Estes Tigres

[mikewrt]

This is the Estes Tigres. It is one of the Hobby Lobby exclusive kits introduced in 2019.
Nothing too fancy here. Inexpensive, quick build, keeps the kids and bigger kids entertained. I call that a win!
Plastic fins and can with slide-n-lock slots, the screw on motor retainer is cool. Precolored body tube and nose cone. IMO parts are top quality expected from Estes. Nice little rocket.
Like I normally do before starting a new kit I scanned the fins, documented all the parts and dimensions just in case I want to build a balsa clone some day when this is oop.

 

[Dee55]

I have that same rocket.. hobby lobby bought.. frist flight will be Sunday morning.

 

[mikewrt]

Quick build. Only modification is a trifold mount with kevlar leader to shock cord.
I wish Estes would dump the rubber band shock cord for elastic.
Maybe get to fly tomorrow morning.

 

[BEC]

I wish Estes would dump the rubber band shock cord for elastic.

There was a period of time when Estes used elastic. Then they went back to the flat rubber. In my experience the flat rubber holds up better over multiple flights (say dozens) than elastic does, as elastic is more easily weakened by localized "cooking" from the ejection charge. Elastic MAY age better over years of non-use however....

 

[mikewrt]

There was a period of time when Estes used elastic. Then they went back to the flat rubber. In my experience the flat rubber holds up better over multiple flights (say dozens) than elastic does, as elastic is more easily weakened by localized "cooking" from the ejection charge. Elastic MAY age better over years of non-use however....

Thank you for jogging my memory as I do have a couple old kits with elastic. Guess I need to take back my comments about the rubber shock cords. I was speaking from a general stand point as most rubber tends to dry rot so quickly here in the desert and not from actual application to our hobby. You have alot more flights than I'll ever have and that experience is invaluable. Appreciate your comments.

 

[BEC]

I'm not in the desert, though I grew up there, so your experience may well be different than mine.

FWIW Estes Industries is in a fairly dry climate there northwest of Pueblo, Colorado. But why the shock cord materials have changed over the years from what appeared to be Sig contest rubber in the early days, to seemingly lesser quality flat rubber to elastic and back to flat rubber I do not know.

 

[K'Tesh]

Quick build. Only modification is a trifold mount with kevlar leader to shock cord.
I wish Estes would dump the rubber band shock cord for elastic.
Maybe get to fly tomorrow morning.

View attachment 423999

https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/using-protection-yes-rubbers-for-your-rocket.158586/

 

[mikewrt]

Thank you all for the education on rubber shock cords.

 

[GlenP]

Nice rocket, should be easy to spot in the grass, ironically unlike its namesake. I thought there would be one more “S” in the word. Could put a sticker of the Tigress from Kung Fu Panda movies on there.

 

[BlueTrane2028]

I just go straight kevlar in all mine.

 

[mikewrt]

Took the Tigres out for its first flight early this morning. Nice straight boost and smooth recovery a few yards from the pad.

 

[SCooke123]

Looks good on the pad!

 

[AZRocketGuy]

Good info on the Tigres. Thanks for that! My wife just got one, but we haven't opened the package yet, so it's good to know the assembly is simple.

When I was doing rocketry in the 90's I got in the habit of using about 18" of kevlar cord tied to a motor block an inch or two below the nose cone (sometime farther depending on the rocket construction) and then add the rubber or elastic on the end of that going to the nose cone. I would cut a small groove in the outer side of the motor block to let the kevlar cord pass through between that and the body tube. The kevlar, being in the tube first, will take the brunt of the gases and *help* protect the rubber or elastic (although wadding is still critical here), and also still allow the rubber or elastic to stretch and hopefully not zipper from the kevlar cord.

 

[BABAR]

Estes needs to put more fin decals in the packages. I was really disappointed in the MIRV (for multiple reasons), one of which was they only had enough fin decals to match the face card AT ONE SPECIFIC ANGLE.

Looking at post 1 on this thread, they easily could have added a few more fin decals on the same sheet.

 

[Back_at_it]

Fun little rocket. Picked on up along with a bunch of other quick builds to fly with my GF's nieces while we were in AZ. Simple quick build.

Replaced the Shock Cord with Kevlar/Elastic, replaced the parachute with a streamer and glued the fins on from the inside of the can using thick CA. Got a few nice flights out of it. Will probably fly it again next week while I'm out there.

Color made it easy to track in the sky and on the ground even using C6-7.