Black Brant II vs III nose cone taper

[SolarYellow]

TLDR: Is an Estes NC-55BB (BB II part) the same or really close to the same taper as a NC-50xx (BB III part)?

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I'm kinda going in circles with the 24mm BB III kit and 34mm BB II kit from Estes.

Might want to build a 34mm (BT-55) as a BB III with a 29mm MMT. Fins and tailcone are different, but I'm OK to leave off the nozzle, since I'd have a functional nozzle sticking out. The big idea of the build is a just a near-MD Black Brant. The tailcone taper of the BB II makes a 29mm motor not really work well for that in BT-55, so I thought about just building the BT-55 BB model as a BB III instead.

But I'm wondering whether the nose cone tapers are different enough that they wouldn't look right. Or are they the same angle? Both nose cones are readily available stand-alone (included in the respective NC multi-packs), in case I decide that matters.

 

[PeterAlway]

My recollection is that both of the real rockets have the same taper angle, but that the Black Brant III nose tip is slightly rounded. Years ago, I had a little booklet called "Scale Bash" which gave plans for BB II and BB III models that used each others' nosecones. So yes, a BT-55 Black Brant III with a Black Brant II nosecone would work.

 

[SolarYellow]

Awesome, thanks.

Also, I mined someone's Flickr or whatever photosharing service for a bunch of different scale info photographic images and drawings today. I think it was yours. If so, thanks for finding all that and making it available!

 

[lakeroadster]

TL;DR or tl;dr, short for "too long; didn't read"

 

[Bruiser]

I believe there were different nose cones used for different launches. One reference I have shows two different types for the BBII. Check your conversations.

I've often thought that the nose cone on the Majestic looks very similar to the most commonly modelled BBIII. I've read the purple finish on the body tube wipes right off with alcohol and the chrome on the nose cone sands off fairly easy. Some new fins and I think it would be pretty close to a BBIII and it is a 29mm rocket. Markings/decals would be the hardest part

-Bob