Looking to upscale the Estes Blue bird zero!

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I'm thinking there were plans to kit it at some point. I think it was listed in the 2020 vendors forum at NARAM. Maybe my memory isn't what it used to be
I think you are correct that there were plans to produce it, but it didn't happen for some reason. As I said, if I remember I will ask on Tuesday. Expect an answer by mid-March, if I remember...

@heada, Randy teased the upscale BBZ at NARAM-61 in 2019. I first heard about it when listening to Rocketry Show podcast archive releases. eRockets released a Pro Cherokee 2x upscale earlier this year. I emailed Randy about the BBZ upscale in September; this is his response:

"The Blue Bird Zero has been delayed, we originally wanted to issue this with a Balsa Nose Cone, but the shortage of quality balsa has removed it from the list of possibilities. We are in the process of bring in a large number of 3D printed parts, we will now 3D print the nose cone when we do release it."

Answered already
 
I've build scaled the BBZ in everything from BT-5 to BT-80 / 2.6" + the Gooney Bird Zero. yes, the NC is the hardest thing to get right.

And yes, it gets tall pretty fast! I got all the decals from Excelsior, when he was around!


20190622_113656.jpg
(Built this a few years ago.. 38mm mount)

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found a pic!
 
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I've build scaled the BBZ in everything from BT-5 to BT-80 / 2.6" + the Gooney Bird Zero. yes, the NC is the hardest thing to get right.

And yes, it gets tall pretty fast! I got all the decals from Excelsior, when he was around!


View attachment 492685
(Built this a few years ago.. 38mm mount)

View attachment 492686
found a pic!
Question, what did your overall height end up at on the 2.6" tube including nose cone. I'm pretty sure I got the nose cone right to my eyes it looks pretty close anyway. I'll probably end up sanding it down a little towards the top to match it as close as I can to the original.
 

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I got my parts today from erockets and it was fast! I ordered the wrong centering rings and I also ordered a longer motor mount. What are thought as to how long the motor mount tube should be? Also what would be the best way to figure the overall height out? I want it to look right, and if I go 2x it would be around 82" or some where close to that but if I go 1 1/2x it would be roughly 60 3/4" overall. And as far as the fins go I don't know if I should just do 2x since it's 2.6" body tube. Or do I do 1 1/2x on the fins? I think they might be to small if I do that. Any input would be great other than that I'm ready to start filling spirals and waiting for the motor mount tube and rings.
 
Question, what did your overall height end up at on the 2.6" tube including nose cone. I'm pretty sure I got the nose cone right to my eyes it looks pretty close anyway. I'll probably end up sanding it down a little towards the top to match it as close as I can to the original.
I used a standard nose cone; 3:1 ogive i believe.. The tube lengths came from my 'scaled up' OR file.. It's about 72" (measured as best I could, without removing it off the rack!) I did not make it dual deploy, but in hindsight I think I should have. And if I recall, it was 2x 34" tubes, and one little section.. (or was it 2x 32" tubes..)

And once I got it all done up, and flown once. I found I have a 5:1 ogive from a previous kit in my box-o-parts!! D-oh!!
 
I couldn't help myself today lol even though I'm waiting on a couple parts still I had to sand this nose cone to look more like the original. After some very tedious sanding I feel pretty confident they look to be the same shape now. I couldn't look at it anymore the way it was lol.
 

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Thought I would post and update on the bbz upscale. I just finished it up tonight! Overall length ended up to be 83.125" inches, and now that it had been completed I'd say the number was dead on, in comparison to the original bbz it looks to be a true 2x upscale. All the usual goodies inside besides dual deploy, although I think I might have been better off going that way but I set myself up so that if I decide to change it things should go smoothly. I haven't decided on motor yet. A G-80-7t might be a good one. I am realtively new to midpower motor selection so a little bit of a learning curve ahead of me I'm sure.
 

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Thought I would post and update on the bbz upscale. I just finished it up tonight! Overall length ended up to be 83.125" inches, and now that it had been completed I'd say the number was dead on, in comparison to the original bbz it looks to be a true 2x upscale. All the usual goodies inside besides dual deploy, although I think I might have been better off going that way but I set myself up so that if I decide to change it things should go smoothly. I haven't decided on motor yet. A G-80-7t might be a good one. I am realtively new to midpower motor selection so a little bit of a learning curve ahead of me I'm sure.
You’re inspiring me to make one also. What does the apogee sim at on the G80?
 
I've build scaled the BBZ in everything from BT-5 to BT-80 / 2.6" + the Gooney Bird Zero. yes, the NC is the hardest thing to get right.

And yes, it gets tall pretty fast! I got all the decals from Excelsior, when he was around!


View attachment 492685
(Built this a few years ago.. 38mm mount)

Oh boy! This is *EXACTLY* what I want to build. Beautiful job on that!

Re-BAR here; got the Semrock version of the BBZ (for fun) delivered today.

Have a few HPRs sitting in the basement, 4" BBX (sustainer, 9' tall!), 4" SA-11 Gadfly, unbuilt 6" IRIS, and just got the 4" Loc IRIS. Getting back into it after 10 years (again).


Can anybody point me to plans for this perfect scale of the BBZ?

Much obliged.

Yes, I sirched. (Not a typo)

(Apologies to the necro thread ninnies).
 
hey BB,, find an open rocket or rock sim file of it, and scale up / down till them cows come home.. what I did.

i have an OR file at home.. will try to post later
 
If I use LOC 2.14 airframe for upscale, I calculate rocket should be 66" tall. Would I need stiffeners? Planning on 29mm MMT.
 
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