FANTASY SCALE - (Battlestar Galactica) Colonial Viper Gallery

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dlazarus6660

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I bought a Morerockets.com Viper(Estes clone), built it, and I thought it needed more(get it....more)detail. I searched the web and found paper Colonial Viper I like even better. Turns out to be almost the same scale as the Estes Viper with better detail. It was not difficut to build, on a sclae of 1-10 I give it a 5. The most difficult parts were the wings and the laser cannons due to the size. I just finished it up today, it took three days of leisurely building and suspect it would take only one full day if you build all the parts first and then assemble it.
I added a few modifications as I was building it just to see how it would turn out.
I will build this model again converting to a rocket for 18mm motors and do a build thread.
The web page for the building(assembling) the BSG Colonial Viper has a few mistakes and I will point them out as I go along with my build.
Stay tuned.

Daniel


Post copied to gallery with permission
 

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A few more pic's


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Only have an estes 1979 version in the fleet. Still fly it occasionally, it's logged 53 flights, lots of snapped fins and laser canons. not very detailed but for what it was intended it's a keeper;)
 
Reading all the Posts about the BSG Viper in the "Wanted" thread, (https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?t=47) got me to thinking
of how many Vipers I have. It turns out to be the second most built style
I have, After various iterations of the Saturn. I thought I'd share.

1st is my original Estes Viper. I flew it a couple of times, and didn't like that the
top fin kept breaking. (grain going in the wrong direction.)

SO I cloned it. This was before I had a way to print my own decals, I
hand drew the details with a brush. Not much skill there, but it was good enough for me.

Next up is a down scale I made to fly on 13mm motors. At the time my flying
field was small. Smaller motors (and rockets) were what was needed. :D

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.

original (Medium).jpg

cloned (Medium).jpg

downsized (Medium).jpg
 
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Here are my three original style Vipers.
With my current goonification phase, the Viper seemed a good choice.
Still needs more work. :eek:

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oldfamily (Medium).jpg

goonied (Medium).jpg

build 018 (Medium).jpg
 
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When the New BSG came on, I just had to try and make one of these Vipers. :cool:
On my first attempt, I tried to make the proportions a close to the drawings I
found on the Web as I could. I knew that it would need lots of nose weight,
that meant 24mm motors. This model has flown a few times. I wasn't satisfied
with the way it coned on the way up. Time to try again.

For the second try, I put up a build thread on TRF 1, and even had Roskoracer
join in the build. To fight the coning problem, I stretched the body slightly, and
made the fins a little bit bigger. Still a 24mm motor. I haven't finished with the
decals yet.

The third pic shows the different size for both of these models.

I hope you enjoyed my walk down Viper lane. :)

Post copied to gallery with permission

1sttry (Medium).jpg

2ndtry (Medium).jpg

both (Medium).jpg
 
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Welcome to the FANTASY SCALE - (Battlestar Galactica) Colonial Viper Gallery on TRF.

This gallery showcases the Colonial Viper from the Battlestar Galactica Movie and TV series and those rockets derived from it. Particularly appropriate in this thread are the following:


Apogee POF: Vipox: #96
Estes: Colonial Viper: #1310
MoreRockets.Com: Viper: #1310



as well as any upscales, downscales, clones, kitbashes or other derivative works. Even Goonies qualify!



 
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Estes Colonial Viper (#1310) Basic Information.

estes.gif
Estes Industries

MODEL NAME: Colonial Viper Also known as: Battlestar Galactica Colonial Viper

NUMBER: #1310

Introduced: 1979
Final Year: 1979
Designer:

Type: Fantasy Scale
Motor Mount: 1x18mm
Recovery: Parachute
Stages: 1
Length: 11.76"
Diameter: 0.976"
Span: 4.635"
Weight: 2.01 oz

Mfg. Description: Outstanding sport-scale model of the BATTLESTAR GALACTICA's primary attack craft. Backbone of colonial defense, the Colonial Viper is small, fast and dead on target when encountering the treacherous Cylon raiders. This sensational kit is easy to assemble with die-cut fins, plastic nose cone, quick release engine mount and realistic BATTLESTAR GALACTICA decals. Cam attain altitudes over 800 feet with Estes "C" type rocket engines. The Colonial Viper deploys a 12" recovery parachute for a safe flight and gentle recovery time after time. (Estes 1979 Catalog)


Advertising Liveries

estes-colonial%20viper%201310-1979%20cat%20livery.jpg
Estes 1979 Catalog


Face Card(s)

estes-colonial%20viper%201310-facecard.jpg




First post in this thread featuring this rocket.

See Also: LINKS
EMRR
RocketReviews
Mfg. Page


If you have any additional information on this rocket and/or catalog photos please let us know.
 
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MoreRockets.Com Viper (#1310) Basic Information.

more_rockets.gif
MoreRockets.Com

MODEL NAME: Viper Also known as:

NUMBER: #1310

Introduced: 2010
Final Year:
Designer:

Type: Fantasy Scale, Clone
Motor Mount: 1x18mm
Recovery: Parachute
Stages: 1
Length: 12.5"
Diameter: 0.976"
Span:
Weight: 2.4 oz

Mfg. Description: DESC


Advertising Liveries




Face Card(s)

morerockets-viper%201310-facecard.jpg




First post in this thread featuring this rocket.

See Also: LINKS
EMRR
RocketReviews
Mfg. Page


If you have any additional information on this rocket and/or catalog photos please let us know.
 
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Vipox is most likely not a copyright infringement on anything resembling a Mormon space trek. At least, I only inferred a subtle inspiration from some well-done-for-the-80's science show.

It was released in the Apogee newsletter 96.


I plan to launch this rocket when I build the Estes Battlestar Galactica Viper kit that I got from my brother for Christmas. Which, I expect, will be launched with the Cylon raider that I made for him the previous Christmas by kitbashing a 1978 Mattel Cylon Raider toy (not model). And, it will be launched with the Battlestar Laser Torpedo I cloned from Jim Z's site.
 

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Apogee POF Vipox #96 Basic Information.

apogee%20pof%20trf.gif
Apogee Peak of Flight Newsletter (Apogee POF)

MODEL NAME: Vipox Also known as:

NUMBER: #96

Introduced: 2003
Final Year:
Designer: Shrox

Type: Fantasy Scale
Motor Mount:
Recovery:
Stages: 1
Length:
Diameter:
Span:
Weight:

Mfg. Description:


Advertising Liveries

apogee%20pof-vipox%2096-pof.jpg
Apogee POF #96


Face Card(s)



Instruction Header(s)





First post in this thread featuring this rocket.

See Also:
TRF Build Threads

TRF Applicable Threads

LINKS
EMRR
RocketReviews
Mfg. Page


If you have any additional information on this rocket and/or catalog photos please let us know.
 
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Estes Viper.jpgsheridan03-Image29.jpg I still have this one which was given to me by a friend who bought it at a liquidator store in the early 80s I think. It's now on display on a shelf directly over my computer. I might fly it again, but only if the conditions are perfect to up the chances of recovery. It's a surprisingly good flyer, though I end up repairing one or both of the guns, and the occasional broken fin, pretty much every flight. I'd love to do an upscale, maybe to BT-60 or BT-80. I was put off this kit when it first came out because it was a fairly crude representation of the Viper, which is a design I really, really, like. But now that I have one, it's grown on me. At launch distance, its scale flaws mostly vanish, and it really is exciting to see it blast off the pad. Fun kit.
 
In Model Rocketeer Magazine, (Jan, 1979, Vol. 21, No. 1, page 7-8), Randy Emmerling did an article titled Monogram “Colonial Viper” Plastic Conversion. Did anyone here ever build and fly one? I started to build one and, a week or so ago, realized I still have it in a box.
 
From the Viper uploads above this post:

This was one of the experimental Battlestar Galactica Viper rockets I've built. This particular one was built in the late '90's, and the photo was later signed by Dirk "Starbuck" Benedict at a Comic Con in Plano, Texas in early 2002. The rocket is powered by 3 "D" or "E" motors, and it has a parachute recovery system embodied in the fuselage intake. The three rocket tubes route to a center ejection tube, which ejects two 24" chutes. This one is over 3 feet long. The largest one I ever built was over 7 feet tall, and it was powered by 12 "D" motors, which I built back in in early '80's. The CAD drawing was something I drew back in 2000.
 
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That brings back a lot of memories of seeing her and her Viper fleet at NEFAR and TTRA launches in Florida. When I get a chance, I will upload some more photos of her collection.

If you send the photos to me, I will add them to her website.
 
That brings back a lot of memories of seeing her and her Viper fleet at NEFAR and TTRA launches in Florida. When I get a chance, I will upload some more photos of her collection.
I had not heard of her before (predates my BARship by a few years), just checked out the website. Wow, some *very* nice work there. Sorry to see that she had to drop out of the hobby. :(
 
Does anyone know what the length of the PNC-50SV nose cone (not including the shoulder) from the original kit after you nip the tip?
 
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