TLP AIM-54 Phoenix W.I.P.

[paul.nortness]

I have been hard at work at doing my first TLP kit. Being a huge F-14 Tomcat fan I am naturally drawn to the AIM-54 Phoenix missile, so I chose it to start.

After connecting the tubes and inserting the engine mount, I proceeded to fill the seam from the tubes and any seams on the tubes with Elmer's Carpenter filler. Then I sanded the tube down with 250 grit followed with 400 grit to smooth it out. I did replace the fin stock with 3/32" basswood. Once I kit the fins out I tried my hand at laminating them. This is a completely new technique to me....messy, but effective! It's not much to look at right now, but it's coming along....


That's a 1:32nd scale AIM-54 sitting next to it.

[Fe Dude]

The tube looks sweet. For some reason I always rush to get the fins on and kick myself for all the extra work to sand down the spirals around them. I also am a big AIM 54 fan. my 4" madcow awaits paint.

ps. your pilot is going to have a little trouble flying without the arms.

[sodmeister]

It`s going to be a fine build Paul.I love those kits ,as they are a good springboard for fine detail work ,and just plain fun to build.
I look forward to the finish missile.

Still building model aircraft I see.Myself, have not touched the stash in several years and sold a bunch on ARC.

Paul t

[paul.nortness]

Thanks Fe Dude. Yeah, the tube is smooth as glass to the touch. Should take paint really nice. It's actually really killing me taking my time on this. I am just getting back into model rockets and I am excited to get something in the air....so taking my time and doing this one justice is really really hard.

That's actually a ground crew figure....so directing aircraft around the carrier deck is going to be difficult with no arms! Luckily for him, I saved the sprue with his arms....I have the technology. I can rebuild him!

Hey Paul...thanks dude. I've also got all the little details done as well, they are just getting sealed right now.

Selling off your stash huh? I recently sold off a fair amount of mine. I made the switch exclusively to 32nd scale from 48th. I can't display as many of the bigger ones as I could the quarter scale stuff....but I can super detail those big birds so it's cool

[paul.nortness]

Well, looks like I am going with the Performance Hobbies nose cone.

I totally botched the paper wrap and it is sitting in the bottom of the waste bin right now. It was an utter disaster.


Also, I am replacing the chute with a 24 inch chute from Estes

[sodmeister]

That`s too bad Paul ,what happened ? Are you talking about the cone/hat that goes on top of the nosecone ?
I always make spare templates out of extra cardstock ,just in case I ruin/botch the first one.

Paul T

[paul.nortness]

That's a good call....sure wish I had thought of that before hand!

I tried steaming it, like the directions recommend....and it just got all sorts of fouled up. The paper curled in the wrong direction and never quite wanted to shape properly. By the time I called it quits, the darned thing was so wrinkled it was beyond salvage.

On the plus side....I picked up some stuff to scratch build the seeker nose for my AGM-65B!

[paul.nortness]

I just got the forward fins attached. Going to add the brackets on the fin roots next.....then I get to start shaving straight pin heads! Oh joy

[Daddyisabar]

That's a good call....sure wish I had thought of that before hand!

I tried steaming it, like the directions recommend....and it just got all sorts of fouled up. The paper curled in the wrong direction and never quite wanted to shape properly. By the time I called it quits, the darned thing was so wrinkled it was beyond salvage.

On the plus side....I picked up some stuff to scratch build the seeker nose for my AGM-65B!

I found that heavy breathing after drinking some fruity Gator Aid will soften that paper up just enough for a perfect curl to make the witches hat, simultaneously giving it a nice aroma as well. Steaming is too much moisture and seems like it would be a lot of work and harder to control. Rubbing it softly with your fingers and gently rolling with a wooden dowel on a mouse pad will quickly give great results. Attach tab with tacky glue and take your time. Attach to nose cone and soak with thin CA and it is hard as a rock and very sharp too. This must of course be done in the privacy of your secluded build area. I called this my “Porno” technique when describing it to other TLP builders at the club and although they were impressed by my nose cones, they were too afraid of being caught using this technique and being banned from building with shaped paper completely. Such is the life of a TLP nose cone builder.

[paul.nortness]

Cool...thanks for the tip!

I will have to remember that for next time.

Now all I need to do is find someone with a template for the Phoenix nose!

Anyone?

[paul.nortness]

I took the Phoenix down to the field for a test flight on a D12-5 today. I wrapped some foil tape around the inside of the tail to prevent burning, mounted it on the launch rod and let 'er rip.

She took off nice and slow from the pad, and boosted to about 100 feet straight up. Then decided to veer off to the left in a long arc. It topped off at about 350 feet and then started coasting down. Then, about 50-75 feet from the deck the chute popped and it drifted a little faster than I would have liked to the ground. Everything was intact, no damaged fins or anything. The engine hooks that TLP provides are craptastic though. The ejection charge kicked the casing right out of the back despite the engine hook being intact. I walked up to the rocket and picked it up, checked the back to see how the foil tape worked and thought "Hmmmmm....something doesn't look right". Looked again and realized the motor was missing!

Thank God for huge launch sites!

[JPVegh]

Just out of curiosity, did you add any nose weight?

[paul.nortness]

none was called for. It's perfectly balanced.

The general consensus is that it was under powered. The flight path was straight and true, not erratic. There just wasn't enough thrust to keep it on an upward path.

[JPVegh]

none was called for. It's perfectly balanced.

The general consensus is that it was under powered. The flight path was straight and true, not erratic. There just wasn't enough thrust to keep it on an upward path.

Actually from the description of the flight I was thinking that you might be a bit overstable. I am not familiar with the launch pad kit but I thought that if it called for nose weight perhaps a little less would be inorder.