Navajo
Active Member
- Joined
- Jan 12, 2004
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I just finished building the Quest Tomahawk. The model was typical Quest, and I would say that because of the boat tail and belly air scoop arrangement this is definitely skill level 3.
I would point out that the die cut tail fins were an uneven size and had to be sanded quite a bit! Also the balsa stock was fairly thin and pliable. The nose cone outer diameter is a little larger than the body tube, so you have a choice to either sand it level or live with it......I am living with it. The Kevlar shock cord tied on to the engine mount and passed and glued through the centering ring is typical quest, and I modify all my rockets in this fashion. I reckon that the elastic glued to a piece of paper at the top of the body tube always gives you dents at the top of the body tube lip.
I used nhp pva adhesive and micro fill to finish off the boat tail joint to to body tube, and also to smooth out the glue tab on the belly air scoop. A little light sanding later, and the result is seamless. In order to fill the nose cone with the clay weight, the instuctions tell you to saw off a piece off at the rear of the nose cone and the use a pencil to shove the clay in. I glued back my piece of nose cone with plastic cement and the sanded it smooth when it was dry. This is important otherwise the sharp burs will tear the top of the body tube from the inside!
Overall it was a fun and challenging kit to build. Pay particular attention to the boat tail and belly air scoop assembly, as these are probably the trickiest parts of the build.
Here are some pics. At the moment it is butt naked...will prime and paint it next weekend.
I'll let you know how it fly's.
navajo
I would point out that the die cut tail fins were an uneven size and had to be sanded quite a bit! Also the balsa stock was fairly thin and pliable. The nose cone outer diameter is a little larger than the body tube, so you have a choice to either sand it level or live with it......I am living with it. The Kevlar shock cord tied on to the engine mount and passed and glued through the centering ring is typical quest, and I modify all my rockets in this fashion. I reckon that the elastic glued to a piece of paper at the top of the body tube always gives you dents at the top of the body tube lip.
I used nhp pva adhesive and micro fill to finish off the boat tail joint to to body tube, and also to smooth out the glue tab on the belly air scoop. A little light sanding later, and the result is seamless. In order to fill the nose cone with the clay weight, the instuctions tell you to saw off a piece off at the rear of the nose cone and the use a pencil to shove the clay in. I glued back my piece of nose cone with plastic cement and the sanded it smooth when it was dry. This is important otherwise the sharp burs will tear the top of the body tube from the inside!
Overall it was a fun and challenging kit to build. Pay particular attention to the boat tail and belly air scoop assembly, as these are probably the trickiest parts of the build.
Here are some pics. At the moment it is butt naked...will prime and paint it next weekend.
I'll let you know how it fly's.
navajo