North Coast Rocketry BOMARC.

I snagged one of these on eBay and just got it a few days ago. Absolutely perfectly NIB, wrapped in plastic. Not a single rip or pull. A collector's dream. But I'm a builder.

However, I am leery about opening it after reading some other people's reviews of the kit. Especially about supposedly useless plastic wing skins, the need to re-engineer assemblies, etc.

I saw the Madcow version, but it is smaller and has an oddly un-scale shaped nose cone and conduit.

Considering what I paid I could scratch build one for less and stick this one on a shelf. Anyone with first-hand experience with one of these?

P.S. This is the larger Ester/NCR one.

Not sure what you need to re-engineer other than replacing the motor tube with a 29mm one.
The structure of the wing is challenging, but that's the strength of the wing. The skins are just a shell. I covered mine with black iron on covering. Worked great, flew great.

kj

I read that attachment method for the ram jet pods and vertical stab is very weak and needs to be re-thought.

I had one I flew allot down in Orangeburg. I modified it with a 38mm motor mount and attached the ramjets through the wall to the motor mount. It flew great for about 5 years mainly on I205 and I154J.( cool) I finally shredded it on an I435.(very cool)

shelf it and madcow it or scratch. I had one of the ncr kits back in 98 99 ish. Got it off the shelf at a hobby lobby lol, i was way to inexperienced to put it together right and it never quite got finished and like most other 12 year olds things found its way to the back of the closet then the trash when i got out of the hobby. wish i still had it in the box...

Ambivalence said:

I read that attachment method for the ram jet pods and vertical stab is very weak and needs to be re-thought.

Click to expand...

I don't recall that when I built mine. I'd chalk it up to the tendency to over build MPR.

kj

Just yesterday I was thinking about my old NCR Bomarc and I wish I'd kept it boxed up, but it was sooo cool! Now- somebody tell me I'm not crazy, but there was a glide kit put out for this that changed recovery to a glide mode. I heard of it thru somebody back in the day (compuserve?) but never had the time to find one. The only thing I did was use lots of microballons for fillet tre-inforcement and 'hobbi-lite' filler for the irregularities. .you really need to keep it light. Oh yeah-trash the motor tube...you'll never need it. Or make a nosecone and fins for it! Again-ironically- you'd have to make an engine mount for it! Or...You could even make a *gasp* 'mini-bomarc'!! Hooray for Bomarcs!

I have one of those, but never worked up the testicular fortitude to build it. If yours goes well, I may finally have to open mine.

Good luck.

fyrwrxz said:

Just yesterday I was thinking about my old NCR Bomarc and I wish I'd kept it boxed up, but it was sooo cool! Now- somebody tell me I'm not crazy, but there was a glide kit put out for this that changed recovery to a glide mode. I heard of it thru somebody back in the day (compuserve?) but never had the time to find one. The only thing I did was use lots of microballons for fillet tre-inforcement and 'hobbi-lite' filler for the irregularities. .you really need to keep it light. Oh yeah-trash the motor tube...you'll never need it. Or make a nosecone and fins for it! Again-ironically- you'd have to make an engine mount for it! Or...You could even make a *gasp* 'mini-bomarc'!! Hooray for Bomarcs!

Click to expand...

The Original 2.6" NCR Bomarc, had a glide option. The Estes/NCR 3.0" Bomarc did not. I have built the 3.0, overbuilt, the wings and stabilzer were fine, I put a tube inside the ramjets, and replace the motor mount with a longer one, then made the pylons, go through the wall to the MMT. Had to add a lot of clay to the nose to get the CG back where it needed to be, so it is just under 4lbs. Flies great on H128's though. I have the original NCR 2.6, with Glide option, still in the box.

Ohhh Mikey! If you EVER want to sell that Bomarc...I want to be Number One on that list. Take my wife, please! Okay, I'd really miss the cooking, but I'd have a BOMARC! ( I could get another wife...maybe not as housebroken but, hey...)
I have 'things' to trade if you need just about *anything*. (Dog not included)
I'm afraid I'd have to ask you to pay the postage for gold bullion...it's so expensive these days.....(the postage that is).

Hm. Maybe I'll make it RC. Although at 4 pounds plus radio gear it might be in the flying brick category.

Sounds like an idea.

mikeyd said:

The Original 2.6" NCR Bomarc, had a glide option. The Estes/NCR 3.0" Bomarc did not. I have built the 3.0, overbuilt, the wings and stabilzer were fine, I put a tube inside the ramjets, and replace the motor mount with a longer one, then mad the pylons, go through the wall to the MMT. Had to add a lot of clay to the nose to get the CG back where it needed to be, so it is just under 4lbs. Flies great on H128's though. I have the original NCR 2.6, with Glide option, still in the box.

Click to expand...

The 2.6 glider sounds awesome..

Mike.. I have the 3" version, and it is time. I've had the kit for some 10 yrs or so, bc the 12" Estes version scared the poop out of me as a kid. It was unstable and almost killed me.. TWICE. But hey.. I'm L2 certified now..

Besides.. I HP mod'd my Honest John for high power:
https://theweeks.org/rockets/HONEST-JOHN/

That vacuform fin material is FAR too fragile.. So I...

• went through the BT to the MM with plywood inner fins
• Then injected the fins with resin, and glassed over them:
• But then had to wight the hell out of the nosecone to balance it out:
  (the tapered holes function as epoxy rivets to hold the 1lb lead/resin slug in place)

I'm planning on roughly doing the same with this 3" Bomarc kit. Like you said.. take the pylons thru the BT to the MM, though I'm going to glass them, and replace the MM with 38mm with LOC plywood rings.. and glass the whole delta wing section. Given the weighting I had to do on the little 12" version in the 80s... this sucker's going to need a pound of lead shot I suspect.. That's what I had to do with the HOJO.

Just don't tell me what the kit is currently worth. Last time I looked, I shuddered.


Tweeks

Good luck! I think my Nose cone came in at just under 2lbs, with all the added weight.

Hm. Maybe I'll make it RC. Although at 4 pounds plus radio gear it might be in the flying brick category.

Click to expand...

Four pounds is too heavy for a glider this size.