Estes #1913 Advanced Target Drone

[Fore Check]

This was one of my favorite rockets as a kid - but sadly, even as a kid, I was never happy with how it turned out.

Solution: Clone it!

Thanks to Astronboy for making the decals for me!

Everything is pretty standard stuff, made straight from the plans. I used card stock for the "engine ducts," and added a kevlar retention system for the shock cord.

 

[Fore Check]

Here's a shot of the decal sheet after a fresh coat of Microscale film. Great stuff!

 

[rocket trike]

I like this rocket also. I have tought about putting out a clone kit of it by getting premission of Estes. Here is a picture of mine clone.

 

[Austin]

Man, I really like the looks of that...need to do something about it!

Carl

 

[astronboy]

Nice job Fore Check!!

I may have to clone one for myself.
It is great to see those decals on the rocket. Let us know when you fly her!

 

[stevem]

beautiful!
a couple questions - did you do anything to strengthen the card stock? and I assume the fins are mounted through the ducts and glued to BT?

 

[Fore Check]

Originally posted by stevem
beautiful!
a couple questions - did you do anything to strengthen the card stock? and I assume the fins are mounted through the ducts and glued to BT?

I didn't do anything to strengthen the cardstock, but perhaps I should have. The way that it's attached, I'm not worried about it getting damaged or anything happening to it due to flight. However, it did "buckle" or "swell" a tad when the paint was applied - particularly the flat black on the inside of the ducts. Not really bad, but a place to certainly pick nits from the overall finish.

The "wings" are mounted through the ducts and glued directly to the body tube. This is straight with the original design and plans - the scan of the ducts themselves have the slot on them to cut out to allow for this. Incidentally, the launch lug is mounted on one of the sides or fillets of one of the wings so that it is "hidden" inside the duct, which is a nice slick touch (again, this is straight according to the plans.)