Blast from the past!

[Amsterdam]

My take on Estes Raven, a boost-glider.

I made a few deviations from the original plans.
>made entirely from 1/16th balsa. The best C grain I could get from the hobby shop
>used a bt-5 tube and nosecone
>accidentally glued the fins about a quarter inch too forward on the boom



Glides off the hand really nice. First launch coming as soon as I get more 1/2a engines

Estes published the plans for free in 1964.

Anyone else built something using JimZ's database?

 

[Nytrunner]

Will video be forthcoming after flight!?

 

[Gary Byrum]

I've built quite a few designs from Jim's site. Mostly the Estes DOM designs. The most recent is the Orbital Transport Laboratory. I have a 3" version of it on the bench as we speak.

 

[Amsterdam]

I've built quite a few designs from Jim's site. Mostly the Estes DOM designs. The most recent is the Orbital Transport Laboratory. I have a 3" version of it on the bench as we speak.

View attachment 327691

those are some interesting fins, looking very nice!

 

[Gary Byrum]

those are some interesting fins, looking very nice!

Thank you. Here's another one, but quite a bit up scaled. It's the Starship Excalibur..(not the kit either)

 

[Amsterdam]

Thank you. Here's another one, but quite a bit up scaled. It's the Starship Excalibur..(not the kit either)

How many nose cones does that have?!?
It looks great. The kit definitely isn't as sleek as your version.

 

[Gary Byrum]

How many nose cones does that have?!?
It looks great. The kit definitely isn't as sleek as your version.

8 & 1/2 nose cones. This was from the original Estes DOM series HERE. The original was designed with a BT 55 and I took it to a BT 70. Every nose cone had to be turned except for 3 50K's I used on the bottom of the pods. The kit Estes offered, was a poor facimile of the original design. Semroc actually turned the original design into a kit shortly before they closed. They are intense to build.

 

[jeffk813]

The Semroc kit is still in production and available from eRockets.bz:

https://www.erockets.biz/semroc-flying-model-rocket-kit-starship-excalibur/

I just picked one up recently to add to the build pile.

 

[Gary Byrum]

Then I have these two. The Constellation up scaled to a BT 60 and that Astron Sprite upscale. I also have a bigger Sprite using BT 70.

 

[hcmbanjo]

. . . and that Astron Sprite upscale. I also have a bigger Sprite using BT 70.
View attachment 327893

I like the choice on the Sprite name, looks like the old soft drink logo.

 

[Amsterdam]

I was gonna say the same thing! I like the name decal and color choice. Do you remember what brand of paint?

Im thinking of making this monstrosity next, probably another whimpy mini motor downscale but that's what I fly most.

The Newfoundland Space Tanker.

 

[Gary Byrum]

I like the choice on the Sprite name, looks like the old soft drink logo.

It kind of is. But the original logo was art work and not a font. I had to modify a similar font to make it look like the art work.

I was gonna say the same thing! I like the name decal and color choice. Do you remember what brand of paint?

Rustoleum Lime Green. The color of a bottle of Sprite + the lemon-lime flavor inspired the green I used.

 

[Amsterdam]

Rustoleum Lime Green. The color of a bottle of Sprite + the lemon-lime flavor inspired the green I used.

Ah. 2x key lime just isn't LIMEY enough haha too bad 2x is pretty much all anywhere stocks now

 

[Gary Byrum]

Ah. 2x key lime just isn't LIMEY enough haha too bad 2x is pretty much all anywhere stocks now

My bad. It was 2X.