Orbital Transport

[Lee Reep]

Finally, my OT is done. It took me almost two months to sand/fill/prime (OK, somethimes it sat for a week or two ...).

Finish is Gloss White Rustoleum Professional Enamel (not sure what makes it "professional", but I definitely like this stuff better than regular Rustoleum). I had painted the transport and the glider two different shades of Testors white by accident. The Rustoleum went over them just fine.

The decals are not Estes standard (red), but green ones I got from JimZ (the plans guy). I'm not sure if he still sells decals -- I've had these for 3-4 years.

 

[rstaff3]

Looks good in green

 

[EMRR]

Yes, I agree. Green (and the whole dern thing) looks great.

Nick

 

[sandman]

Lee,

Super Duper job. Green was a really good idea...

Now I'm disapointed...JimZ just gave me my upscale ones last Friday and they are red...too late to change it now.

Yes, JimZ is making decals again!!!

Look for more updates on his web site real soon!

I'll post some pics as soon as I put them on.

Good work, Lee.

sandman

 

[Jase]

Lee,

That thing is awesome! Great job! I do like the green as well.

Maybe Jim will read these posts and do a choice of red or green.

 

[KermieD]

Great looking rocket!!!

 

[Milo]

Man that is just inspirational. Dude, great job!

 

[eugenefl]

I have nothing but good things to say....

Great attention to detail! That is one good looking rocket. Be sure and pack some waterless hand cleaner in your range box before handling it out on the range. You definitely don't want smudge marks on that beauty!

Will it be a flier or a display model?

Good job!

 

[Lee Reep]

I knew green would be popular with "KermieD", but glad the rest of you like the color!

Thanks for all the compliments. By the way, JimZ will recolor the OT decals (and probably any others of his). I told him I wanted the decals in a "kelly green" and he provided them without any extra cost. I've got a red set, and I've thought of getting some in blue. Maybe a whole fleet of Orbital Transports?

Sandman: My set of upscaled decals (from Tango Papa) are red, too. Maybe I should start mine next? Is yours a 1.68X upscale -- i.e. BT-60 main tube for transport?

 

[sandman]

Lee,

Yes, my upscale OT is based on a BT-60 (168%).

All painted and ready...just need ab couple of uniterupted hours in my schedule to put the decals on.

sandman

 

[Lee Reep]

sandman -- I think I speak for all here in saying that you deserve a break from all your hard work ... so you can apply those decals, and take some pics.

And "eugenfl" asked if mine was display or flyer -- definitely flyer. Which reminds me, I never put in the shock cord! Oh, well, plenty of time before our next launch.

 

[KermieD]

Originally posted by Lee Reep
I knew green would be popular with "KermieD", but glad the rest of you like the color!

Hey, it's not easy being green. It's about time someone recognizes that.

 

[Fishhead]

Inspirational indeed. My OT clone is currently sitting in a 90% finished state needing only paint and decals to be ready for the flight line. I can usually find about an hour a day to work on rocketry. At that rate, mine should be ready to fly by August. Mine will be using JimZ decals also. I bought a set last year before NARAM, but didn't get around to starting construction until this spring. Maybe if I time it out right I can get mine flying before Estes "reissues" theirs.

 

[Lee Reep]

My Estes Saturn V has been at the 90% level for over 5 years! I keep looking at it, and tackling simpler projects. Maybe if I set a goal of doing even 15-20 minutes every few nights, I'd have it done this Summer.

 

[Dogsbd]

Originally posted by Lee Reep
My Estes Saturn V has been at the 90% level for over 5 years! I keep looking at it, and tackling simpler projects. Maybe if I set a goal of doing even 15-20 minutes every few nights, I'd have it done this Summer.

Oh thats scary. I just won a Saturn V (kit #2001) on Ebay. It can't be that bad, can it?

Which reminds me, I'm gonna post a plea for SV building tips in "Techniques".

 

[Lee Reep]

The Saturn V was a fun build. I finished it in the winter months, so I knew it would be springtime before it got primed and painted. Then I started travelling with a job change. Then I decided I'd use my airbrush for all the black sections. Then I decided I wouldn't paint in the basement until I got my paint booth done. The booth is done, it just needs to be vented outside.

So all this procrastination added up to 5 years! I think I may go prime it tomorrow.

I received my Apogee Saturn 1B a month ago. I then was thinking of building one of my Estes Saturn 1Bs as a "test" before the Apogee kit. Then I told myself I was being ridiculous -- finish the "V" first!

 

[eugenefl]

Originally posted by sandman
Lee,

Yes, my upscale OT is based on a BT-60 (168%).

All painted and ready...just need ab couple of uniterupted hours in my schedule to put the decals on.

sandman

Holy cow! Did I miss this post? A BT60? Wow...I would definitely love to see something like that fly. I take it the glider characteristics don't change much so long as the weight is in proportion to the new size.

For those of you that have unfinished projects, I have about 4 of my own. Estes Magnum - needs paint/decals, PER Patriot - paint/decals, Semi-scale 3" Magnum - Paint/decals, BT80 Gyroc - paint/decals. I guess the plan is to get them all up to speed (ie - filled, primed, sanded), then give them their paint jobs one by one, and finally decorate them with decals. It is almost as if I leave myself no choice but to finish them. This way, I can't look over at a pile of parts and want to build something else.

Originally posted by Lee Reep
And "eugenfl" asked if mine was display or flyer -- definitely flyer. Which reminds me, I never put in the shock cord! Oh, well, plenty of time before our next launch.

I guess its the attitude a father has for his child. He builds his child a new toy box, varnish and all. Proud he's done a great job spending hours making it look beautiful, he gives it to the son knowing the imperfections of playtime and young hands will come. Later down the road, the memory of hard work and beauty still stands.

I guess all it takes is to have the patience of an adult, yet the spirit of a kid to play with such a precious toy...err, rocket.

- Eugene

 

[Lee Reep]

Gosh, Eugene, looks like this Orbital Transport thread kinda brought out the philosopher/poet in you.

Seriously, though, there does seem to be that fine line between emotional attachment to a build, and then saying "Maybe this one is for display, and not to fly". But I just gotta fly this thing! I spent a lot of time trimming the glider, so it should come back fine. (Unlike my Flying Jenny, that glided great for 50 feet, then took a nosedive and rekitted itself.)

I'm really dying to get started on the BT-60-based upscale.

sandman -- if you are out there: We would be happy to see "in-progress" pics, if you haven't completed your upscale yet.

 

[sandman]

OK here they are in all there glory.

My OT clone and my upscale %168 BT-60 based rendition. The decals are in my hot little hands and i will put them on as soon as my brotherin-law stops bugging me to finish his sailboat.

Upscale is like I said 168% but the Orbiter is based on a BT-55 so it is 174%...just a scocsh bigger.

Actually the bigger orbiter seems to glide better than the little one.

By the way...all the shock cords are installed and ready to go.

Enjoy.

sandman

 

[Lee Reep]

sandman --
That upscale looks HUGE! It is deceiving when you hear "168%" version. Looks much bigger. Tonight I took my balsa templates from the original kit and scaled them 168% on my OfficeJet printer. Sure enough, they look enormous.

I found some Quest T30 tubing I had bought cheap at a store closeout, and it will work just fine for the glider (~1.18" diameter, or about 160% scale-up). Will need to turn a balsa nose cone for this tubing.

Rather than splice two standard BT-60s to get the needed length, I may mail order some 34" tubes. But I'm going to start building the glider right away.

 

[eugenefl]

I think Pringles coined the phrase best - "Once you pop, you can't stop."

You guys are unbelievable. Have fun with the new upscale Lee.

I guess I can't speak much. I plan on making a 4" Gyroc once I finish the BT80 version. BTW, it will get its maiden flight on either an F20-4 or a G35-4 TOMORROW!!! I have to update the thread I started in the Scratch Built forums. More details to come...

 

[Lee Reep]

Now a 4" Gyroc coming back in via helicopter recovery will get a crowd's attention!

Of course, we will expect to see the family picture of Papa Gyroc, Mama Gyroc, and baby Gyroc, too ...

 

[Stymye]

lee
that is the nicest ot i have ever seen
to pretty to fly!

 

[Lee Reep]

stymye,

Thanks for the kind words. I did something to the OT that will make it easier to fly -- I kinda messed up the finish.

I decided to use Testor's Dullcoat to protect the decals, and give it a more realistic, flat finish. The can I used was kinda old, and the finish has a slight amber tint to it. It could be that Dullcoat is like this normally, but I've never used it over gloss white. I've always used something like Krylon Kamar clear.

In the spirit of grungy aircraft like X-wings in Star Wars, I then decided to dry brush some flat black streaks around the engine tubes on transport and glider, to give it a "well flown" look.

Overall, it's not bad, but I think I'll experiment with other flat finishes, or lat least a newer can of Dullcoat, before just spraying an otherwise pristine model!

 

[Stymye]

I have used future floor wax mixed with a little windshield wiper fluid thru an airbrush....I spray a thick coat, let dry,. apply decals than 2 more thin coats of the mixture.
It makes the entire model have a solid even finish and blends decals in very nicely..the wax is "self leveling" so overspray is not a problem . on nosecones I fill a container with pure future and dip the cone in and let it hang to dry,
it even makes an unpainted and smooth sanded plastic cone shine
sometimes the future will get cloudy after spraying but clears up as it drys..
I borrowed this trick from my scale modeling days

 

[sandman]

Lee,

I don't mean to scare you but, my experience with Testors Dullcote is that after about 3 or 4 years it turns yellow on plastic models.

I just use future now.

I think your OT will be fine.

sandman

 

[Lee Reep]

Sounds like Future is in my future ...

Thanks!

 

[sandman]

Well, it took me a while but here are my two OT's "ready to fly".

Launch tomorrow so depending on the weather they should both fly.

The launch site is next to a busy freeway...I'll watch others fly FIRST!

sandman

P.S. Sorry about the picture quality...my $30.00 digital camara really doesn't like white rockets. That is the best of about 120 different pictures I took!

 

[KenParker]

They look really cool, sand. Good luck on the launching.

 

[jflis]

New to this community, but not to the OT. I've had a BT70 based one (using dual 24mm cluster) and a BT-5 based mini version that i've been flying for years.

You can see my maxi-OT at:
https://jflis.com/hobbies/rocketry/photos_xport.htm

and my mini-OT at:
https://jflis.com/hobbies/rocketry/grand_rocket/images/P5190047.jpg
and
https://jflis.com/hobbies/rocketry/grand_rocket/images/P5190003.jpg

The OT is one of my favorite models, along with the Mars Snooper and Cobra

Great work here, on the OT. WOuld be great to see a display of all sizes from BT-5 to BT-80, side by side!

jim