Hi guys,
I haven't posted here in a good while, my business keeps me plenty busy so I usually have to do my rocketry vicariously through you good folks! I have been building, but haven't flown in a while so its time to get back out to the field.
Of course one can't show up at a launch without a new bird (I'm sure it's in the regs somewhere, haven't found it yet though.), so I picked up an Estes Majestic at Hobby Lobby (Gotta love those coupons!) with the idea of kitbashing it into a pseudo-scale, Nike based sounding/research rocket. The fins and conical nose just seemed to be begging for that kind of treatment.
My thought was to add some wrap type details to simulate the Nike type fin can and the "flare" at the forward end of the Nike motor, then some kind of antennae and screw head details to make the nose cone look like some sort of scientific payload. Add to that a typical olive drab motor, white fin can with red and yellow fins, dayglo red nose and a silver "payload" and it makes a pretty convincing sounding rocket, I think. A real av bay could be added and dressed up to look like a second stage or larger payload as well. All good fun! :cool2:
Before I picked up the kit I checked here for a build thread just to see how Estes put these things together, but I found none. When I opened the box I discovered why; This thing makes the Aerotech kits look like a Level 3 scratch build! Well okay, not quite, but I was surprised at how simple a kit this is. That isn't a criticism at all, it is a very nice kit, and certainly would be a great intro to mid power.
I was also surprised by the chrome nose cone and fins! :surprised: Judging by the box I was expecting silver paint. I'm still planning to make it a sounding rocket, but when I opened the kit and saw those gleaming bits I must admit to a moment of weakness! Built out of the box this is really a great looking rocket, but I prefer more of a scale-look so the purple tube is kind of a non-starter for me... Just sayin...
I figured I would post a few pics of the detail bits as I go along, if anyone would be interested, as well as a few of the changes I plan to make to the basic kit, though those changes seem to be the same ones others are making to the other PSII kits to allow for longer motors, better shock cords, etc..
Oh and I'll post some pics when it actually flies! That, of course, is the object of this exercise!
Hmmm... Maybe we should call this "Project Mugs-Return to Flight"
Thanks for having me, guys!
Mike
I haven't posted here in a good while, my business keeps me plenty busy so I usually have to do my rocketry vicariously through you good folks! I have been building, but haven't flown in a while so its time to get back out to the field.
Of course one can't show up at a launch without a new bird (I'm sure it's in the regs somewhere, haven't found it yet though.), so I picked up an Estes Majestic at Hobby Lobby (Gotta love those coupons!) with the idea of kitbashing it into a pseudo-scale, Nike based sounding/research rocket. The fins and conical nose just seemed to be begging for that kind of treatment.
My thought was to add some wrap type details to simulate the Nike type fin can and the "flare" at the forward end of the Nike motor, then some kind of antennae and screw head details to make the nose cone look like some sort of scientific payload. Add to that a typical olive drab motor, white fin can with red and yellow fins, dayglo red nose and a silver "payload" and it makes a pretty convincing sounding rocket, I think. A real av bay could be added and dressed up to look like a second stage or larger payload as well. All good fun! :cool2:
Before I picked up the kit I checked here for a build thread just to see how Estes put these things together, but I found none. When I opened the box I discovered why; This thing makes the Aerotech kits look like a Level 3 scratch build! Well okay, not quite, but I was surprised at how simple a kit this is. That isn't a criticism at all, it is a very nice kit, and certainly would be a great intro to mid power.
I was also surprised by the chrome nose cone and fins! :surprised: Judging by the box I was expecting silver paint. I'm still planning to make it a sounding rocket, but when I opened the kit and saw those gleaming bits I must admit to a moment of weakness! Built out of the box this is really a great looking rocket, but I prefer more of a scale-look so the purple tube is kind of a non-starter for me... Just sayin...
I figured I would post a few pics of the detail bits as I go along, if anyone would be interested, as well as a few of the changes I plan to make to the basic kit, though those changes seem to be the same ones others are making to the other PSII kits to allow for longer motors, better shock cords, etc..
Oh and I'll post some pics when it actually flies! That, of course, is the object of this exercise!
Hmmm... Maybe we should call this "Project Mugs-Return to Flight"
Thanks for having me, guys!
Mike
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