Optima body tube lengths?

47''tall,2.5 wide just looked it up but that 2.5 wide is probably a BT-80 I would think

pdf dwg attached should give you what you need. I used it to build my T3 Micro downscale recently.

View attachment 2035 Optima Full Size Parts-a_11-2011.pdf

Micromeister said:

pdf dwg attached should give you what you need. I used it to build my T3 Micro downscale recently.

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Thanks John!

It's a BT-80.

Why do I always feel like I am copying qquake????? Great minds think alike, but he is always one or 2 steps ahead of me....

T-Rex said:

Why do I always feel like I am copying qquake????? Great minds think alike, but he is always one or 2 steps ahead of me....

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I haven't started anything yet, just in the exploratory stages. I'm thinking either a 3" or 4" Optima upscale, or maybe even a 4" squat version.

Go with the 4" rocket. It will go well with your other 4" birds.

Wait. How big did you go on your EAC Viper? Go that size.

o1d_dude said:

Go with the 4" rocket. It will go well with your other 4" birds.

Wait. How big did you go on your EAC Viper? Go that size.

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The Viper is 3" by 45" tall. A 3" Optima would be 55" tall. A 4" Optima would be 73" tall. I'm also toying with the idea of a 4" x 50" squat version.

Oh good, I was just thinking I would build one original size, but use LOC tubing instead of BT-80. 'Course 3" isn't much bigger......

The stock body tube lengths for the Optima are one 11" long piece of BT-80 and two 14.2" pieces of BT-80 (BT-80KD). I measured my Estes Shadow which is the same kit with a different paint scheme. The Shadow also had two 13 5/8" and one 2 3/4" long pieces of 24mm motor mount tube instead of the lighter BT-50.

T-Rex said:

Oh good, I was just thinking I would build one original size, but use LOC tubing instead of BT-80. 'Course 3" isn't much bigger......

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3.1" LOC tubes would make it 56.5" long. That's almost 10" longer than stock. I'd say that's considerable.

I just added "Length" to the description of body tube parts in the RocketReviews.com Rocksim Library. This should help answer similar questions in the future.

BTW ... I built a Shadow clone from Aerotech parts. They have a 2.6" diameter body tube that is a bit stronger than a BT-80 tube. I cut fins from thin plywood and attached them "through the wall" (well, just the lower fins). The rocket flies great on F and G motors.


Please don't look too closely at the fins.

-- Roger

jadebox said:

BTW ... I built a Shadow clone from Aerotech parts. They have a 2.6" diameter body tube that is a bit stronger than a BT-80 tube. I cut fins from thin plywood and attached them "through the wall" (well, just the lower fins). The rocket flies great on F and G motors.


Please don't look too closely at the fins.

-- Roger

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Too late! I see what you did.

qquake2k said:

3.1" LOC tubes would make it 56.5" long. That's almost 10" longer than stock. I'd say that's considerable.

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I was thinking the 2.6 -> 3.1 isn't that much, only 1/2".... Yes I can see where it would be significant when you convert it to the length. However, it requires 2 lengths of tubing to make either one, with the 3" you are just using those 2 lengths more efficently/completely.

Aw man - looks like I came late to the party again

Anyway, I brought a party gift for the OP and anyone else that might need it.

An excellent tool for the "clone" builders reference library > the "Estes Body Tube/Kit Reference". This has the dimensions for the Optima kit and most other Estes kits.

I'll look forward to your build. I want to clone a regular sized one myself. Beefed up a little of course. I think a 4" version would look quite nice!

scsager said:

Aw man - looks like I came late to the party again

Anyway, I brought a party gift for the OP and anyone else that might need it.

An excellent tool for the "clone" builders reference library > the "Estes Body Tube/Kit Reference". This has the dimensions for the Optima kit and most other Estes kits.

Click to expand...

Great reference, I've downloaded it to my desktop for easy access as I'm sure I'll going there often. THANKS!