Build Thread: Mega Der Dredt Max Kit Bash

[H. Craig Miller]

After I posted photographs of my Mega Der Dredt Viper kit bash on the “What did you do rocket wise today?” thread, RobertH3 asked me to create a build thread because other Max fans may want to build it. Although I have never done a build thread, and did not intend to do so for this build, here goes.

I have always liked the Der Red Max rockets and when Estes released the Mega Der Red Max (9705), I purchased several of both the mini and mega sizes. At the same time that I was building my first Mega Der Red Max, I was also designing an upscale Colonial Viper and decided to create a simple hybrid of the two.

Prior to building a full-size kit bash, I usually build functional smaller rockets. Here, I started with the Estes Mini Max (2445), built the standard design, then began making modifications until I was satisfied with the kit bash design and new name.

So, the Estes Mini Max became the Mini Dredt Viper.



And, the Mega Der Red Max was about to become the Mega Der Dredt Viper.

More to come...

 

[H. Craig Miller]

The Mega Der Dredt Viper is fundamentally a Mega Der Red Max with reversed and clipped fins for wings, with an added canopy and guns. Consequently, the build begins by constructing the rocket according to the instructions (Estes Mega Der Red Max Instructions), but stopping after attaching the fin that will be the rudder and before attaching the two fins that will be the wings.

Using the attached .ork file, print a wing template, orient to each wing, and clip the tip, filling in any gap created in the cut edge. Glue the wings in to place, sweeping forward, in the reverse orientation of the rudder. Using the wing gun mount template, from scrap or additional balsa, cut and laminate two gun mounts. Then, glue the gun mounts in place, securing the gun mounts to both the wings and the body tube. Cut two 4" long pieces of Estes BT-20 body tube (or an equivalent) and glue a tube to the top of each wing, 1/2" from the top of the gun mount, centered 2-7/8" parallel to the main body tube.

Then, fillet the rudder, wings, and gun mounts and, except for the Gatling gun which will be discussed later, the build should look something like this.



I almost forgot, a t-nut for a rail button is under the aft centering ring, and another is just below the top of the gun mounts. You can see the t-nuts in the picture of the underneath with decals, if you look closely.

More to come...

 

[H. Craig Miller]

The next step is making the canopy. Using the canopy template, cut enough pieces to make the canopy 3/4" thick. Then sand the laminated canopy to a basic triangular, before shaping to an airfoil and chaffering the root and rudder mating edges, then finish by round the top of the canopy.



Now, glue the canopy in place and fillet its edges.



And, its Ready for primer...



More to come...

 

[H. Craig Miller]

First coat of primer was high fill, sanding with 400 grit, followed by a low fill coat and more sanding.

The first color coat was the black for the nosecone, canopy, and aft centering ring (masking the motor retainer to keep it gray), and red for the ring around the top of the main body tube. Next, masking off everything already painted, leaving a space for the upper decal; during my build of the Mega Der Red Max, I found that unless you leave the space below the upper decal light, the red of the body tube shows through. And, paint everything red.



More to come...

 

[H. Craig Miller]

I really didn't like how the wood Gatling guns looked, so a re-fabricated new ones using 8-1/2" long aluminum tubing, and painting black bands around the tops and bottoms.



Now, its ready for the decals.

More to come...

 

[H. Craig Miller]

I purchased custom decals from Sticker Shock. And, well, they kind of speak for themselves...



You can see the t-nut holes for the rail buttons if you look closely.



All that's left is the clear coat to seal the decals, before I put on the rail buttons and launch the Mega Der Dredt Viper into space.

 

[Ronz Rocketz]

Der frakin good stuff...

 

[RobertH3]

Thank you! I "just" happen to have 2 sets of 4" MDRM nose cones, body tubes, motor mounts, and Semroc "upgrade" MDRM fin sets. I bought one for my son who waved off and didn't build it, and one for a spare. The spare is looking a little fearful right now...Maybe a 3 x 29mm der cluster... haha
This is a great take on the Max. Der Starbucken!

Cheers / Robert

 

[neil_w]

Really nice. The gatling guns in particular came out fantastic.

 

[MOF410]

Wow, that is a very nice build.

 

[o1d_dude]

Thanks for posting this, Craig.

Having seen your Mini Dredt Viper in the flesh a few years back, I went out and bought the Mini Red Max kit but was unable to recreate the rocket I saw. No pictures taken at the time and I thought it was just a creative reorientation of the fins and didn’t realize you had actually modified them.

Now I can get busy and put a Mini Dredt Viper in the air when launch operations resume at Gibson Ranch.

The Mega Dredt Viper is awesome.

edit: Viper not Max

 

[H. Craig Miller]

Maybe we can put both up...

 

[Bat-mite]

Zat vill turnig some headsen at der launchess!

 

[grouch]

Nice job

 

[John_461]

That is a cool build!

 

[Philip Tiberius D.]

I purchased custom decals from Sticker Shock. And, well, they kind of speak for themselves...

View attachment 433933View attachment 433934View attachment 433935View attachment 433936View attachment 433937

You can see the t-nut holes for the rail buttons if you look closely.

View attachment 433938

All that's left is the clear coat to seal the decals, before I put on the rail buttons and launch the Mega Der Dredt Viper into space.

Have you flown it yet ?

 

[H. Craig Miller]

Not yet… was focused on my L3 for quite a while… now helping test OpenRocket and help users identify and resolve problems. Hopefully this summer.

 

[James Duffy]

This is magnificent.

 

[Philip Tiberius D.]

Not yet… was focused on my L3 for quite a while… now helping test OpenRocket and help users identify and resolve problems. Hopefully this summer.

Keep us posted... I have a spare DBRM that I needed an idea for.

 

[OverTheTop]

I am so going to tweak my DBRM like this. Nice job!