Intercepter E,F?

When I took a look at the intercepter I just knew that I couldn't put those goofy wing reinforcements on. They just aren't right for the looks as well as the decals. Fred Jarosch told me he didn't like the way the decals fit on his when he built it.
Then along came Quest's announcement that they are going to sell 28mm. E and F motors next Spring. Well, here we go.
I glassed all the wings and spars Saturday using the Wildmans' Pro line epoxy and some 6oz. glass. That epoxy is fast! If you choose to use it get it out of the cup and onto the glass in less than ten minutes. He doesn't exactly tell you how fast it is and there is nothing on the package either.
Some of the little strut pieces were glued onto the tails in advance of the glassing. The long struts for the wings weren't because that would be awkward.
Once the glass dried I cut out all the parts, sanded off the edges of the overhanging glass and there they sit.
I had considered zipping out some plywood centering rings on the router but canceled that idea and simply cored out the plastic centering rings and tailcone to fit the 29mm. motor tube. This way I will be able to fly on some of the smaller 29mm. 40/120 casing loads as well as the new Quest motors when available. Plus there are always adapters. More to come as I continue this build. I'm even debating lighting it so I can fly the Quest motors at night launches. There is nothing better than a big BP motor at night.

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Looks good so far Scott!

I think you have an e-mail from me in your spam. Check it out for me please.

John

So, what is the full weight (without motor)?

You plan to use the 28mm Quest motors, so hopefully you've planned for their thrust level.

E12-4

F12-4

https://forums.rocketshoppe.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=9747

Imagine a longer burning D12, or (if these Chinese motor thurst curves are similar to the current C6 and D5) imagine a modest peak thrust followed by a VERY long and LOW sustaining thurst.

We won't know for sure until some actual data is published.

I haven't finished it yet Fred. I hope to get the fins on soon.
The glass/ epoxy didn't add much weight because I pressed the glass onto the balsa using wax paper with a sheet of 3/4" plywood and about twenty pounds of scrap copper on top of that. Once cured I trimmed then sanded off the edges.
They are nice and smooth, tough as nails. No need for the goofy tabs.
I have about ten projects going all at the same time. Never a dull moment.
Scott

WOOSHPREZ said:

I glassed all the wings and spars Saturday using the Wildmans' Pro line epoxy and some 6oz. glass. That epoxy is fast! If you choose to use it get it out of the cup and onto the glass in less than ten minutes. He doesn't exactly tell you how fast it is and there is nothing on the package either.

Click to expand...

I've used regular 30 minute epoxy to glass balsa and lite plywood. I add a little lacquer thinner (~ 15&#37 to make it flow. Had very good results, even with 3/4 oz. cloth on an upscaled Mosquito. Chose this since it is very thin, and easy to wrap around really rounded fins. Tough, too -- flies great on F39 reloads.

For heavier mid-sized rockets, 2 oz. cloth works well -- I've used this routinely for 29mm rockets and G motors, but 6 oz. is probably better for really toughening the fins and the fin-tube joint.

Cool. I sense an upcoming Interceptor-E drag race at the Sod Farm. I hope to have mine ready for October, complete with the goofy looking wing reinforcements. If you haven't already, ask Estes for a set of replacement decals. The first batch was mighty thin.

Fins are on and it's in primer now.
I didn't go too nuts on the fillets but the thing is darn strong.
I don't have a scale so I need to figure something out to weigh it one of these days.
I'm happy I put the 29mm. mount in it. I have an E23-5 that's raring' to go.

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Same picture twice.
Here's the other one I wanted to add.
SG

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Looks much better without those idiotic reinforcing WARTS Estes supplies the kit with.
I just recut my fins out of Basswood instead.
Your method is probably a LITTLE lighter.

I haven't glassed/epoxied any fins yet, but I have papered a lot of LPR fins (apply bond paper with a thin layer of white glue, round edges, then reinforce edges with yellow glue).

Can anyone offer any comments on the relative strenght and weight of papering vs glassing?

Thanks,
DeWain

Glass is a lot stronger. I've never glassed a thing in my life before, but from things that I've seen on here, its some pretty tough stuff. You can get it in different weights (the heavier the cloth, the stronger it is when laminated) and I've seen them sold anywhere from 3 oz. to 40 oz.

Where can I buy fiberglass? I have not glassed anything before and would like to try.

U.S. Composites, Soller Composites, Fiberglass Warehouse, and Mr. Fiberglass just to name a few.

Check your LHS, too. I've bought packages from SIG, although you will pay a premium for the square yard or so in the small packages.

But, to try your hand at it, why not experiment with a convenient local source if possible? My recommendation is to glass a couple body tubes to get the hang of it before doing a rocket with fins. You could cut slots ahead of time, and then go back and open the slots up to add TTW fins if the tubes came out OK. If not, a $1 tube is a cheap way to practice. I found I was pretty good after doing a couple tubes to get the hang of it.

Getting a rocket past the fill, sand, fill, sand, primer, fill, sand, etc. stage and into paint is always the part that separates the wanna be's from the rocket nuts.

There were quite a few pockmarks in the surface of the fins from bubbles during the glassing process so I slapped on some bondo. Then I had to sand almost all of it off. It has taken a lot of work but this cat is smooth now.

I recommend renting the Spacecraft films movies and playing them while you sand. Makes the time go by a little easier. I had the Apollo 17 DVD going while I sanded this time.

Here is a pic of the rocket in bondo. I have progressed past this stage and into the final coat of primer now.

Next step is color coat, decals, and fly it at Midwest Power.
Jay Reitz and I are planning a Intercepter drag race.
Anyone else want to get in?

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RobCamele said:

Where can I buy fiberglass? I have not glassed anything before and would like to try.

Click to expand...

Check out these guys...

https://www.fiberglasssite.com/servlet/StoreFront

Great prices took about a week to get to CA from NY and the weave is super tight.
I want to try some of that black glass it looks sweet!!!

I have a dream.
A dream that the Interceptor EF will look like a modern day operational fighter/ interceptor.
I picked out testors #1920 Intermediate blue for the color that most closely resembles an F15's blue/ grey color. Decals have been scanned, then I picked only the decals I wanted on it and printed them in grayscale on decal paper.
I wanted that operational look to the markings and full color fancy decals just aren't right.
Here are pics of the very wet paint on the model last night and the decals.
The paint is dry now and I must find the time to cut out the decals and apply them. I have already clear coated the decal paper. That was job #1 after I printed them.
This will be done tomorrow night as I leave for Midwest Power Thursday am. to set up everything. I'll try to post a pic of the finished product.
It will be neat.
Scott G.

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Scott,

Cool build! Looking forward to seeing it fly at MWP...she'd fly nice on an Ellis H50:surprised:

-Eric-

That looks sweet!

Bet an H250G would give it quite a ride!:lol:

A G53FJ would look cool going up!

I'm just about to build the flight surfaces on my "E". Have to say I'm not too keen on the wood reinforcements either. I've some VERY light glass cloth (+- 1/4 oz.) laying around which would be perfect for this. I plan to use Aerotech 24mm reloads so this is starting to look good to me.

Been to Midwest Power and back again.
Jay Rietz drove down to stay overnight Wednesday before Midwest Power.
He towed my pop up that we camped in and I pulled the WOOSH trailer with the other half of the range equipment.
We took a bunch of photos of the two of our Interceptors side by side.
I had applied my decals the night before.
Jay had detailed his to look like an F106 from the Michigan Air National Guard's "Six Pack" squadron. Jay's is very cool.

Jay Rietz and I had planned to do the drag race but there was no time to do it till Sunday. I couldn't find the time to put it on the pad so I gave Jay my ignitors and he did it. I had roughed up the grain of the E16-4 but it didn't even sputter on the pad. Jay kicked my butt. Looks like the sod farm launch will be the first flight of my creation.

I still need to come up with some tail markings. Need to decide soon.
Of course recovering from Midwest Power will take another week too.
What a great weekend that was.

I always thought the red dart on the tails of the X-35b protoype looked cool with the gray paint.

https://robocat.users.btopenworld.com/Images/jsf12.jpg

That is pretty neato.
I tried to post pic.s in the last post but they didn't work out.
Try here, The one with the yellow F106 pods is Jay's.
SG

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