MoreRockets Estes StrikeFighter Clone Build

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Another one of my favorite rockets from my young years was the Estes Strike Fighter. It was in the Estes Catalog in 1989 through 1993. I remember thinking as a young man, I wonder how they got the details underneath the cockpit. Of course, once I got the kit I realized it was just a decal :p. I had this kit on my Secret Santa wishlist, but ordered it at the same time I got my BlackHawk.

Bitmap in Strike Fighter Insert Card.600.jpg
(Image Source = https://morerockets.com/retrofit-mo...-kits/strike-fighter-flying-model-rocket.html)

01 Motor Mount.jpg
Construction started with the motor mount. It is just a typical BT-55 motor mount. I like the fact that it is using the "old style" motor hooks that does not have the looped back hook. This mount also has a thrust ring, which is important.
 
02 Sanded Fins.jpg
While the glue is drying on the motor mount, all the balsa pieces are released from the laser-cut balsa sheet. I made a couple slips with my #11 blade, so I may need to fix some edges with some filler in the finishing steps.
 
03 Motor Mount Glued In.jpg
Once the motor mount is finished, it is glued into the airframe tube. The rings are loose on this kit, but this is not a big deal. Personally I rather have them loose then to tight. Sanding card stock is not pretty. I just made sure I applied extra glue, and applied general fillets later on.
 
04 Wings Attached.jpg
Attaching the wings became the first gotcha with this rocket. The Wings are not perfect trapazoids. There is a leading and trailing edge. I got it wrong the first time and didn't realize it until I went to glue on the Wing Extenders. You can see the Wing Support Pads under the Wings to help keep them level.

05 Wing Extentions and Pods Attached.jpg
After removing the Wings and regluing them back on the correct way, letting the dry again, I then was able to glue on the Wing Extenders. The Nacelle Tubes were then glued on one at a time, since they only provide one Nacelle Support Pad.
 
06 Defective Card Stock.jpg
The next step was working on the Scoop that mounts on the top rear of the Fighter. This was the first obvious problem I saw with the kit. Notice the Scoop Wall is messed up? The haves are not matching. I figured it would not be to difficult to correct this problem. There is another problem with this Laser Cut Card. Notice the Larger Circles with the Small "holes" in the middle? This Kit came with 5 of them. It was supposed to come with 4 of those, and 2 Circles with 2 larger holes in the middle.

I contacted MoreRockets.com and they apparently corrected the issues with the Laser-Cut Card and shipped me the new card. I should be getting it on Tuesday. This makes me wonder if I was the first person to build this kit if i was the first person to contact them about these issues?

This is what the Card Stock in the original kit looked like (image source: https://www.spacemodeling.org/jimz/est2015.htm)

Card Stock.png
 
07 Scope Adjustment.jpg
Based on the back piece of the Scoop, I determined the smaller wall was probabily the correct size, or at least close enough. So I trimmed off the larger wall to match. Then precurving Scoops top, I glued on the back and held it down with my fingers for several minutes until the glue set. (Its amazing how it takes forever to set when you want it to be quick... but it instantly sets when you are doing something like trying to join two tubes togehter...)

08 Scope Assembled.jpg
Then I glued on the walls.

09 Scope Attached.jpg
Once the glue dried I glued the Scoop to the tope of the Strikeflighter. Then I appled fillets to the wing and tube joints, avoilding getting glue on the ends.
 
10 Guns Started.jpg
I assembled the "guns." There was enough parts to build the Ray Gun, but without the correct rings for the large calibre gun, it is only half way done. I will finish it Tuesday when the new parts come.
 
13 Pods Installed.jpg
Core Assemblied are now glued into the Nacelles. The fit was loose but this was not a big deal. I rather have it loose than to tight. This looks like something you would see in Star Wars.
 
19 New Ring Set.jpg
MoreRockets sent me the corrected Card Stock sheet. I noticed they didn't adjust the walls for the scoop.

20 Finished Gun.jpg
The fit of the rings on the "Launch Lug" was very loose so I glued a layer of paper around the tube before gluing on the rings.

21 Guns Installed.jpg
The the guns were installed into the Strike Fighter. The fit was also too loose, so i glued a layer of paper to the outside circumference of the centering rings and trimmed them once dry. After trimming each Gun was glued in place.
 
22 Gun Dowel Rod Cut.jpg
One of the problems I had with the Strike Fighter I had when I was younger was the gun made from the Launch Lug was easily damaged. So to help remedy this problem, I decided to glue a piece of 1/8" dowel rod down the barrel.

23 Gun Dowel Rod Installed.jpg
I push the dowel about a 1/4" into the barrel to keep the barrel illusion.

The Strike Fighter is well into the primer and filler steps. I am hoping to have paint on her in the next couple days.
 
24 Ready For Paint.jpg
Think I have done enough with the filler and primer. Time to get some paint on her.

29 Strike Fighter Painted.jpg
Paint Applied to the Strike FIghter. Took a couple days because... I HATE Rustoleum... and Krylon is not any better........... Perfectly good Can of White decided to clog in its tube so its useless...

Also, the paint reacted to the nosecone, event hough it has been cleaned, and primed... Well, I had to wait 24 hours to get a new can of White paint, so I was able to sand down the coan and try again...
 
25 Canopy cut out.jpg
Cut out the Canopy

26 Canopy Masked for Paint.jpg
Masked off the Canopy

27 Canopy Ready For Paint.jpg
Undermask the Canopy

Then while at work my wife accidently threw it away while cleaning... we had to go dumpster diving. We did find it. Cleaned it off with alcohol.
28 Canopy Painted.jpg
Paint applied. Before it completely dried, I remove the mask.
 
30 Decalling Canopy.jpg
I really like the quality of the decals that MoreRockets use. I got most of them on but leave off the decals near the canopy so i dont damage them while installing the canopy. Here you can see where I scrape away the paint.

31 Canopy Glued On.jpg
I glue on the canopy and use tape to hold it down until the glue dries. I continue applying decals.

32 All Decalls Applied.jpg
Finish decaling. Later on I take some Black Testors paint and touch up the decal on the nose. I need to get some white to touch up the chip by the right fin. I didn't notice that until the launch, but its showing up in this pic so it has been there for a while.
 
They make great kits. I finally put decals on my Super Viper kit. (24mm powered version of the BSG Colonial Viper.) Nice job with that one, great flight!
 
This thread made me go look at the MoreRockets website... and to my surprise they have the Alien Explorer. I may have to actually go and buy a kit. :eek:
 
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