TLP 2.6" MIM-23B HAWK Build

[El Phantasmo]

It has begun!

The Launch Pad 2.6" MIM23-B HAWK (Homing All the Way Killer)

Obligatory bag and parts shot (only stock parts shown, doesn't include extras or substitutions).

[El Phantasmo]

Motor mount

I had a tube that was just larger than the stock motor mount tube. The stock motor mount, to me, felt thin and likely to give in to heat fatigue. So, I cut down the larger tube to fit between the 2 centering rings, and epoxied over the stock motor tube. I added a motor retainer from the Rocketarium.com. All of the motor mount parts are affixed with regular JB Weld. "Why everything with JB Weld?" you ask. The small amount I mixed for the motor retainer was enough to epoxy all the other parts for the motor mount assembly. I completely left out the stock motor hook. The 2 piece motor retainer provides retention in both fore and aft directions.

EDIT: If you're going to use a heat shield of some sort (aluminum cans are cheap and easy to come by), here is where you should start! Cut out a disk the diameter of the aft centering ring with the appropriately sized center hole. Epoxy the head shield to the aft centering before putting the rest of the assembly together. I didn't think to do this, so I'll have to make 2 haves and it'll be more fiddly. See post 14.

[El Phantasmo]

Both of the paper parts were my first attempt on each. I made one more of each, but they were no better. I used 110# card stock. I used super glue on the tabs. Then I saturated them with finishing epoxy. First, I did the tail cone, then the nosecone. Rather than drill a small hole (per the instructions) I decided I was a Mohel. Who's next?

[El Phantasmo]

Here's the tail cone. Rather than use the extended template tab, I cut it off. I cut a slightly wider strip of card stock and super glued it on the inside of one side, then to the inside of the other.

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Here's the tail cone assembly with the, still wet, epoxy coated paper tail cone (3rd and 4th pictures). I used Titebond I wood glue, to glue the centering rings to the tube, and I allowed the bit of epoxy I smeared on the fore inside of the tail cone to adhere to the lower centering. I, then, gently tamped down the aft centering ring with a ball point pen, to seat it in the tail cone. The second photo, is a dry fit of the parts and markings for reassembly. I should have glued the aft centering ring to the tube first, dry fit the paper tail cone and then cover the tail cone in finishing epoxy. C'est la vie... After the tail cone assembly and motor assembly fully dry, they'll be glued together. Then, I'll cut and epoxy a thin piece of aluminum (beer/soda can) to the inside of the tail for heat shielding.

[El Phantasmo]

If you've build a rocket before, you know what I did here. I replaced the thin, short stock tube coupler with a 4" red tube coupler. I used Titebond I to glue them together.

[El Phantasmo]

Standard 1/8" hard balsa, just the main fixed fin thus far. I simply used a sharp #11 blade to cut it. We'll see how the air foil looks once it's painted; it's not a very dramatic air foil. The aft portion of the fin is flat, no taper; while, the fore and outer portion is tapered. I used some wood paint stir sticks to make sure I don't sand past the air foil line. After I sanded the air foil, I soaked the fins with super thin CA and re-sanded until smooth.

[El Phantasmo]

Typical fill, sand repeat. One or two more times.

[El Phantasmo]

I've made some progress since February 23rd. I misplaced a camera with pictures, but it was found. Fins are on, most filling and sanding is done, did some late stage modifications (a little messy), working on the aft ends of the "wire guides" to make them look more realistic. I'll post some pictures later, after work.

[El Phantasmo]

Here's some fin stuff with spot putty and my "custom fin alignment jig." I used 60 minute epoxy (not the finishing epoxy shown as part of my "jig") on the fins because some spots on the root edges took some super glue. Prior to this, I used more spot putty to hide the paper tail and nosecone transition seams. I modified the "steering" fins and aft main fins to look more realistic; they're not all exactly the same, but they're close enough for me. All the fins were soaked with thin CA.

[El Phantasmo]

Here's the aft end of the "wire guide" that goes from square to round, on which I've been working. It's made from 0.016" thick aluminum, I purchased from Hobby Lobby. It'll get some bondo to pretty it up, after it's epoxied down. The other one that stays square is a bit more tricky for me, not sure why.