First choice for an "E" powered clone

[rocketsmith]

In my stocking this year was a D/E MMT kit from Estes. Man, I hope my wife did not pay full price for that! Since I'm not a Rocksim user YET. I appreciate some ideas for a clone or upscale clone rocket that I can build around the E MMT. I have intermediate to expert low power skills, tools and materials.

What would you build if you were me?

- Rocketsmith

 

[tbzep]

In my stocking this year was a D/E MMT kit from Estes. Man, I hope my wife did not pay full price for that! Since I'm not a Rocksim user YET. I appreciate some ideas for a clone or upscale clone rocket that I can build around the E MMT. I have intermediate to expert low power skills, tools and materials.

What would you build if you were me?

- Rocketsmith

So far I've upscaled a Goblin, Red Max, and Citation Patriot (not finished yet) to BT-80 size.

The Goblin flies great on D12-3's in a breeze and D12-5's in calm air. You can get a balsa nosecone for it from Semroc.

The Red Max flies well on C11-3's and actually could use an extra second or two of coast time. I guess I'll try a D12-5 on it next. I turned my own nosecone for the Max, but Sandman can slap one out for you easily.

The Citation Patriot isn't finished, but I've built it with a removable motor mount so that it can be flown with a single D12 or E9, cluster of 3 or 4 C6's, or a cluster of D12's or E9's. I turned my own nosecone for it also, but Sandman can take care of you (same nosecone as the Red Max).

My next BT-80 upscale will probably be the Nike-X.

BTW, I used 1/4" thick balsa for fins (TTW) because I want the fins to look scale and I also want the rockets to be good for school demos, meaning lots of fire and smoke, but low and slow enough to get a real good look at them.

 

[Indiana]

The Big Bertha makes a nice BT-80 upscale. Flies great on a D12 or E9.

 

[tbzep]

I completely forgot about the BB. I've got one painted in 1969 BB colors. I used an old Broadsword kit instead of scratch building it, so it has 1/8" fins instead of 1/4".

 

[brianc]

Try a Tiny THOR!

https://rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?t=12735

 

[gstarraider]

most of my clones are upscales to fly on a e-9, try one of these

https://aboveitallrocketry.spaces.live.com/?_c02_owner=1

 

[DaveCombs]

What you should probably not consider doing is just slapping the E-sized mount in a rocket designed for 18mm motors. There is a huge weight difference between a C6 and an E9, and you'll wind up having to add a bunch of nose weight.

Stick with everyone's upscale suggestions.

 

[Johnnie]

Clone an Estes Pathfinder...

One of my favorites...I am upgrading it to E power with a longer 24mm mount (it already comes with a D 24mm mount)

Johnnie

 

[starfighter]

Hi have a look at this website there are several rockets I want to build myself there.Check out one of the different options (upscale,2 stage and more)Cherokee.
https://barclone.rocketshoppe.com/proven.htm
Mike

 

[phatbob02]

I just completed a Mercury Redstone based on the BT80 tube. I set it up to use a 29mm Aerotech reloadable or Estes E engine. Now I just have to get the courage to launch it!

 

[Breeze1913]

Search the threads here on TRF a bit more. It seems to me there have been a few folks who have taken Der Red Max & Big Bertha kits, and upgraded to 24mm MMT. As stated above, I wouldn't just do it, without knowing what other modifications, if any, were needed.

However I will say this; someone recently posted a thread about slapping a 24mm MMT into a red max, and rocksim said no additional mods were needed. I suspect, Big Bertha would not require much, if any, mods as well.

 

[rocketsmith]

Johnnie I like the idea of the pathfinder. I think I even have the transition and the nose cone in my box of parts. They are the last of the usable pieces I have from a Designer's Special I bought when I first got pack into the hobby last year.

I down loaded the plans from JimZ and that brought up a question I've had that has kept me from cloning other Estes kits. The earlier plans refer to the parts my one nomenclature e.g. BT-50J, PNC-55AO etc... but other plans use Estes part numbers i.e. #XXXXX. I was able to figure our the first by looking at the Semroc site but the partnumbers are still a mystery to me. Perhaps this is a diffrent thread but maybe someone has a short answer.

My eyeballs tell me that the Pathfiners has a BT-55/50 transition but that is just a guess. I have no idea what the tube lengths would be without knowing the key to the part numbers.

Can you provide any insights?

- Rocketsmith

 

[maricopasem]

How about upscaling the Micron? This is a BT-60 upscale with a 24mm MMT for D-length engines. It flew once on a C11-x and several times on D12-5's and was great.

I flew it on an E9-6 on Saturday with the extra inch of motor hanging out the back and it flew like a champ. Unfortunately it landed on the only building that was even remotely close. A sad day indeed.

 

[rocketsmith]

The Micron is something to consider. Do you have plans you can share with me? The Micron plans have not been posted on JimZ.

 

[SlingShot]

Rocketsmith, You can find Micron plans here:
https://www.oldrocketplans.com/estes/est0876/est0876.htm

If you want a fairly simply project you could try cloning a Mega Sizz':

https://www.ninfinger.org/~sven/rockets/nostalgia/89est36.html

https://www.oldrocketplans.com/estes/est1998/est1998.htm

I would love to clone a Ranger (not Astron), but I can't find a proper nosecone replacement:

https://www.ninfinger.org/~sven/rockets/nostalgia/89est34.html

https://www.dars.org/jimz/est1955.htm

 

[chalinaty]

Johnnie I like the idea of the pathfinder. I think I even have the transition and the nose cone in my box of parts. They are the last of the usable pieces I have from a Designer's Special I bought when I first got pack into the hobby last year.

I down loaded the plans from JimZ and that brought up a question I've had that has kept me from cloning other Estes kits. The earlier plans refer to the parts my one nomenclature e.g. BT-50J, PNC-55AO etc... but other plans use Estes part numbers i.e. #XXXXX. I was able to figure our the first by looking at the Semroc site but the partnumbers are still a mystery to me. Perhaps this is a diffrent thread but maybe someone has a short answer.

My eyeballs tell me that the Pathfiners has a BT-55/50 transition but that is just a guess. I have no idea what the tube lengths would be without knowing the key to the part numbers.

Can you provide any insights?

- Rocketsmith

Try John Brohm's References. There is one for body tubes, one for fin cans, and one for nose cones. I find them invaluable for cloning old Estes kits.

 

[maricopasem]

Rocketsmith, You can find Micron plans here:
https://www.oldrocketplans.com/estes/est0876/est0876.htm

This is where I got them.

 

[Peartree]

Maricopasem,

I don't know where you live, but if your weather is anything like ours your rocket won't be on the roof for long. In the next day or two we're supposed to get 20-40 mph sustained winds with 60 mph gusts. THAT ought to get it down...

 

[rocketsmith]

Slingshot,

Semroc has a BNC-55EX which was used by the Ranger (#1955), the Neptune (#1935) and the Exocet (#1925) for $3.25. They do not offer an upsacale cone however.

- Rocketsmith

 

[SlingShot]

Slingshot,

Semroc has a BNC-55EX which was used by the Ranger (#1955), the Neptune (#1935) and the Exocet (#1925) for $3.25. They do not offer an upsacale cone however.

- Rocketsmith

Thanks for the tip!

Have you settled on a project?

 

[Fore Check]

The following rocket make excellent "upgraded" clones - built otherwise per original plan except for an E engine mount. I have done these and they all fly great on either an E9-6 or E9-8.

Estes SkyBolt
Estes BlueBird Zero
Estes Citation Patriot
Estes M-109 Patriot (needs a little noseweight)
Estes Sentinel (fantasy scale missle)
Estes S.W.A.T.
Estes Cobra 1500
Estes Der V-3

 

[rocketsmith]

I think I'm going with either the Pathfinder or the up-scale Mega Sizz'.

I have all the part for the Pathfinder except I don't have a full 18" section of BT-55 tube for above the transition. The section I have is only 12". Adding to the Semroc shopping list. I have a cheapy plastic nose cone and transition which are the only usused parts I have left from an Estes Designer's Special.

The Mega Sizz' would be a nice BT-80 upscale model. I do have 2.6" body tube and a 2.6" PML nose cone but they are designed for a mid-powered model i.e much thicker than Estes body tube and a much heavier plastic nose cone. I think it would be too heavy for an E. Probably a better project for my first 29mm motor. I'd have to buy BT-80 tube and nose cone from Semroc to make it light enough to fly on an E and that is too expensive right now.

That is it! Pathfinder it is! arty: