DynaSoar
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- Mar 14, 2004
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While visiting Keven at Countdown Hobbies, I asked of he had among his collection of older stuff, any MPC birds with the plastic fin can (I've always liked their Nike Smoke). He didn't, but he pointed out that Quest had some models with plastic fin cans.
Among them I found a really nice looking bird, the Aries, which I bought and built.
The design is sort of Delta/Ariane shape, with a larger main body, smaller upper body, and short payload section flaring back out to the original diameter. The paper tubes have a very excellent white finish on them with barely any spiral visible. I built mine as-is (as they intend) and it looks fine.
The fin can comes in two pieces, which snap together over the motor tube, with tabs on the insides of the can halves protruding through slots in the tube and acting as engine block.
The fins snap into slots and then slide up into place, making a solid lock. There's also a small ring that snaps over the bottom and rotates so that tabs around its circumfrence situate under the fins, preventing them from sliding out. Glue would work as well, but this engineering of this is an extra neatism. Then there is a black plastic half-turn ring for positive motor retention.
There are some very nice color-on-clear vinyl decals with it. There are also some small plastic detail bits which aren't necessary but are a nice opition.
The design, implimentation and finish of this bird is worth twice the $10 I paid for it. If this is the way Quest is going, I'll be buying more of my LPR birds from them.
Among them I found a really nice looking bird, the Aries, which I bought and built.
The design is sort of Delta/Ariane shape, with a larger main body, smaller upper body, and short payload section flaring back out to the original diameter. The paper tubes have a very excellent white finish on them with barely any spiral visible. I built mine as-is (as they intend) and it looks fine.
The fin can comes in two pieces, which snap together over the motor tube, with tabs on the insides of the can halves protruding through slots in the tube and acting as engine block.
The fins snap into slots and then slide up into place, making a solid lock. There's also a small ring that snaps over the bottom and rotates so that tabs around its circumfrence situate under the fins, preventing them from sliding out. Glue would work as well, but this engineering of this is an extra neatism. Then there is a black plastic half-turn ring for positive motor retention.
There are some very nice color-on-clear vinyl decals with it. There are also some small plastic detail bits which aren't necessary but are a nice opition.
The design, implimentation and finish of this bird is worth twice the $10 I paid for it. If this is the way Quest is going, I'll be buying more of my LPR birds from them.