Sunward - Star Watcher (#00 013) Gallery

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Solomoriah

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Here's my Sunward Starwatcher. I chose the "X Wing" arrangement when I built it; the instructions said I would need "some" noseweight. Gah. I'm not fond of doing swing tests, as there are too many ways to screw up the rocket when you have it on the end of a string. Fortunately, after some discussion on YORF I've concluded that around 15 grams of noseweight should work. Computer screws (the type that hold in the hard drive on a standard system, which I have many thousands of) weigh an average of 0.77 grams each. I elected to put in 15 screws for noseweight, along with enough polyurethane glue to hold them in place. It has worked fine so far.

Sadly, on its last flight my Star Watcher returned without one fin, which I have yet to make a replacement for. Maybe this winter I'll finally get it done... if I do, I'm pretty sure I won't paint it gold again.

My flight logs indicate that I really need to fly it on C engines only, as the nose weight makes it a bit of a dog on lower-power engines.

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Welcome to the Sunward Star Watcher (#00 013) Gallery on TRF.

This gallery showcases the Sunward Star Watcher and those rockets derived from it. Particularly appropriate in this thread are the following:


Sunward: Star Watcher: #00 013



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



 
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Sunward Star Watcher (#00 013) Basic Information.

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Sunward Aerospace

MODEL NAME: Star Watcher Also known as:

NUMBER: #00 013

Introduced: 2005
Final Year:
Designer:

Type: Sport, Exotic
Motor Mount: 1x18mm
Recovery: Streamer
Stages: 1
Length: 14" 37cm
Diameter:
Span: 6 1/2" 16cm
Weight:

Mfg. Description: 00 013 STAR WATCHER Retail 6.99
•build with 4 fin traditional or
•4 fin X style ( may require nose weight)
•wing tip effects
•High Quality Laser Cut Balsa
•Safe streamer recovery
•Length 14 " 37cm
•Wingspan 6 1/2" /16cm
•Recommended engines: A8-3(first flight), B4-4, B6-4, C6-5, and C6-7
•Instructions
•Skill Level 2
•Great starter kit at a low price (Sunward 2005 Catalog)

=====

Star Watcher

build with 4 fin traditional or
4 fin X style ( may require nose weight)
wing tip effects
High Quality Laser Cut Balsa
Safe streamer recovery
Length 14 " 37cm
Wingspan 6 1/2" /16cm
Recommended engines: A8-3(first flight),
B4-4, B6-4, C6-5, and C6-7
Instructions
Skill Level 2 (Sunward 2005 Web Ad)



Advertising Liveries

sunward-star%20watcher%2000013-2005%20cat.jpg
2005 Catalog

sunward-star%20watcher%2000013-2005%20web.jpg
2005 Web Ad


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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Hi all, I just noticed this gallery and I had to add my Starwatcher to it. I bought and built this about 9-10 years ago. I love this kit, too bad it is OOP right now. From the beginning I thought this would make a really interesting fighter type ship, so I made one in Rocksim to see if I could flip two of the wings and have them in X configuration too. It would work. I then noticed after punching out the fins/wings that some of the leftover parts would make a good canard for it, so back to Rocksim to see if it would work, and yes it does. I forget the exact number, but you would lose a few feet in altitude, I want to say about 20 feet which is no real loss to me. With the exception of the inverted wings, it was built as per instructions, painted black, and the decals are from a snap-tite F18 kit. I also glued a piece of semi-circle tube on the spine as a conduit of sorts. I've flown it twice so far, and it flies very well. I should mention I fly it with a small parachute instead of the recommended streamer, even with that though I still managed to bend a "laser gun" on the last flight, but it is hardly noticeable once straightened.

Thanks for looking.

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Starwatcher5.jpg

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