeron chair

Scratch built Adjustable 3 rail tower

Scratch built Replacement lathe stand mounting platform

Scratch built Fin alignment jig (to buy or design my own . . .)

Scratch built Basic electronic timers 556N plus a few analog parts

Scratch built Ultimate coconut cream pie (Molly Yeh's is a good starting point)

I finally had to stop buying more kits since I don't have the time to build what I already have acquired.

I working on different clones of and an original Centuri Centurion kit.

LOC IV, Sirius Eradicator, Cherokee D, and a Der Red Max. Need to make room for PML AGM-256 Pit Bull
and a LOC Door Knob.

Blackleaf99 said:

Build pile ? Becoming more like a build mountain.

Madcow Tomach 54
ShadowAero Shock
ShadowAero Raven 3
Wildman Blackhawk 38
PML Cirrus
FSI Oso needs 1 fin repair
Scratch built Atlantic Reseach IRIS downscaled to 2.76" diameter
Scratch built ARC Blackwidow
Scratch built Estes X-ray upscaled

Herman Miller Aeron chair

Scratch built Adjustable 3 rail tower

Scratch built Replacement lathe stand mounting platform

Scratch built Fin alignment jig (to buy or design my own . . .)

Scratch built Basic electronic timers 556N plus a few analog parts

Scratch built Ultimate coconut cream pie (Molly Yeh's is a good starting point)

I finally had to stop buying more kits since I don't have the time to build what I already have acquired.

Click to expand...

Hats off to you if you're building a chair! What set me off was the ShadowAero Shock. Great bird! You are lucky to have one. Dave's a buddy- so if you ever get tired of moving it around-let me know!