Estes Naboo found buried in a box

[Alan R]

Was cleaning out a box in the back room marked "Space Toys" and came across this old Naboo. I know I've had it for years, what I didn't realize was that it was actually a flying rocket. I have lots of space toys, I don't always pay attention. Pretty sure this was purchased at Goodwill and gifted to me at some point in my past.

There was also a little flying R2D2 in the box. Cool. Even has the plastic fins and its ready to go... maybe... is it tumble or is there supposed to be a streamer or something on it? A little research ahead.

Good: The instruction sheet was there! The bag even has an old motor and igniter.
Bad: It's missing one set of plastic fins and one of the long tail thingies. Parachute hook is broken.

So, it was just a happy day to find something that I'd mostly forgotten all about. Nice surprise. I put it in the queue and look forward to fixing it as soon as I'm done with the current project.

 

[KarlS]

R2D2 was parachute recovery. The motor tube is ejected and the parachute and lines are wound around the MM. It does work. Mine is still flying. And so is my Outhouse.

 

[aerostadt]

There are several reviews for the Naboo on Rocket Reviews. It sounds like people got it to fly.

https://www.rocketreviews.com/estes-mini-naboo-starfighter-rtf-matt-gillard.html

 

[Alan R]

I searched the forum. Lots of very old threads on the Naboo, which I'll read up before I start the fix.
I've probably had this for 30 years.
One thing I can see from the start is to 3d print some new fins.

R2D2 was parachute recovery. The motor tube is ejected and the parachute and lines are wound around the MM. It does work. Mine is still flying. And so is my Outhouse.

Good to know.... I'll take a closer look at it.

 

[Alan R]

The only thing I have read is that it flies like crap, so might try to fix some of the stability problems when I get to it.

 

[Donaldsrockets]

I had both versions, the 13mm and 18mm. They both went unstable when I tried to fly them.

They took off, flipped end over end under thrust and fell to the ground at motor burnout and the delay and ejection charge burned on the ground.

 

[Arsenal78]

I bought the 18mm for like $15 shipped a few months back. The shock cord came detached from its crappy little spot gluing to the tube. I took a better cord, tied a knot on one end, drilled through where the little stand normally goes, pulled it through and dabbed some 5 minute epoxy in there to hold it. Hope to launch it this month to see what happens again. Pain in the rear to shove a chute into a BT20 though.

 

[Alan R]

Took a look at R2... holy cow, his head comes off !
yup, and there's a little star wars parachute in there. I never knew. Looks like he's had a few flights, the shock cord brittle and almost burnt through. Have to see what I can do to fix that.