rocket at the county fair and paint choices

[walterb]

I was at the fair yesterday and was looking at the rockets. Most of the kits were choices from the local Hobby Lobby. They were all well done and there was a great Mercury Redstone. I like the creativity on many of the models and there were a few Goblins with well chosen decor. My issue was with the four Nike Smokes. They were all different colors, a blue, a purple. I think scale models should stick with the scale paint jobs.

 

[Woody's Workshop]

I think scale models should stick with the scale paint jobs.

Agreed.

 

[neil_w]

Well, people can do whatever they want with their models, although I would generally agree that it's hard to understand why someone would build a scale model and then go way off-scale with the paint job.

But sometimes there are extenuating circumstances.

 

[samb]

Got any pictures walterb ? A county fair model rocket exhibit sounds like a fun high-profile deal. A big blue ribbon for 1st place ?


Your rocket - your rules. But I reserve the right to (gently) criticize your aesthetic choices based on my unimpeachable sense of orthodoxy. :wink:

 

[Nytrunner]

That explains why I got hissed at when I brought out my L1 Patriot.

I just dislike being constrained to 1 specific paintjob (or ~30 for the V2) that Thousands of other people have reproduced over and over again. (The nike smoke is a great example: Its just so.....bland....)

 

[Zeus-cat]

I think the Nike Smoke is a pretty simple rocket, so painting it not to resemble the real rocket is no big deal. Its not like they built a Saturn V with every detail and then painted it orange and purple.

 

[MALBAR 70]

I agree with "extenuating circumstances" but a non-scale paint job on a scale rocket gives me the twitches. My buddy painted a Mercury Redstone red and grey, it's nice, but I can't look at it without something in my brain going no,no,no,no,just no!

 

[Oberon]

Meh, the Smoke is a classic, but ultimately it's a 4 FNC with an unusual nose cone, more famous as a model than it ever was a real bird. Let the kids have fun and show off their creativity. Sure, don't take an ultra-detailed scale model or a super-rare old kit and paint over it in neon, but Estes Nike Smokes are a dime a dozen.

What's not so common are youngsters interested in the hobby - those are a lot more precious than a few more quasi-accurate amateur renditions of the Smoke. No need to find reasons to say "you're doing it wrong", let's just be happy they are doing it at all!

 

[Nytrunner]

I agree with "extenuating circumstances" but a non-scale paint job on a scale rocket gives me the twitches. My buddy painted a Mercury Redstone red and grey, it's nice, but I can't look at it without something in my brain going no,no,no,no,just no!

Boy, do I have some "Splendid" Saturn V's to show you . They're standing in the USSRC room our club meets at. Just so happens we have a meeting this week, so I'll be Sure to grab a picture of them just for you.

 

[MALBAR 70]

Boy, do I have some "Splendid" Saturn V's to show you . They're standing in the USSRC room our club meets at. Just so happens we have a meeting this week, so I'll be Sure to grab a picture of them just for you.

Please do! I'd love to see them. Just for the record, I'm not that hardcore of a purist, I've always wanted to do a "negative" Saturn V one with the black and white swapped. I always thought that would look cool.

As far as the Nike Smokes go I do have to agree with Oberon.

 

[snrkl]

Definitely put me in the camp of the "my rocket, my choice"!!

Variety is the spice of life!! 😁👍🏻

Oh, and I'm flying my v2 with black/colourshift roll patterns this weekend, so that my dose of variety for you all this week!

 

[mkadams001]

Paint a V2 silver and slap a Mercedes emblem on it and watch the fun....I should have done a series of German automakers V2's.

 

[Zeus-cat]

Paint a V2 silver and slap a Mercedes emblem on it and watch the fun....I should have done a series of German automakers V2's.

View attachment 323339

If you put a VW sticker on it you have to make it rock up and down while on the launch pad.
[video]https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=vw+commercial&view=detail&mid=034C65C1485E72D146A3034C65C1485E72D146A3&FORM=VIRE[/video]

 

[walterb]

I did not get any pictures. there were blue ribbons and a big purple for the best. The grand winner was a girl, but I forgot what she did. Other years they have launches but I did net see it in this years schedule that I saw. I'm sure they do.

 

[Nytrunner]

If you put a VW sticker on it you have to make it rock up and down while on the launch pad.
[video]https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=vw+commercial&view=detail&mid=034C65C1485E72D146A3034C65C1485E72D146A3&FORM=VIRE[/video]

You want hopping? Stick a D10 in there. My redstone did this little puffing wiggle on the pad, hopped 8" up the rod, sat back down, Then took off a second later. Yay for old composites.

I did not get any pictures. there were blue ribbons and a big purple for the best. The grand winner was a girl, but I forgot what she did. Other years they have launches but I did net see it in this years schedule that I saw. I'm sure they do.

Of course you know if there was a detailed finish Smoke flying out there, it would have lawndarted or lodged in a tree while the purple one would have gently hooked it's chute on the launch rod

 

[DAllen]

I was at the fair yesterday and was looking at the rockets. Most of the kits were choices from the local Hobby Lobby. They were all well done and there was a great Mercury Redstone. I like the creativity on many of the models and there were a few Goblins with well chosen decor. My issue was with the four Nike Smokes. They were all different colors, a blue, a purple. I think scale models should stick with the scale paint jobs.

Hmmm...this must really bother you then:

 

[samb]

I did not get any pictures. there were blue ribbons and a big purple for the best. The grand winner was a girl, but I forgot what she did. Other years they have launches but I did net see it in this years schedule that I saw. I'm sure they do.

Ok, maybe next time. Good on your county officials for including a model rocket contest with the prize pig and the 150 lb. watermelon.

 

[DAllen]

I did not get any pictures. there were blue ribbons and a big purple for the best. The grand winner was a girl, but I forgot what she did. Other years they have launches but I did net see it in this years schedule that I saw. I'm sure they do.

I see you are from SB, IN. If you're talking about the St. Joe County 4h fair I've heard all sorts of sketchy stories about those launches. Based on that, I'm sort of glad to hear they aren't launching there anymore. Doesn't sound like an appropriate venue for such activities.

 

[Andy Greene]

I just couldnt bring myself to use the Scale - paint job on my Smoke .