Mercury Redstone with Liberty Bell 7 Build (Estes 2167)

[chadrog]

There's 2 on ebay now....Closet you might get in on this one:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Estes-Mercury-Redstone-/251289312051?pt=Model_Kit_US&hash=item3a82029b33

It's at $32.50 with 8 bids and 30 hours left....

Only two right now, has been many in the past couple weeks. I'd bet there will be a steady supply for a while since Sunward set that stash loose last month, the ebay price has gone down exponentially since then. They're selling for around fifty now, when just three weeks ago one went for one hundred thirty - supply is catching demand.

 

[chadrog]

Yours looks awesome by the way, need to get on mine one of these days!

 

[TALON]

Great job on the build I hate seeing this builds these build threads just make me add another kit to the TO GET LIST:eyepop:

 

[Cl(VII)]

That came out really nice. I will now go kick myself for not grabbing one of those up.

 

[NJRick]

Fred,
she turned out beautiful!!! awesome job!!

That ebay one is a vintage model, #1921.....the one I got is a 2000 release (I think) #2167....but they still run $50+ when you find one...might get lucky on ebay if the bidding doesn't get sniped into the $$$.

Some of those vintage Estes models really command some $$$$.....Try to find an affordable Phoenix.....

Okay, she's all done:

Here's the Redstone with a couple coats of clear on the body and the capsule next to it:

View attachment 134472

And here's the final, assembled rocket:

View attachment 134473

I added a little more detail to the capsule...the white paint at the base of the tower on the nose of the spacecraft....and blacked out small sections of the trim band at the cardinal points to simulate a piece that goes there, seen in pictures. It's nowhere near a perfect scale or even sport scale really, but it's a close approximation flyable rocket, easily built without breaking the bank. (or cramping my hands and blinding me)

I decided to go ahead with 2 chutes. The rub for me was the capsule chute rigging....it's a string tied between the base of the capsule and the tower, with the chute in between to carry it horizontally. I went ahead and tied it to the bottom and tied in the chute, but for the tower end, I tied on a little bit o' fishing tackle....a wire line snap hook....that I can hide inside the rocket on display, and just snap to the tower for flight. The Redstone's chute is an 18" attached to the end of the shock cord.

Fun build and looks fantastic on display with my other rockets....can't stop staring at it. It will fly, I promise.

 

[Micromeister]

Totally agree with Chris on this one!
Keep your booster & Capsule separate. I'm still flying my very OLD Estes 1:42 Mercury Redstone which also has the detailed capsule come down on a separate smaller chute. As does my Scratch built 1:73.3 Mercury Atlas capsule. Body and Capsules on both models always land within 10-12 feet of each other. It also helps to attach the capsule in such a way that the tower comes down Point Up or on a diagonal.

 

[Fred Garvin]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the comments and advice.

I've got a motorcycle trip this weekend....but next available opportunity she'll fly. I'll take a picture and video the launch/flight and post them here.....like I finally did with my Bertha thread.

 

[Meteor Mike]

I just noticed this thread. Very useful info here. I have the same 2167 kit with the red plastic parts. I bought it years ago and never built it. Yours turned out really nice.

By the way... you'll post pictures from your motorcycle trip in the Watering Hole, right?

 

[Fred Garvin]

No pictures....what happens there stays there.....I'll be staying at the Inn of the Hills...other side of 16 from the Hole.

I got word from a buddy that there's some construction going on at the Twisted Sisters....

I checked TXDOT online and sure enough there about 4.5 miles of 335, 14 miles of 336 and 10(?) miles of 337 down to 1 lane with a pilot car.

Doesn't matter. I'm riding them. Period.