MoreRockets Estes StrikeFighter Clone Build

[Papa Elf]

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 . I had this kit on my Secret Santa wishlist, but ordered it at the same time I got my BlackHawk.


(Image Source = https://morerockets.com/retrofit-mo...-kits/strike-fighter-flying-model-rocket.html)


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.

 

[Papa Elf]

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.

 

[Papa Elf]

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.

 

[Papa Elf]

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.


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.

 

[Papa Elf]

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)

 

[Papa Elf]

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...)


Then I glued on the walls.


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.

 

[Papa Elf]

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.

 

[Papa Elf]

Core Assemblies Assembled.

 

[Papa Elf]

F
Fairing Strips Glued in place.

 

[Papa Elf]

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.

 

[Papa Elf]

Stabelizers Attached.

 

[Papa Elf]

Fins glued on. I ended up having to do them one at a time. They did not want to stay in place unless I positioned the rocket a certain way.

 

[Papa Elf]

Canopy Location marks applied.


Launch Lug glued on.




What a shock... shock cord attached!

 

[Papa Elf]

MoreRockets sent me the corrected Card Stock sheet. I noticed they didn't adjust the walls for the scoop.


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.


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.

 

[Papa Elf]

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.


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.

 

[Papa Elf]

Think I have done enough with the filler and primer. Time to get some paint on her.


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...

 

[Papa Elf]

Cut out the Canopy


Masked off the Canopy


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.

Paint applied. Before it completely dried, I remove the mask.

 

[Papa Elf]

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.


I glue on the canopy and use tape to hold it down until the glue dries. I continue applying decals.


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.

 

[Papa Elf]

Here she is sitting on the launch pad loaded with a C5-3. I decided to upgrade the parachute to a 18"chute. I went with an estes chute to save weight.


Blastoff with a C5-3.

 

[les]

Nice!

 

[Rocket-Fan]

Beautiful flight. Any idea of altitude?

 

[GlenP]

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!

 

[neil_w]

Beautiful rocket, beautiful flight.

 

[BABAR]

The Pew Pew sticks survived?

Strong Work!

Great build and finish.

 

[neil_w]

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.

 

[NTP2]

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.

If you do I’ll be checking if you have been hacked!