Estes Crossbow SST Build & Flight

[Boosterdude]

Flight
I finally got a couple of test flights on my new Crossbow yesterday. The flight performance was excellent on a B4-4, and B6-4 with lot's of altitude. Typical of a low drag, minimum diameter it leaves the pad in a hurry and was very stable. No issues with the flying qualities of this design, but beware if you use a C motor it's going completely out of site!

Build
I have to admit the minimum diameter doesn't really excite me, too small!
Nice balsa nose cone, fins/wings are laser cut balsa. In my kit the laser cut wood was low quality, and very rough on one side. I built the body tube/motor mount leaving off the motor hook since it's on the outside, friction fitting the motor will work fine.

Pro's
1. The design is really cool and is perfect for upscaling.
2. Great looks, excellent flight performance.
3. Decals that actually work.

Con's
1. To small!
2. Some decals shown on design not included in kit.
3. Exposed motor hook has got to go.

 

[tbzep]

We haven't opened our kits, so I didn't know that they embellished the box art concerning decals. That bugs me.

As for the minimum diameter with exposed hook issue, my plan is to build them for 13mm motors, if/when I finally get that far down the build que. The models are small anyway, so they need small motors. I've done that with several BT-20 sized and a few BT-50 sized kits over the decades.

 

[Mike Howie]

Pro's
1. The design is really cool and is perfect for upscaling.

If you can find them, there are already a couple of 'upscales' of this kit.

The BT50 Satellite Interceptor. @ https://www.spacemodeling.org/jimz/est1296.htm

and the S.W.A.T. https://mrjoem.htmlplanet.com/Estes/plan2017.html

and the Centuri Spacemaster, https://www.spacemodeling.org/jimz/cen5348.htm

 

[Indiana]

As for the minimum diameter with exposed hook issue, my plan is to build them for 13mm motors,

That's a good idea.

 

[Boosterdude]

That's a good idea.

After seeing the outta here performance with the B6-4, the 13mm motor would give it a nice flight. I flew my new Astro Jr and I was amazed how high it flew on a A10-3.

 

[gpoehlein]

We haven't opened our kits, so I didn't know that they embellished the box art concerning decals. That bugs me.

As for the minimum diameter with exposed hook issue, my plan is to build them for 13mm motors, if/when I finally get that far down the build que. The models are small anyway, so they need small motors. I've done that with several BT-20 sized and a few BT-50 sized kits over the decades.

I was thinking the same thing - If built light enough it might even fly on 1/2A3-4T motors as well. Have to look at it tonight to see.