Estes Nasa X-15, kit#0889

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markschnell

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I have a few questions about this kit. I would like to clone it. I know that Quest has an X-15, but the old Estes kit (not the RTF one) looks more like the actual X-15 to me.

So:
If you have built this kit, is it fairly stable? I love to build them but if they don't fly well (at least most of the time) it defeats the whole purpose in my mind.

Secondly, Sirius sells a Moldin' Oldies nose cone, PNC-165, that looks like the Estes X-15 nose cone. Does anyone know if it is the same nose cone for the kit #0889?

Any other thoughts about cloning this kit? I got the plans from Jimz site and I know Sandman could make up some decals.
 
Mark:
Sorry this answer is gonna be a little off topic but....

If your Scratch building anyway; I'd suggest starting with one of the currently available X15 Plastic models. If you do a little looking around on the net and your local hobby shops you should be able to come up with models in 1/130th, 1/72nd, 1/65th, 1/48th and 1/32nd that aren't to overly expensive and fairly easy to convert.

Revells 1/65th re-released X15 is an Excellent PMC conversion the easily takes a BT-20 core body tube which can allow it to fly on almost any 18mm motor.
End result will be an Excellent "Scale" flying model of the X-15 rather then a "sorta Looks like" standoff outline of the vehicle.
Funny you bring up the X-15, as we just flew a Revell 1/65th conversion last Sunday in an Apollo Annaversary celebration of manned space flight demo at Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.
If you need CP-CG info and other help with a conversion, I'd be glad to help. I'm sort-of in the middle of building and converting one of "Special Hobbies" 1/32 X-15 currently.

169_X-15-PMC_65th.jpg
 
https://www.spacemodeling.org/JimZ/estes/est0889.pdf

I have a few questions about this kit. I would like to clone it. I know that Quest has an X-15, but the old Estes kit (not the RTF one) looks more like the actual X-15 to me.

So:
If you have built this kit, is it fairly stable? I love to build them but if they don't fly well (at least most of the time) it defeats the whole purpose in my mind.

Secondly, Sirius sells a Moldin' Oldies nose cone, PNC-165, that looks like the Estes X-15 nose cone. Does anyone know if it is the same nose cone for the kit #0889?

Any other thoughts about cloning this kit? I got the plans from Jimz site and I know Sandman could make up some decals.
 
Micro: I hadn't thought of that. I'm just curious, do you cut the model up front for nose cone ejection of do you do a rear ejection set up?

Fred: Thanks for the link, I've got the plans.
 
Mark...

I've got that very kit at home. I believe I got it and built it in the late 80's. When I got back into rocketry a few months ago, this was one of the first ones that I dug out and brought out to launch.

The model is solid and always flew well, but I was a little disappointed that it flew on mini-engines. The body tube is fairly good sized and with the shrouds / side flares, the model weighs enough to benefit from the 18mm motors.

I can probably dig up some pics and possibly even a recent video if you'd like...
 
Okay, let me back up. I haven't actually seen either finished kit in the flesh to hold them side by side. But from the pics I've seen the Quest kit looks long and skinny. I supposed the Estes kit is more squatty.

What do you think?

I'm not a huge X-15 fan, but I've built both of the models. The Quest one is more involved and certainly not "scale", but at various angles it looks almost correct. The Estes one is short & fat... Sort of a "Fat Boy X-15"... I think the Estes one almost looks like a "Goony" version of the original. In all of the Estes catalog pictures, they show it at the most favorable angle. Just MY opinion mind you, others probably feel otherwise. In any case, build what YOU like!:D It is YOUR hobby and it should make YOU happy!;) Just make sure you post pictures!
 
I'm not a huge X-15 fan, but I've built both of the models. The Quest one is more involved and certainly not "scale", but at various angles it looks almost correct. The Estes one is short & fat... Sort of a "Fat Boy X-15"... I think the Estes one almost looks like a "Goony" version of the original. In all of the Estes catalog pictures, they show it at the most favorable angle. Just MY opinion mind you, others probably feel otherwise. In any case, build what YOU like!:D It is YOUR hobby and it should make YOU happy!;) Just make sure you post pictures!


I have to agree with this, but I haven't built the Estes version. The Estes version looks much too short... and I really don't find the catalog pictures all that flattering. Both versions seem to have their strong points and weak points, but I find the Quest version a little more appealing...at least to my eyes. If the Estes and Quest x-15 kits had a baby, the offspring would probably be just about right.

The wing/rudder/stab proportions on the Quest seem a little more in tune with the scale of the kit. The Estes version took liberties with that...probably to improve stability. Quest decided to stretch their version....probably to improve stability. Despite Quest's obvious efforts to improve stabilty and yet maintain some sense of scale, the Quest version still needs additional weight in the nose(not included).

X15-static.jpg
 
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Do you really think Bill will want an Estes motor on the Quest website? :eek:

Maybe you can photoshop in a German or Chinese Quest motor back there? :D

Wow Craig, that would make an excellent picture for the Quest website!;)
 
Do you really think Bill will want an Estes motor on the Quest website? :eek:

Maybe you can photoshop in a German or Chinese Quest motor back there? :D

Actually its a bit of an inside joke Fred... Just think of the motor as a Chinese one with the label peeled off for a better fit.:)
 
Mark:
To answer your earlier question Yes the model is cut just behind the cockpit to allow standard Nose ejection. I've had great luck with these PMC kits.

As for which of the Mod-Roc kits, I agree fully with Rokitflite the Quest rendition is far better the any of the Estes models, tho none are really scale.

Attached is the cardboard cutout scan showing cp-cg locations and where the cuts were made. I used a spent 18mm motor casing for the original nose shoulder, than switched to a 19mm slip-over tube on another model, but a standard coupling works just as well:)

Hope this helps.

169_X15 (65th) Cardboard cut-out_08-27-95.jpg
 
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Do you really think Bill will want an Estes motor on the Quest website? :eek:

Maybe you can photoshop in a German or Chinese Quest motor back there? :D


Oh, it's had some Quest C6 motors shoved in the rear, but Bill might not have liked the results. Despite the 1/2 oz. I added to the cone, the Quest motors seem to make the darn thing unstable. Flew it a few times on the Estes C6 and goes up just like it's supposed too. I guess the extra kick of the Estes motor is enough to overcome the marginal stability. I should probably add a little more weight to make it a little less marginal, but I have a large pile of Estes motors and zero Quest motors right now.;)
 
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Here you go, Mark...

I snapped a few pics of my X-15 for you. Keep in mind that I was probably 12 or 13 when I made this one and so there's definitely some less than stellar workmanship featured here, but you get the idea...

I put a 18mm engine case in there for scale and put it next to the X-16 of the same era (another favorite of mine) in the last photo. That one's definitely the worse for wear and tear, but keeps on flying even today...

X15_1.jpg


x125_4.jpg


x15_3.jpg


X15_2.jpg


A recent launch pic (thanks to a buddy who captured some frames out of a vid he took):

X15_liftoff.jpg
 
Not bad looking for any age :) What is that rocket next to the x-15?
Cheers
fred
 
I like this thread. Ironically right now I am building the Quest X-15. I had built and flown both the short X-15 and the X-16 mentioned, both rockets were eventually lost. I also loved the COX/Estes X-15 which many people had issues with, but I never had a problem (except when a M-80 ejection charge blew my first one into pieces).
 
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