Estes OOP R2D2 on Steroids

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A

Austin

Well, my son and I finally decided to assemble the 9" version of the OOP Estes R2D2 kit Ken Parker had aquired for me several months back. I already had two of the "A" sized models and two of the 8" rear ejection models, but this one was a kit and was just screaming at me to be assembled. I decided to add a mod one of our club members had done to his, which was modify it for a 24mm mount. I have seen his fly on E18's and F24's and it is an ANIMAL!!! I just had to do it! :)

I started by discarding the 18mm "C" motor mount and added a 24mm motor mount I had in my stock. The centering rings were modified to take the new motor mount and the unit was assembled. One other modification I made to it was the parachute system. I have never been satisfied with the Estes chutes, so I designed it to take a larger nylon parachute by lowering the upper CR, hence deepening the well for the chute. This will slow the decent rate down so the plastic fins will not break on landing and it should also add some nose weight, which was needed anyway. I also added about 4 feet of Kevlar thread for an extended shockcord. Additionally, I used Epoxy for most of the build to add strength and a bit of weight, and this thing is still light as a feather.

My first launch will be next week at our HPR launch on an E18W and it should be pretty awesome...Launch pics will be posted! Here are the Mods I made; it's complete minus some painting on the nosecone/head section:


<a href="reviews/r2d2/sw1.jpg">The Parts<br></a>
<a href="reviews/r2d2/sw2.jpg">Old and New Motor Mount<br>
</a><a href="reviews/r2d2/sw3.jpg">Stop Ring Glued in Motor Mount<br></a><a href="reviews/r2d2/sw4.jpg"><br>Retainer Installed<br></a>
<a href="reviews/r2d2/sw5.jpg">Modified Centering Rings<br></a>
<a href="reviews/r2d2/sw6.jpg">First Centering Ring Installed<br></a>
<a href="reviews/r2d2/sw7.jpg">Top View of First CR<br></a>
<a href="reviews/r2d2/sw8.jpg">Both CR's On, Drilling Shockcord Hole<br></a>
<a href="reviews/r2d2/sw9.jpg">Rear CR Measurement<br></a>
<a href="reviews/r2d2/swa.jpg">Kevlar Thread Installed<br></a>
<a href="reviews/r2d2/swb.jpg">Motor Mount Assembly Installed<br></a>
<a href="reviews/r2d2/swc.jpg">Gluing on the "Arms"<br></a>
<a href="reviews/r2d2/swd.jpg">Nosecone Plate<br></a>
<a href="reviews/r2d2/swe.jpg">Fins Installed<br></a>
<a href="reviews/r2d2/swf.jpg">Finished, Minus some Paint<br></a>


I plan on doing a review for Nick once it flies.

Carl
 
Jeez, Tulanko, what are you trying to do, form a "rocket of the week" club or something? Every time I turn around you have built something else.

Yeah.... I'm jealous. And to think I acquired the dang kit for you.....

BTW.... when you were installing the 24mm mmt, did you allow for the re-released new 3.75" Estes E engines?

Bet you didn't, bet you didn't.....

Too bad, it would have been cool cruising skyward on the 3 second burn of the E9.......

Seriously, though, it does look cool. Make sure that you get pics of the launch.
 
Actually, I did consider them Ken. If you noticed, the motor mount I used was the long "E" version of the 24mm from Estes. However, I decided that to build extra into the rocket for a single motor was not worth it, so it's designed for RMS or D12's only. With the added weight, I wouldn't want to underpower it anyway. Oh, and yes...I am starting a "Rocket of the Week" club! :)

Carl
 
"added weight?" I thought you said it was "light as a feather?"

Make up your mind.... oh, I forgot... you don't have a mind.

:D :D :D

Everybody's dissin' the E9's. I like the E9's....
 
Carl,

I recently got one of these off e-bay for 5 bucks.

It's missing all the internal parts, but since I'm going 24mm thats ok.

I've made the mmt and cr's to your specs.

It's also missing the F1 ballast cup and D3 and D4 card disc's, so I'll have to fab something...also missing the fins.

How much does your NC/dome weigh? Also could I get some kind of fin measurments from you?

Have you flown yours yet? I have never found a flight report.

Thanks for any info you can supply............Marty
 
THAT DID IT!!!!

Now I gotta have one!!

Carl's a D**n trouble maker...just when I thought I had enough rockets! :kill:

sandman
 
IS THERE such a thing as "enough rockets"? I think not. (My wife thinks not not.)
 
Originally posted by Fishhead
IS THERE such a thing as "enough rockets"? I think not. (My wife thinks not not.)
Click to expand...

"enough rockets"? ... <enough rockets>

ENOUGH rockets... Enough ROCKETS...

man, i'm sorry, but no matter HOW I write it, I just can't figure it out...

"enough rockets"... just what the HECK does THAT mean??? never heard of such a thing!
 
What was I thinking???

It must have been a brain hiccup!

The 60's were hard on me!

sandman
 
Q: Please use the term "enough rockets" in a sentence:

A: Now matter how many I build, I never have "enough rockets"

This is the only acceptable usage for this term.
 
I've always considered it as a question, to which my answer is always No! I'm not dead yet..
If I look at it from Carl's "rocket a week" club, I have enough to last me about 1 year. Yep, I have about 50 different kits just hanging around in my "Rocket Hangar" just waiting for me. I think all of you you do this. I did it back in the 70's and 30 years later I sold 5 old Estes kits for $600, better then my stocks!!!
Remember, consider it as a question and use the answer I provided.
Randy:D
 
Well of course we don't have "enough" rockets, I don't think any of us do. We will always see something else that catches our eye and we just must have it no matter the price. Thats why most of us got back into model rocketry, so we could relive a part of our beloved childhood. We bid, we buy, we build. Or some of us just collect.

All I did was ask Carl a couple of simple questions and you guy's turned it into a bull session on "Enough Rockets". This thread started out as R2D2 on streoids and got lost somewhere.

Now that we've all had our fun...If Carl could please answer my questions, If he's out there in Rocketry Land somewhere, I'd be truly apprciative......................Marty
 
Marty,

I will measure my R2 and give you the dimensions of the fins. You can probably make them from Plexiglass and keep the invisible look. Also, I need to weigh the nosecone for you, but will also check with our local NAR club Prez, who got ME started on this. He has a scale and can check his R2 and get back to me for noseweight.

Due to lack of motors, mine has not yet flown. Since I just found my old order of motors, it is now do-able, so I will keep ya posted.

Carl
 
Carl, Thanks for helping me out.

Now you guys can resume your discussion on the proper usage of "Enough Rockets".:D

And have a good day.................................Marty
 
English professor: Now, Jim, let's try putting the phrase "too many" in the same sentence as the word "rockets".

BLAM!

Paramedic: What happened?

Professor: I gave Jim an assignment and his head just exploded!!

::fade out::

::fade in::

Jim: Wha?? Where am I?

Phil: Come check out our full line of RTF rockets! All designed to fly on the Apogee F10 motors!


Originally posted by jflis


"enough rockets"? ... <enough rockets>

ENOUGH rockets... Enough ROCKETS...

man, i'm sorry, but no matter HOW I write it, I just can't figure it out...

"enough rockets"... just what the HECK does THAT mean??? never heard of such a thing!
Click to expand...
 
I can just hear the professor now...


..."damit, jim! I'm a doctor, not a rocket scientist!"

ROTFLMAO
 
Originally posted by KenParker
Everybody's dissin' the E9's. I like the E9's....
Click to expand...

I actually flew my first one in my Meanie (46th flight). Here is what I wrote in my flight log (as can be seen in My Flight Profile )

"My first E9 motor. Wow, it did great in my Meanie. It sounded like a chug, chug on the way up. Kind of a cool high-tech sound. Recovery was fine. A good match for this rocket."

Regards,
Nick
 
The guys I work with keep giving me a hard time.....at the beginning of December I became a BAR.....since then I have built 10 Estes rockets 3 Quest rockets and just finished building a LOC Forte and am starting on a Minnie Magg......and still only launched a Marz Mini Lander in 20 years.....and I just keep building....

This weekend if all goes well I will be going to a launch and sending the Forte, CC Express, FatBoy, Big Bertha and Blue Ninja to their rightful place.......I cant wait....

Mike
 
Welcome to the world of obsession, Mike. (And I don't mean that Calvin Klein crap my mom bought me in college. Is there a collector's market for vintage cologne? :p) The weather up here in the great white north of Cincinnati looks like it will be nothing if not extremely unwarm. Hope it turns out better where you plan to fly. Cold weather is hell on those plastic chutes.
 
Martin...finally have a weight for you...

...The "head" of R2D2 weighs 59 grams.

Carl

Sorry it took so long...
 
Originally posted by CTulanko
Well, my son and I finally decided to assemble the 9" version of the OOP Estes R2D2 kit Ken Parker had aquired for me several months back. I already had two of the "A" sized models and two of the 8" rear ejection models, but this one was a kit and was just screaming at me to be assembled. I decided to add a mod one of our club members had done to his, which was modify it for a 24mm mount. I have seen his fly on E18's and F24's and it is an ANIMAL!!! I just had to do it! :)

[snip]

Here are the Mods I made; it's complete minus some painting on the nosecone/head section:


<a href="reviews/r2d2/sw1.jpg">The Parts<br></a>
<a href="reviews/r2d2/sw2.jpg">Old and New Motor Mount<br>
</a><a href="reviews/r2d2/sw3.jpg">Stop Ring Glued in Motor Mount<br></a><a href="reviews/r2d2/sw4.jpg"><br>Retainer Installed<br></a>
<a href="reviews/r2d2/sw5.jpg">Modified Centering Rings<br></a>
<a href="reviews/r2d2/sw6.jpg">First Centering Ring Installed<br></a>
<a href="reviews/r2d2/sw7.jpg">Top View of First CR<br></a>
<a href="reviews/r2d2/sw8.jpg">Both CR's On, Drilling Shockcord Hole<br></a>
<a href="reviews/r2d2/sw9.jpg">Rear CR Measurement<br></a>
<a href="reviews/r2d2/swa.jpg">Kevlar Thread Installed<br></a>
<a href="reviews/r2d2/swb.jpg">Motor Mount Assembly Installed<br></a>
<a href="reviews/r2d2/swc.jpg">Gluing on the "Arms"<br></a>
<a href="reviews/r2d2/swd.jpg">Nosecone Plate<br></a>
<a href="reviews/r2d2/swe.jpg">Fins Installed<br></a>
<a href="reviews/r2d2/swf.jpg">Finished, Minus some Paint<br></a>


I plan on doing a review for Nick once it flies.

Carl
Click to expand...
I'm mentally working myself up into starting on the build of my 1977-vintage "Robot Hero" R2-D2 that I got on eBay earlier this year, so I'm really glad I found Carl's build thread for his 24 mm engine modification. This kit, #1301, is 9" tall and has a 3.744" OD body, and I just looked at the instructions posted at JimZ's site, and it's the same as Carl's.

Once I finish this and the ASP V-2, I'll have *two* rockets with 24 mm motors!
 
I got one of these a couple of years ago on eBay for 5 bucks, too. I got it to use the BT to clone a Mars Lander, but of course Semroc has made that moot.
Now . . . .

Any flights yet, Carl?

Drew
 
The local hobby shop, Amatos, had these on sale for $15 4 years ago, so I converted one to 24mm for my Nartrek Bronze (fly a rocket on a D engine or bigger.)

With 10.5g of nose weight it flew great on a D12-3--I really ought to fly it again--it seemed to be a real favorite among the kids.

I used an Iwata dual action airbrush to paint it--I thought that learning to use an airbrush would be good stroke rehab.
 

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