Estes - Der Red Max (KC-2 or #0651) Gallery

Wow.. Nice finishing job, Nathan!

Finished this last month, and plan to fly it tomorrow at CRASH launch in Denver. Basically I kitbashed a 2nd Mini Max kit into a gap-staged booster.

Nathan, that paint job is incredible!

Ari.

That Double-Max looks really cool. Let us know how it flies.

SCooke123 said:

That Double-Max looks really cool. Let us know how it flies.

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Thanks, it was my first Max, and I'm kind of hooked on the whole Max concept. I have decals for an original, and the parts, so I hope to build that before too long. I ran out of time at the launch on Sunday, and did not get to fly the Double. I'll definitely fly it at the next launch and report on my success (and hopefully it will be successful ...)

These needed to be added to this thread...



54mm motor mount, J motor (EX), which let go just after it cleared the rail. Yes, it was supposed to be pointed "up" in the shot below... but while it was still ascending, the pointy end was horizontal.

Too bad about the Max... but that is an AMAZING photo of it failing!

No fiberglass, bummer. It's amazing how much force those motors have to rip those fins right out. I learned that the hard way on my L2 attempt. Great pic tho.

PhlAsh said:

Jerry was missing a finger. That's not common knowledge? Jimmy Doohan was missing one too.

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I thought that sticker was more of the "shocking" variety, haha. Didn't notice the wrong finger was missing.

No paint job yet but this is my Tough Max, a toughened version in 24 mm

My Mega Der Gold Max - screwed up the wrap, but I'm fixing later

That looks cool! Well done.

I like the color scheme!

gjosh23 said:

My Mega Der Gold Max - screwed up the wrap, but I'm fixing later

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That is by far my favorite one I've seen. Well done!!

My wifes version of the regular sized Max, my finished Mega after I got some decals to fix the wrap screw up.

Finally getting around to the build pile. Everyone usually shows the facecard side, this is the backside of my Mini Max. Fins got two coats of brush on Deft sanding sealer, with 400 grit sanding in between, some grain still shows, but pores are filled. One primer coat of yellow on body, followed by top coat of red, two coats black on nose, all 2X gloss Rustoleum. After decals, covered with Krylon UV protective gloss clear acrylic, it kind of dulled the sheen just slightly on the gloss black, I wish I just covered the decalled body with the UV clearcoat, but maybe the UV protection layer will keep the black from fading over time, still plenty glossy though. Fun little rocket to build, first "MAX" kit for me, I can see why these things grow on you. Mini Max is on a 13m cardstock display stand I made.



Ugh, TRF keeps resizing my picture and it looks terrible. The picture I was trying to upload was higher resolution and looks much better than what you see here.

My 4" AMW FiberMax and my daughters 4" scratch built "Der Jedi"

4" Estes PSII down to Hans "Chris" Michielssen's decal template 13mm featherweight and pretty much everything in between - the Estes 4" kit has gigantic water-slide decals - tons of fun there

Just finished this one for my youngest. 2.6” Der Pink Max!

Der Drachen Max

Mean Max with 2010 Der Red Max

Love the Mean Max! Is that a straight kit bash of a mean machine and a DRM, or is it more complicated than that? I would love to do one of those myself.

It actually started out as a Big Der Red Max clone on E power. Instead of finishing it as D/E powered, I added 3 BT-60 tubes, with a separation in the middle coupler. Capped off the upper section (so less volume for the ejection charge to fill).
So, to do the same thing, you would start off with a Red Max kit (to get the fins, decals, nose cone). Probably easiest to buy a Mean Machine also, to get the 4 body tubes, and E motor mount. The new Mean Machine has a different twist lock center coupler. You could probably modify it, for center separation.

Then what do you do with the left over Mean Machine fin parts and Short Der Red Max body tube? Make a midget Mean Machine...with 18mm motor. lol

Maiden Flight today.....first for me....forgot in install the D/E orange spacer block...burned the lower 1" section of motor tube. But, here is the flight in slow motion. Really makes that D12-3 seem like a bigger engine.
Mean Der Red Max XXL "That's a Huge Bitch" lol

Der Red Max, Built cirrca 2010, flown again 8-19-2019.....what a lot of fun.
Slow motion, take off at 18 sec. Didn't get the landing, but the Red Max parachute is installed upside down, so you can see the skull as it descends.

Building a "DerRedMax Extreme" (Mixing a QCC with DRM). New method of applying balsa filler, a razor blade for a spreader. Also I'm trying out mixing Microballons with Z-Poxy finishing resin for filling tube spirals and balsa grain on the fins. Spreading the mixture on the tube spirals with a razor blade, keeps the excess build up to a minimum. Using a piece of cardstock for spreading on the fins. Might try an old credit card (or my current credit card) on the next build....currently a "Patriot Extreme" on my work table also.
I've used Rust-Oleum Safety Red, and Sunrise Red....both are nice rich shades but are a bit darker then the face card. The "Ford Red" by Rust-Oleum is lighter in shade, and looks closer to the face card. I had to order in a case of (6) units...so, I'm building an upside BT-80 DRM, and the "Extreme" to use up my extra paint. lol
Plus, here is my new shock cord anchor points mount.

Here's micro to mega!

According to the scaling calculator, the "Mini-Max" is too short by about an inch, as built from the stock kit.

That "Toughened Version" above, is Badass!
Here is a teaser...awaiting some decals.
Many colors Red Maxes, a Twin-18mm Cluster Big Der Clone, an "E" Powered "Max Extreme"......
More to come....(still in paint shop, BT80 size.....159%)

Almost 10 year old DerRedMax, night launch......blinky light thingy didn't show up in video....but the launch in slow motion was fun. The flight in person was a lot of fun.