Estes Maxi-Brute V2?

The Rocketry Forum

Help Support The Rocketry Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

BBowmaster

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 29, 2017
Messages
346
Reaction score
229
Looking to acquire this one and considering cloning. The original Estes kit is 12.5 ounces. The LOC 4” kit is 37 ounces with an F engine minimum. I want to fly 24mm D and E motors.

If I clone with basswood or balsa fins do you think I can keep it close to original weight?

I am hesitant to get a vintage kit and use the blow-molded fins. Had a nightmare of a time with my Pershing 1-A.

What about all balsa and paper? Cost of the nose and tail might be prohibitive there.
 
Check with Boyce Aerospace Hobbies, Alex may have 3D printed parts for cloning. The airframe Estes uses is BT-101 iirc.
Looking to acquire this one and considering cloning. The original Estes kit is 12.5 ounces. The LOC 4” kit is 37 ounces with an F engine minimum. I want to fly 24mm D and E motors.

If I clone with basswood or balsa fins do you think I can keep it close to original weight?

I am hesitant to get a vintage kit and use the blow-molded fins. Had a nightmare of a time with my Pershing 1-A.

What about all balsa and paper? Cost of the nose and tail might be prohibitive there.
 
Even the original kit struggled on a D12-3, and was best flown on an E15/E18. Any cloning attempt would almost certainly be heavier. My Pershing Maxi-Brute doesn't fly on anything less than an E28, though repairs have made it heavier over the years.
 
I did a clone a few years back. Balsa surface mount fins, epoxied to the boat tail. Two plastic Apogee nose cones, one cut off for the boat tail. Camo vinyl wrap. Home printed decals.
If I had to do it over, I would use basswood TTW fins, slotting the boat tail with a rotary tool and cutting wheel. At the time, I was a newly returned BAR and was uncomfortable with slotting anything, much less plastic.
Total weight comes out to about 14.4 oz.
It flew once on a BP E12 off of a 6' rail. Flight was stable but marginal. I would not fly it on a D12.
There was some landing damage: a gouge on the leading edge of a fin and some separation of a fin from the boat tail, probably from landing impact. Anyway, pics below.
Cheers.
IMG_20190728_085733.jpg IMG_20190728_085842.jpg IMG_20190728_085901.jpg
 
I have an Estes V2 with bass wood and epoxy. It does ok on a D12. Not bad for small fields.
 
Back
Top