NARCON Flis Kits Goddard Nell Build

[tonypv]

This is the second rocket that will be given to Mott Linn, the Clark University Archivist, at NARCON. The other rocket the L-13 can be found in this thread.

This a sport scale model of Goddard's first liquid fueled rocket called Nell. Attached is scan of a Peter Alway drawing from his Retro Rockets book.

The L-13 is a display model but Nell will be flown at the NARCON launch and then presented to Dr. Linn.
This is also a beta build for the kit so this will be a stock build. This is a lot more involved build than the L-13, but easier to paint.

You start off by cutting eight tubes to length.
The upper section is the motor mount with a paper shroud, recovery tube (BT-55) and nose cone. The shroud has a hole on each side to accept the BT-2 tubes later in the build.

 

[tonypv]

The lower section is three tubes, BTs 50, 60 and 70 and a centering ring with a fiber plug with a hole. Alignment lines are drawn on all the tubes and centering rings glued to the two smaller tubes.
They are glued together one inside the other. There is also a paper cone and a wire bent into a "J" shape. A 13mm motor casing was the perfect diameter for bending the wire.
A hole is drilled into the lowest centering ring along the alignment line that the wire is glued into as well as the plug at the base.
The cone and the BT-70 have holes on each side for the BT-2 tubes as well.

 

[tonypv]

Next is the fuel and oxygen feed tube assemblies made from the BT-2 tubes and 3/16" dowels. For these the instructions recommend using epoxy.
Using a pattern 4 balsa elbow pieces are cut. Two each are glued to two small laser cut plywood elbow on both sides and then sanded to the rounded elbow shape.
Alignment lines are drawn on all the remaning BT-2 tubes. The two elbows are glued into the ends of two of the BT-2s with the inside of the curve aligned with the alignment lines.
A mark is made 6 5/8" from the elbow on the alignment line of each tube. A 1/16" notch is cut into the tube at the mark.
A 3/16" dowel is inserted into the tube and marked at the notch and at the end of the tube. Small stips of masking tape are wrapped around the dowels at each end and on either side of the marks to center the dowels to the tubes.

 

[tonypv]

A notch is cut into the dowels at the notch marks to line up with the notch in the tubes. The dowel is glued into the tube with the notches aligned.
By grasping the tube/dowel on either side of the notch you bend (crack) the tube/dowel to make an angle bend in the tube. You have to be careful not to do this too hard as not to brake the tube/dowel.
Dowels are cut to match two of the BT-2 tubes cut at the beginning. Tape strips are added and glued into these tubes.
Using the Tube Guide sheet these are glued to the main tube/dowel assemblies.
When these are dry another BT-2 is glued onto the dowel with the alignment lines aligned. Another dowel is then inserted and marked. Tape strips are added to the either side of the mark and at the end that goes into the tube. These are then glued into the tubes. I put a 12" ruler with these so you could see how big these are.

 

[tonypv]

Two 7" length of BT-2 are cut and marked 3 5/8" from one end, this end is marked as the top.
A 3/16" notch is cut at the mark. This is slid onto the dowel with the top towards the tube and aligning the lines. The dowel is marked at the notch and at the end of the tube. My tube was just a little longer the the dowel. A corresponding notch is cut into the dowel at the mark and tape strips applied as before.
The tube is then glued onto the dowel making sure to align the notch and alignment lines.
Then as before you bend (crack) the tube/dowel at the notch.
Using the Tube Guide sheet glue the angle into the tube/dowel.
Then this is dry the end of the tube is cut to an angle.
Final tube assemblies.

 

[jflis]

Looking good! We have begun receiving the parts for this kit and have already received the documentation. Hope to begin kitting them up next weekend!

Of course, now I have to work on the web pages...

Keep us posted, Tony!

 

[tonypv]

From a pattern parts for assembly jigs are cut. Jim suggests using cardboard for these so I used the box that the Jim sent the kit in. I added the triangle supports.
There are two jigs, one each for the upper and lower sections.
The nose cone gets a dowel glued on.
The last BT-2 cut at the beginning is fitted with a dowel with tape strips and inserted through the holes in the paper cone.

 

[tonypv]

This by far the trickiest part of the build.
Using a yard stick/ruler align the jigs. After some dry fitting and making sure everything was aligned properly I taped every thing down.
It is suggested to use something to support the tube assemblies in the middle, my Star Wars DVD set was the perfect height.
Each side was glued on one at a time with the tubes going into the various holes.
The final assembly.

 

[BEC]

I don't know where I'm gonna store an assembled Nell....but I'm very very likely to buy one anyway. It is just too cool .

 

[tonypv]

I've seem Jim's prototype a few times and didn't realize just how big it is until I started building it.

 

[jflis]

Looking great Tony! Can't wait to see yours in person. I am going to also bring the two proto types with me and hope to have the launch jig all ready to go. Man, I gotta work up the drawings for the download of that this coming week...

Between the 2 new kits, new catalogs, range box stickers, t-shirts, staff shirts, banners and posters, floods of orders coming in and now the web work needed to get these two kits out there it has been a mad house around here for over a month! And my new Boys & Girls club session starts tomorrow LOL

So, what's the painting schedule for Nell look like?

jim

 

[tonypv]

So, what's the painting schedule for Nell look like?
jim

As of now it has been primed and has the first color on, the light gray for the asbestos.
Tonight I'll mask off the gray and hopefully tomorrow after work I can spray the silver.
After the silver is dry I'll give two coats of Future to the BT-70 (below the paper cone, the polished metal area). When that is dry (a couple of days) I'll unmask the gray. Then I'll mask the Future area and spray the the rest with clear matte. That will be it.
Hope to have it all done this Sat or Sun.
I won't be taking any more pictures until it's done. Sorry.
I'll keep you updated.

 

[tonypv]

I won't be taking any more pictures until it's done. Sorry.

Well... I lied. :blush:

After getting it masked I had a few minutes so....
Here it is masked and ready for the silver.

 

[tonypv]

Quick up date.
Silver has been painted and the first coat of Future is on.

 

[tonypv]

Here is the finished Nell.

You can't see the difference between the glossy silver and the matte silver in the pictures, but there is a difference.

 

[jflis]

Dang, but these rockets sure do look a lot better painted!

I'm going to have to give that some more thought... LOL

Great job Tony! I am working on getting my launch rig repaired (a large mirror fell over on it, fairly destroying it, but I'm close to getting it back together...)

See you in a less than a week!

jim

 

[The EGE]

I am definitely going to pick one up at NARCON. Very very very impressive

 

[tonypv]

Dang, but these rockets sure do look a lot better painted!

I'm going to have to give that some more thought... LOL

Great job Tony! I am working on getting my launch rig repaired (a large mirror fell over on it, fairly destroying it, but I'm close to getting it back together...)

See you in a less than a week!

jim

Thanks Jim.
This was certainly a difference kind of build.

I am definitely going to pick one up at NARCON. Very very very impressive

Thanks.
You'll be able to see in person next week.

 

[tonypv]

Well we got to launch a few yesterday. Light rain and some wind.
Nell was launched with a B6-2. Boost was good even with the wind. It arced over our heads and the chute deployed about 10-15 above the ground. It suffered some damage on landing. The tube structures broke off on both sides.
It will be repaired and give to Dr. Linn. At least he got to see it before the flight.
Jim got a picture of the damage.
There are more pictures in the NARCON thread.
I'll get some pictures up of the damage later today.

 

[jflis]

The flight was beautiful, awe inspiring and gut wrenching all at the same time!

I was concerned about the wind, but we got that inevitable "sucker lull" and off she went. Nerve wracking too..

During the first launch attempt, the wind blew the launch tower over (Tony, I'm wondering if this mishap contributed to the damage on landing...). We then weighted the tower down with a pipe. 2nd launch attempt, nothing... Then we hear Bill say "oh, are we on pad B?"... LOL

Third time's a charm and she boosted beautifully The wind affected the flight a bit and I don't think she got as much altitude as in previous flights of my proto's. The ejection charge went off but she was getting real close to the ground and the parachute (which deployed and inflated right away) couldn't slow her down much before she hit the ground.

Here's my launch shot and an aftermath shot. Fortunately, it looked like all clean breaks at glue joints. Here's hoping!

 

[Boosterdude]

Really cool looking in flight picture, can't wait to build one.

 

[tonypv]

Well after giving it a closer look I don't think the repairs will be that bad. It will be a little tricky getting everything lined up.
Good thing I didn't throw away the assembly jigs. But then again I don't throw anything away.
Here are some shots of the damage. The small chip that broke off the paper cone must have happen on the way home, the piece was in the bag.

 

[WillMarchant]

You did a beautiful job on the model, Tony. And I thought the flight was great. Too bad about the landing damage but I predict you'll get Nell back together again as good as new.

 

[tonypv]

You did a beautiful job on the model, Tony. And I thought the flight was great. Too bad about the landing damage but I predict you'll get Nell back together again as good as new.

Thanks Will.

 

[tonypv]

I started the repairs on Nell today.
Glued the tube structures back together using the jig set up from the build.
It's all in one piece again.
Now that I have more time to work on it this time around, I thought I would try to simulate the asbestos. I experimented with a few things and decided to use Glad Press N Seal. It's thin and has a texture. I used the cone shroud template to cut a piece for the cone and it fit very well. I'll cut it into strips to wrap the tubes. This will also cover up some of the repairs.
First I have to do some touch ups and need to give the BT-70 section another coat of Future before I wrap the tubes.
Then some masking and painting.

 

[jflis]

Looking good, Tony!

Of course, now I am going to have to plan a trip down to Clark U, after these (Nell and L-13) get installed into the exhibit, to see how they look there

 

[billspad]

I experimented with a few things and decided to use Glad Press N Seal. It's thin and has a texture.

You might have covered this in your presentation that I didn't get to see but is Glad Press N Seal any good for masking?

 

[tonypv]

You might have covered this in your presentation that I didn't get to see but is Glad Press N Seal any good for masking?

Yes, it works great for covering large areas and complex shapes.
In post #13, you can see in the pictures, Press N Seal was used to mask the tubes. I do tape the edges though.

 

[billspad]

Yes, it works great for covering large areas and complex shapes.
In post #13, you can see in the pictures, Press N Seal was used to mask the tubes. I do tape the edges though.

Do you tape the edges because you tried it without tape and found that it bleeds?

 

[tonypv]

Do you tape the edges because you tried it without tape and found that it bleeds?

It doesn't stick like tape so I tape over the edges. It sticks real good to itself so any over lapping areas don't need tape.
This stuff is just used to cover large areas and complex shapes after I mask all the edges with tape.