Estes Star Trooper

[adrienwapkaplet]

In Honor of my Country, I'm going to paint it Red, White and Blue. The White and Blue will be Paint, then I'll use some of the Vinyl Tape that JP Morgan gave me.

lookin' good! Weather might be a tad iffy to fly it on the 4th tho.

 

[TopRamen]

Star Trooper is done!!!

 

[fatdaddynerd]

wow! great job! what a sharp looking little bugger!

 

[TopRamen]

Thanks!

 

[TopRamen]

I like that Estes included a Decal with the "Recommended Motors".
I think it is interesting they did'nt put the A10 on there.

 

[TopRamen]

I had to add some Checkerboard. Everything needs more Checkerboard.

I'll Clear Coat it and the Decals later or tomorrow, depending on the Weather.

 

[TopRamen]

Added an Aluminum Foil Tape Band to it, and it not only looks cool, but will also allow me to not have to Friction Fit Motors too tightly, as I can safely add a Band of Tape to the outside of the Tube too without worrying about peeling off the Paint when I remove the Motor.

 

[fatdaddynerd]

functional and beautiful! great idea!

 

[TopRamen]

This is this Rockets Theme Song.:

[video=youtube;dTaD9cd8hvw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTaD9cd8hvw[/video]

 

[TopRamen]

 

[mrichhcirm]

View attachment 175873
I'm thinking of not gluing the middle together or the nose cone on...

Hey Vigilante, have you flown this yet? just wondering if you glued on the fincan or left it separate...I simmed this in Open Rocket and it seems like the fincan would tumble nicely if separated...might be a good recovery method even without a streamer. I'm tempted to try it.

 

[Cookie the Dog's Owner]

I was thinking the theme song would be more likely this one:

[video=youtube;-Jhk5MEugJY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Jhk5MEugJY[/video]

 

[TopRamen]

I was thinking the theme song would be more likely this one:

[video=youtube;-Jhk5MEugJY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Jhk5MEugJY[/video]

I went with The Trooper because of the Cavalry Theme. The Star Trooper has the Cavalry Sabers on its Fin Decals, and I served with D Troop, 1/4CAV in the Army, so Star Trooper had to be militant.

After the Rocket has been flown, I will give it a few small Strips of Aluminum Foil Tape on its Fins to represent Spurs.

 

[TopRamen]

Flew her 4 times today. Once on a 1/4A and 3 on a 1/2A. She flies beautifully!!!

 

[GlennW]

So this I could not believe. Was bored at work today and just perusing ebay and what do I see? A rare Centuri Star Trooper from the 70's around the same size, with the same exact decals and fins as the current Estes model. Sorry don't have the link now but it's on there. I guess everything old is new again!

Glenn

 

[TopRamen]

So this I could not believe. Was bored at work today and just perusing ebay and what do I see? A rare Centuri Star Trooper from the 70's around the same size, with the same exact decals and fins as the current Estes model. Sorry don't have the link now but it's on there. I guess everything old is new again!

Glenn

That's pretty cool!
I have to say, I'm impressed by the flight Characteristics of this Bird. On the 1/2A-4 she deploys her Streamer just as she starts to turn back toward the Earth, then due to the Weight of the Motor drops down Motor first, making for a visually pleasing descent.

 

[TopRamen]

I tore the fins off and glassed the BT. I'll make new fins for it.

 

[Cody Webster]

This was one of the first kits I assembled and I really enjoyed it. This little ship flyes great! Have a few in the que to put together.

 

[TopRamen]

It is an enjoyable little bird indeed!
I was going to tear it apart and rebuild it as something else, but I remembered how good it was at just being it, so alas, I'll fashion some new fins for it and we'll do it up as a Star Trooper Redux.
I was able to strip the paint, glue and paper from the old fins, but after stack sanding them, they just look too small so I'll make some new ones back to spec., then glass them before attaching. It will get set up to fly from the Makerbeam rail too.
I just recently flew my scratch built 13mm X BT-20 AIM-120 AMRAAM from the Makerbeam and it loved it.

 

[Fishhead]

So this I could not believe. Was bored at work today and just perusing ebay and what do I see? A rare Centuri Star Trooper from the 70's around the same size, with the same exact decals and fins as the current Estes model. Sorry don't have the link now but it's on there. I guess everything old is new again!

Glenn

I have both the Centuri and Estes versions. I bought the Centuri one already opened several years ago, and have toyed with the idea of building it. My first Estes version blew the nose cone into the ether, taking with it the shock cord and streamer. I heard the flight, but never saw a thing. I bought another one today and I plan to build it to break apart at the mid point instead of the nose. I should stand a chance to get the whole thing back that way.

 

[TopRamen]

I finished up the fins today.

 

[Amsterdam]

For a second I thought you put spin tabs on, maybe to keep altitude down.. Cause things going to sail!
Beautiful fins.

 

[TopRamen]

Thanks.
I have decided that from now on all the fins I make will be done with angles and sharp edges.

These ones were a little tricky because they are so small, but with only 2 angles they were not that bad, and I have been practicing on scraps too.

 

[Screaminhelo]

Just imagine this as an upscale! It could be great fun as an 18mm MD rocket.

 

[TopRamen]

Just imagine this as an upscale! It could be great fun as an 18mm MD rocket.

Indeed!!! That would be a perfect size for a fun rocket like this!

 

[TopRamen]

Tonight it's cold and dark out, so I can't rough up the mating surfaces to mount the fins, and I realized I had no place to work on the model the right way, so I made this little BT-5 scale work stand with balsa and CA. Gave me an excuse to play with my new fiskars hand drill that works better than my pin vise for wire gauge bits, which I love to use for some reason.
I did get my buttons on though, and tested it on a section of rail. It slides like greased lightning!!!

What a shame that Apogee no longer makes composite 13mm SU stuff.
It sims to over 1900ft. on their C6.:y:

View attachment FG STAR TROOPER.ork

 

[Cody Webster]

What buttons are you using Top?

 

[TopRamen]

What buttons are you using Top?

Well, technically I have stopped using "Buttons", in favor of tiny stainless steel machine screws.
They slide about 700-800% nicer than any plastic products. I hate to have to say that, because I love to order from Railbuttons, and for other sizes they are great and all, but it just is what it is.
If some rocketry related vendor comes out with an aluminum rail button for the Makerbeam size rail, or even better ACME style Rail Guides, I'll be all over it, but til' then it's machine screws for me.
I don't fly enough to worry about wearing out the rail, and these things slide SOOOO nice, that you almost expect the rocket to shoot up off the rail before ignition!!!! That's how nice they slide.
They can be a pain to get straight, but if you screw up a hole or whatever you can just fill it with JB Quick or JB Weld and try again.
I don't know what length I'll need for any given rocket, so I buy them with threads long enough that I can cut them to size when I fit them.

 

[TopRamen]

I have tried all different sizes and shapes available at local hardware store agro bins, and have determined this flat head machine screw to have the best properties for use with Makerbeam.

 

[TopRamen]

1 T2-34 $1.50 $1.50 T2-34
1 T2Plus-34 $1.50 $1.50 T2Plus-34
1 T3-34 $1.50 $1.50 T3-34
1 T5-34 $1.50 $1.50 BT-5 Body Tube
1 T5Plus-34 $1.75 $1.75 T5Plus-34 Body Tube
1 T50-34 $2.00 $2.00 BT-50 Body Tube
1 T20-34 $1.75 $1.75 BT-20 Body Tube
1 T50H-34 $2.25 $2.25 T50H-34
1 T300-34 $8.00 $8.00 T300-34
3 C300-4 $0.75 $2.25 C300-4
3 C60-34 $6.00 $18.00 34" T60 Coupler Stock
2 BSH132436 $1.85 $3.70 BSH132436
2 BSH116436 $2.19 $4.38 BSH116436
2 BSH332436 $2.29 $4.58 BSH332436
2 NB5-2 $1.55 $3.10 NB5-2
4 NB60-4 $2.90 $11.60 NB60-4