My first clone: Estes Condor

[kenobi65]

One of my favorite rockets from my first go-round with the hobby, as a teenager, was the Estes Condor. Cool looks (sort of an "Orbital Transport Light"), fun to fly.

As all my original rockets were given to the neighbor kids sometime in the late 80s (when I couldn't have cared less), I'm slowly rebuilding some of my old favorites.

Plans from JimZ, parts from Balsa Machining, parachute from Thrustline, decals from Excelsior.

 

[kenobi65]

Another view:

 

[kenobi65]

Sadly, the fates did not smile on this bird.

The first two flights were on 1/2A3-2Ts, which were just not enough power -- might have made 100', which was not enough height to let the glider actually settle into a glide (to paraphrase Monty Python: it did not fly so much as plummet). Also, it weathercocked more than a little. After flight #2, I discovered a small crack in one of the booster's fins, which I repaired.

Flight #3, on an A3-4T, was bad, as I posted here a couple of weeks ago. Severe weathercocking, and a recovery failure -- too much wadding in the BT, and the chute never deployed. Came down fairly hard on the top of the BT, denting it a bit. More alarmingly, the crack on the fin had re-opened, and the fin was starting to come loose from the BT. At least the glider flew alright.

I think I'll have to build a new booster -- I have most of the parts already, and Fred at Excelsior had given me two sets of decals for the kit, so it shouldn't be too bad.

 

[Fishhead]

When I cloned mine I made it an 18mm bird for just the reasons you mentioned. It gives you a much broader ranger of power options and the glider flights only get better. I've built a 1:1 18mm clone and a BT-56 upscale and they're both entertaining.

 

[kenobi65]

Bill,

Actually, it was your write-up of your 18mm clone on EMRR that inspired me to undertake this.

I may have to make the new booster in 18mm...

Mike

 

[Fishhead]

Originally posted by kenobi65
Bill,

Actually, it was your write-up of your 18mm clone on EMRR that inspired me to undertake this.

I may have to make the new booster in 18mm...

Mike

Someone actually reads those?
That was my very first review and reading it now I can really tell. I'd like to ask Nick if I can add some pictures to it, but I keep forgetting. Love the Condor. If I can get the glider to work, you know it has to be foolproof.