Vintage Estes Defender builds

I am onto my next vintage build, trying to squeeze into by busy schedule. I am trying to get stuff set up so next year I am working a lot less making more time for fun stuff and my hobbies. I am building 2 defenders, One is sealed in great condition, the other is open with crushed body tube and some missing parts. I really like this rocket, simple as it may be still a cool looking rocket.

This was is fast easy build, even though I am building two. The open kit had a crushed tube so I replaced it and it also had a few missing parts. I thought it came with a set of decals, but I have not been able to find them, oh well. Also I had just enough Brodak sealer for the complete kit and had to use FNF for the partial kit. I started the fins at the same time, and I was able to apply sanding sealer 3 times with sanding before I was finished with the FNF fins. No matter how careful I am at sanding, I always end up with a bare spot from sanding too much. I built both rockets as per the plans and this time hit the rocket with primer before applying Krylon white top coat. The Brodak fins came out nice and smooth but I will definitely need to add more filler and sanding to my FNF fins. Now don't get me wrong I am not bashing FNF, I think it has its merits. FNF is easy to buy, cheap and does not have a noxious odor. Brodak is costly, smells and I have to odor it online. Chris has mastered FNF by applying once, sanding then priming all the parts separately before assembling his rockets. His rockets come out looking like a catalog picture so it goes to show FNF does work well. My problem is I like the look of a finished vintage rocket before paint or primer when it is all assembled, I cannot get that if I prime before assembly I am finishing up the complete defender now and will put the other one on hold because I am being lazy and I do not want to mess with more filling and sanding. You can see in the pictures, the unprimed fins on the right are Brodak, glossy and smooth. The bare fins on the left are FNF and you can see where I sanded too much. The primed fins on the left are Brodak, no touch up needed. You can see the fins on the right are FNF and for some reason the glue fillets look pretty rough on the fins.

I completed my vintage Defender, the decals went on pretty well with no treatments and she is ready for flight. Onto my next vintage build.

Like always... NICE!!!

Looks better than the one I lost to a rocket eating tree.

I really would love to know where you are getting these vintage rockets (and if it's Ebay, what kind of deep pockets you have to be scoring them).

Yes, these vintage kits are pricey, but they are a lot of fun. Heck, for my entire collection I bet I spent a lot less money than most people I know that spend a fortune on other hobbies.

Another fine build!

SCIGS30 said:

Yes, these vintage kits are pricey, but they are a lot of fun. Heck, for my entire collection I bet I spent a lot less money than most people I know that spend a fortune on other hobbies.

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I agree with you on some of the vintage kits being pricey, so I like to leave them in the original packaging and replicate them from scratch. This is a little cheaper and a bit more challenging. Here are some photo's of an Estes Defender in both standard and super size that were built from from the ground up and fitted with "E" engine tubes. I also super sized a Der Red Max that turned out really cool.

A cluster Defender? NICE!!!

FWIW, I scored an original not all that long ago, and have it here with me. Didn't pay nearly as much as I had feared I'd have to.

SCIGS30 said:

Yes, these vintage kits are pricey, but they are a lot of fun. Heck, for my entire collection I bet I spent a lot less money than most people I know that spend a fortune on other hobbies.

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Your building skills are matched by your photography skills, you have posted a great set of photos here, it would make a great coffee table book. Maybe you could sell enough of them to buy more rockets?

GlenP said:

Your building skills are matched by your photography skills, you have posted a great set of photos here, it would make a great coffee table book. Maybe you could sell enough of them to buy more rockets?

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Thanks for the comments, I appreciate it. Here is the pic of the Der Red Max that I super sized also with "E" engine power. A couple of fun ones that I replicated are the Navy Cruise Missile and Sizzler. I also do some fun ones like a Mean Machine that is painted like a barber shop pole! Also, I have a Pro II Series Mega Der Red Max that is still in the original packaging. Not sure what do do with that one yet?

Always nice seeing your most excellent vintage builds!