Estes Mercury Redstone #1921

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Vethen said:
You mean, you purposely decided to glue them on after painting, so during lift-off they'd separate and produce less drag :) all planned!
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I can't take credit for that idea. I finally did get around to painting the roll pattern on the fins and the capsule. I have not had much success with masking, I had to touch up a few bleed through spots. After spraying the capsule I touched up the portions behind the tower with a detail brush. would have been easier if I painted them separately before assembly. Looks okay from a distance, should look great around 200 feet up, when I get the chance to fly it.

Getting ready to put the decals on. has anyone noticed that the UNITED STATES placement on the face card picture is 90 deg rotated from the historical photographs of the launch vehicle?
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Update: https://modelrocketbuilding.blogspot.com/2015/07/estes-mercury-redstone-1921-build-part_28.html
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Update 2: has any one tried the trick of spraying the mask with a clear coat or the same color base coat again first, before the second color? So the bleed through seals the tape edge with the same color or a clear, then the top coat won't be able to bleed through? I wish I had tried that technique, or just pressed my tape edges down a little better. Lesson learned.
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Update 3: that display stand looks pretty cool from this angle, doesn't it? You can print up and build your own just like it:
https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?26616-Project-Paper&p=1532817#post1532817
 
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GlenP said:
Update 2: has any one tried the trick of spraying the mask with a clear coat or the same color base coat again first, before the second color? So the bleed through seals the tape edge with the same color or a clear, then the top coat won't be able to bleed through? I wish I had tried that technique, or just pressed my tape edges down a little better. Lesson learned.
Click to expand...

That is absolutely the way to get clean lines. Either clear or the base color. Just follow the instructions on the can to make sure all of the paints are compatible. Just tape, spray with the base color (or clear), wait 15-30 min, spray with the new color, and then remove the tape.
 
These are the original first run stock decals, MR 7, lighter red tint, not too shabby. Tower is unpainted. Even with a few minor glitches, this Mercury Redstone is one Majestic Rocket. I plan to go over the decals with some clear gloss, then top that off with a clear satin before flying.

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Thanks! I really enjoyed building this one, but I totally agree about the quality of the instructions, or lack thereof, I doubt I would have been able to do an adequate job if I were building from this kit at the age when I built the original version, or before the Internet, if that makes any sense. not sure if they improved this in a later printing, I got one of the early released versions. I hope to make it out to a club launch one of these days to launch it.

Interesting observation: the Estes logo decal is printed in two color, black and white, if you don't want to use it on this kit, save it for another one. Some kits just have a single color decal sheet, i.e. white on clear or black on clear Estes logo. I put this one on the launch lug line over the white fin, but it would work on a black area also, since the decal has a white background printed on it. Not sure if everyone is just throwing that logo decal away since it may be considered out of place on the M.R. but you could always save it for another rocket where the paint job warrants it.
 
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After seeing this thread and the nice launch videos... I picked up a Redstone at Hobby Lobby tonight.. w/coupon. Unfotunately, when I opened it tonight, I found that the body tube had been crushed.. and has a permanent crease and bend in the tube. Damn. I sent Estes an email to see if they can replace the tube. Sad about this... I know.. it's just a tube.
 
bummer about the damaged tube, Estes customer support is usually great and will help you out. I would have tried to go back to the store to see if they had another one on the shelf that was undamaged and might accept a return for exchange, but might be hard to determine that without opening it up. Plenty of work to do on the tower and the fins before you need to mount anything on the body tube while you are waiting for a new one to get shipped out.

On my next build, I would add the larger increasing fillet to the lower part of the fin, as noted in hcmbanjo's blog here (lots of good techniques there) Building this up to a more rounded shape at the base would have been a minor but very cool detail. I just used a regular constant fillet on the fins and did not try to build it up very much.
https://modelrocketbuilding.blogspot.com/2015/07/estes-mercury-redstone-1921-build-part_24.html
 
GlenP said:
bummer about the damaged tube, Estes customer support is usually great and will help you out. I would have tried to go back to the store to see if they had another one on the shelf that was undamaged and might accept a return for exchange, but might be hard to determine that without opening it up. Plenty of work to do on the tower and the fins before you need to mount anything on the body tube while you are waiting for a new one to get shipped out.
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I'd been checking my local Hobby Lobby for a few weeks as they didn't have this one in stock.. empty peg. Yesterday, they had 1 on the peg.. with the crushed tube. However, as you mentioned.. Estes seems to be coming through for me.. and replied to my email asking for my shipping address. Whoot. Perhaps I'll start building this little gem tonight.
 
Can't wait to fly mine soon

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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Is that the D/E sized V2 from Estes in your picture? Also, what is the little guy on the right?
Your Redstone looks good.
 
I'm gong to blow my own horn here a bit...

I have built quite a number of Mercury Redstones over the years (my first being the original Estes K-41 in 1969) ranging in size from 1/96 scale up to 1/12 scale. I won't Team Sport Scale at the NARAMS in 1998, 2000, and 2002 with Mercury Redstones. Believe it or not, I really don't "prefer" the MR as a scale subject but I just kind of ended up building a bunch over years.

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For the past couple of months I have been producing very thin printed vinyl "skins" for the Centuri/Estes Redstones. The roll patterns are sharp and to scale and the "UNITED STATES" is corrected. Though not "3D" just about every rivet, panel, weld line, panel line, vent, hatch...and whatever is printed on the skins. They are self-adhesive with a permanent adhesive. These are NOT the thick heavy clear stretchy vinyl that you see as self-stick decals in many kits. They are less than half the thickness and opaque. The model is pretty much completely "wrapped" completely hiding any body tube sprirals and the wood grain on the fins. They are very easy to apply (the body tube wrap is applied in four sections). There's no need to mark the body tube for the fins or launch lugs as those locations are part of the skins.

The skins are intended to be applied as you build the model but several modelers have easily applied them to already built models. Also, if you have "messed up" in painting and decaling your model or if it is simply showing the signs of age and many flights, you can "refresh" it by applying the skins over your existing paint job. Just make sure it is clean and smooth.

Since taking the photos here, I have made the surface details, particularly the weld lines, a bit more subtle and not so "in your face."

The skins won't stick to bare wood so a couple of coats of something to seal the wood and sanded to take off roughness or irregularities is needed. You don't have to fill all the wood grain...just provide a smooth surface to which the skins can "stick". If you aren't sure you have your wood parts smooth enough, just cut a scrap of the skin sheet on which the skins are printed and do a "test stick" to the desired surface. The skins can be applied to a bare body tube though the will stick better to a painted surface. Also, due to the thin nature of the skins a coat of white under the skins will make them appear "brighter." You finish off your skin job with a couple of coats of clear for protection...plus the special surface of the vinyl absorbs the clear and makes it integral to the skin, tremendously toughening skin and also making your model easy to clean.



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I have them available on eBay (just go onto eBay and search for "Estes Mercury Redstone" and you will find them. Look for "Skin Kits" in the title. I sell them as Accur8man. If you don't want to mess with eBay just drop me a note at [email protected] and I can sell direct via PayPal Invoice...or answer any questions you may have about the skins. You might want to visit my website, www.accur8.com . I love to just "chat" with fellow modelers with common interests, too!


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John Pursley---
 
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I have a couple of Saturn IB builds lined up and should be doing in the next few weeks. I am developing skin kits for the IB, too. At first in 1/70 scale and then for 1/100. Forgot to menition in my previous post that I also do skins for the new Estes Little Joe II kit.

If anyone is interested in any other Mercury Redstone stuff I have done, go to my website at www.accur8.com .

John Pursley
 
John,

Might want to consider a wrap for MR-7 'Freedom Seven', since the Mercury spacecraft in the kit is the two porthole variation that was flown on the early Redstones and Freedom 7. Only rabid accurizers ( ;) )would whip out the Dremel tool and X-acto knife to create the spacecraft with the picture window that was flown on MR-8 'Liberty Bell Seven' and the Mercury-Atlas vehicles.
 
AlphaSigOU said:
John,

Might want to consider a wrap for MR-7 'Freedom Seven', since the Mercury spacecraft in the kit is the two porthole variation that was flown on the early Redstones and Freedom 7. Only rabid accurizers ( ;) )would whip out the Dremel tool and X-acto knife to create the spacecraft with the picture window that was flown on MR-8 'Liberty Bell Seven' and the Mercury-Atlas vehicles.
Click to expand...

I think the "rabid accurizers" have already discovered that the kit capsule is a hybrid that doesn't exactly match any manned mission.

https://www.rocketryforum.com/showt...te-Estes-Mercury-Redstone&p=883884#post883884

Chris Michielssen, for one, has a nice write-up on his blog showing the surgery he did to make it closer to the Liberty Bell.

https://modelrocketbuilding.blogspot.com/2015/07/estes-mercury-redstone-1921-build-part_25.html


All that said, I'm really glad Estes has this great model in production now.
 
Hey Chuck!

My skin kit DOES include the markings for both MR7 and MR8 as well as two different fin skins...one to fit the current balsa-finned version and the prior plastic-finned version (check out my listing on eBay).

Well aware of the differences in spacecraft and launch vehicles. The wraps themselves are a bit "generic" because the kit itself is a bit "generic" BUT if you were to "count the rivets" :wink: and compare them against the real thing (if you could) you would find that the skin kit is pretty dern accurate. Over the years I have had direct "hands on" contact with "real" parts of the Redstone vehicles that were produced for Mercury (ex. the tail section and the Instrument Section at JSC are verifiably from the production runs for Mercury...can't verify the tanks, though. I actually had man-lift access to the IS unit on the MR at JSC as well as "almost crawl inside" access to the Faith 7 when I was researching data for my 1/12 resin Mercury capsule kit back in 2000 (predates the MRC kit by a couple of years). I also won Team Sport Scale three separate times with a Mercury Redstone at NARAMs (one 1/24 scale and two at 1/12 scale). Check out my web site at https://www.accur8.com. I have even considered producing an "accurate" window capsule shell for the Estes kit but that kettle hasn't quite gotten to boil yet. Ditto on some accurate fins (though, as you know, there is a full 3D printed tail section for the Estes kit on Shapeways...I think you've got one if I'm not "misremembering" a thread I saw somewhere)...but I would offer "just the fins" to keep price down.

HOWEVER, I have preliminary work done on a skin kit(s) for the "other" Mercury Redstones that flew prior to the manned missions. Hope to have them available in a few weeks (I've got tons of other projects with "priority").

John Pursley
 
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Figgers... I got a little case of tunnel vision and forgot you had included the MR-7 details in the skins! :)

The 3D-printed scale fin section from Shapeways is really well made; the finish is a little rough but a couple of good coats of primer will smooth it out.
 
can't wait to see your 1b kits....the 1b is a cool looking booster!

johnpursley said:
I have a couple of Saturn IB builds lined up and should be doing in the next few weeks. I am developing skin kits for the IB, too. At first in 1/70 scale and then for 1/100. Forgot to menition in my previous post that I also do skins for the new Estes Little Joe II kit.

If anyone is interested in any other Mercury Redstone stuff I have done, go to my website at www.accur8.com .

John Pursley
Click to expand...
 
I considered adding "scale sized" fin skins to the kit but figured that unless I offered my own fins (still a possibility) they would, for the most part, be a waste of space on the already packed skin prints.

John Pursley
 
Hello all: I too am getting back into rocketry (after 30+ years hiatus) with my 5 year daughter who has found a love of building these (we are on our 2nd Estes now).

Question about the Redstone: I read here that this is a "Re-issue" of the original 1921 kit, with balsa wood and all?

Is the newer 1921 a better kit than the old original mid-80s 1921 kit?

Is it built in the USA?

I ask because I think I would prefer the old original Estes kits that were "Made in the USA" - to complete my collection (and to build/fly one day when the kids leave the nest).

Originally I am concerned about the capsule and tower details. Is the newer or older kit more accurate?

I read in this thread that the newer kit uses 1 single piece of the main body tube, whereas the original had two separate tubes and a coupler. I think I can get by with the older 2-piece body after reading the excellent tips from the Apogee newsletter about an "award finishing paint job."

I'm thinking of picking up one of the originals over the newer re-issue. I already got the original Shuttle #1284 and original Blackbird #1942 kits from eBay for a steal (was not going to pay the exorbitant prices), all made in the USA. The Redstone would complete the original collection I had - from 30+ years ago.

OT: I too have old fond memories of this rocket. Was 9 years old and built it all myself and flew it many many times until it landed in a patch of tall trees - never to be found again (was by myself, and rode my bike back to the woods many many times looking).

I recall repairing the fins quite often as they would break off after landing. It may have been my 9 year old glue skills as I had no experience with it. I recall my SR-71 blackbird needed repairs after every single landing.
 
I am reasonably sure that it is a reissue of the old Centuri kit(minus the ejection baffle) and not the Estes version.
Rex
 
It's the same as the old one, except with a one-piece body tube instead of two. So, better.
 
Rex R said:
I am reasonably sure that it is a reissue of the old Centuri kit(minus the ejection baffle) and not the Estes version.
Rex
Click to expand...

You know, you bring up a good point... I have no idea what version I had from 30 years ago.

Very general question... as I do not recognize the name "Centuri", except in the last few weeks when reading about vintage kits... Which kits were preferred back then? Estes or Centuri kits?
 

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