Estes Crusader Swing-wing

I got this Estes Crusader swing-wing model at a recent club meeting. I don't know if salvage job is the correct term, but it is a kit that was opened and has pieces missing. Fortunately, it looks like the critical items, like the nose cone and the die-cut fins and swing parts are all present, plus the 45 (!) step instructions and decals. Curiously, it looks like the missing items are the "power pod" (as it is called in the instructions) components.

After reading through the copious instructions, it appears that this is like the Astron Sky Dart in that the motor mount tube ejects itself aftward and releases elevons to deflect up for gliding. The ejection also releases the wing to swing around for flight. (I seem to recall back in the 70's that there was another scissor-wing rocket in the catalog).

The packaging says Skill Level 4, but I think when all is said and done that it's closer to 5. I'm not sure how long it'll take to build, and I'm not in any rush, so updates might be a bit slow.

Here is a bit more info on this model: https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?29286-Estes-Crusader-Swing-Wing-Glider-(-1961)-Gallery
but I have no clue why they had a swing wing on a Crusader. The Crusader had a variable incidence wing, but I haven't found anything about any sort of real-life swing-wing mod. Ditto for having a V-tail. Or did they just have a bunch of Crusader nose cones that needed to be used up?

Attached are pics of the packaging (which on the back has a wing template and fin-marking guide) and instructions, the decals, and the wing and swing mechanism going together. FWIW, the launch lug is a paper straw from Ted's Montana Grill.

Cool!

I'd like to try to sim that in OR. Can you scan all the flat parts (including the decals) with a good ruler (1/16" (or finer) and metric), as well as a scan of the instructions?

The other "swing wing" kit was the Estes scissor wing transport, plans are here:

https://www.spacemodeling.org/jimz/estes/est1265.pdf

I think that the only reason it's called the Crusader is because the nose cone looks like a Crusader jet fighter's nose. The priority was probably flying stable, not scale accuracy. Thus the standard tri fin configuration rather than a rudder/tail setup.
The first production variable sweep airplane was the F-111 Aardvark, several years after the Crusader ended production.

This was going to be my next vintage Estes build starting today, but if you are building it maybe I will start my Estes Der V-3. Nice grab on the Crusader looks like a fun rocket.

If you are scratch building a pod for it, I recommend making a baffled section at the front to keep ejection crud out of the main tube. This will help prevent buildup that might foul the deployment of the pod.

kj

kjohnson said:

If you are scratch building a pod for it, I recommend making a baffled section at the front to keep ejection crud out of the main tube. This will help prevent buildup that might foul the deployment of the pod.

kj

Click to expand...

Ditto what Kevin Said about adding a baffled section to the front end of the pod. That's what I did decades ago for both Crusader and Scissor Wing Transport. It still required running a brush inside the Airframe body every 8-10 flighs to remove the crud but Both are still flyable today.