Scratch built 1/24 Redstone

[U812]

It's amazing what you can do with a mailer tube, some of Lansbergen's great paper wraps, and some balsa.

Basically this is an up scaled Zooch style build. The capsule will be balsa and card stock with the paper wraps too but I'll add a real window and some true relief to the mix.

I will be flying this on a G re loadable motor no doubt. Maybe more. Depends on the weight but it will be light.

Here's today's progress. Although I did spend some spare time the other night to up the resolution of Lansbergen's wraps by opening them as PDF as much as full screen as possible and using the good ole print to screen function and pasting to a new file in Photo Shop at 200 DPI. Then I sized them to wrap around a 3 inch tube. Easy stuff but effective.

More as I go.

Steve

 

[U812]

A few more pics.

 

[Rocketcrab]

First of all, looks like another great project you have going there. The MR is one of my "Big 3" rockets of all time - along with the Saturn 1B and the Vostok/Soyuz family. And here I thought I was being clever by cloning the LOC Forte and Caliber ISP using 3" diameter mailing tubes! But here's where you lose me: "Although I did spend some spare time the other night to up the resolution of Lansbergen's wraps by opening them as PDF as much as full screen as possible and using the good ole print to screen function and pasting to a new file in Photo Shop at 200 DPI. Then I sized them to wrap around a 3 inch tube. Easy stuff but effective." Oh, it's me, not you! If I read each word, then word combinations, I think I get it. But for computer-morons like me, it's like learning to walk all over again [one step at a time]. :cyclops: Don't sell yourself short - for a lot of us, resizing those wraps would be the HARD part!! :y:

I can't wait to see the finished product, please keep us up to date!!

 

[U812]

Rocketcrab. Really you can do it. It's just button pushing!

Thanks,

Steve

 

[tibadoe]

Nice job

 

[U812]

Thanks Joe.

Steve

 

[luke strawwalker]

First of all, looks like another great project you have going there. The MR is one of my "Big 3" rockets of all time - along with the Saturn 1B and the Vostok/Soyuz family. And here I thought I was being clever by cloning the LOC Forte and Caliber ISP using 3" diameter mailing tubes! But here's where you lose me: "Although I did spend some spare time the other night to up the resolution of Lansbergen's wraps by opening them as PDF as much as full screen as possible and using the good ole print to screen function and pasting to a new file in Photo Shop at 200 DPI. Then I sized them to wrap around a 3 inch tube. Easy stuff but effective." Oh, it's me, not you! If I read each word, then word combinations, I think I get it. But for computer-morons like me, it's like learning to walk all over again [one step at a time]. :cyclops: Don't sell yourself short - for a lot of us, resizing those wraps would be the HARD part!! :y:

I can't wait to see the finished product, please keep us up to date!!

You can say that again crab!! I've played with some stuff on the computer for hobby use, but I'm just blindly flailing forward and know I'm only scratching the surface of what's possible, but I don't even know the right questions to ask...

Ya know what we need?? We need a "Computer Hobby Projects for Dummies" type of book-- something that would explain how to modify paper-models into wraps for rockets, explains how to make stuff like gum-cams work with computers and make DVD's that will play in an ordinary DVD player, and other stuff like that. Written for those of us who are 'old farts' and not quite up to speed on the computer revolution and the latest and greatest in tech-- how to make decals, and probably a hundred other cool things I haven't even thought of.

That would be a GOOD thing to have and a big seller... OL JR

 

[U812]

Hey I'm no spring chicken. 57 and growing.

But yest it's not a bad idea at all.

I did a book called Submarine Modeling for Dumb Asses that's on my web page. It's really a simple book that shows you how to scratch build just about any model using basic techniques. It was easy though compared to the type of book suggested here.

Steve

 

[Rocketcrab]

You can say that again crab!! I've played with some stuff on the computer for hobby use, but I'm just blindly flailing forward and know I'm only scratching the surface of what's possible, but I don't even know the right questions to ask...

Ya know what we need?? We need a "Computer Hobby Projects for Dummies" type of book-- something that would explain how to modify paper-models into wraps for rockets, explains how to make stuff like gum-cams work with computers and make DVD's that will play in an ordinary DVD player, and other stuff like that. Written for those of us who are 'old farts' and not quite up to speed on the computer revolution and the latest and greatest in tech-- how to make decals, and probably a hundred other cool things I haven't even thought of.

That would be a GOOD thing to have and a big seller... OL JR

As my hereo Emeril Legasse says, "and there ya have it!". I have made my own decals - it's the dern printers that mess them up - but a "gum-cam"??? :confused2: I think we just need to drop in on U812 at his house and pick his brain. Besides, at 57, he's actually older than me!! Ok, only by 4 years, but who's counting???

 

[Rocket Al]

Hey I'm no spring chicken. 57 and growing.

Steve

Sweet mother of God!! There is somebody in MUFX that's older than me. I was getting awfully lonely up here at 49, figuring that I was going to be the "old man" ( except maybe for Gary Jones, and he's only about 6 months older, and not primarily an FX guy....)


Alan

 

[U812]

Alan you're just a kid still. We all are! Who the hell else plays with such cool toys but a bunch of kids. Stop playing with toys and you get old. It's that simple.

Steve

 

[U812]

Thanks Frank. And more expensive! I'm sure the motor for this baby won't be cheap per flight.

More done today. Decided to go through with making up the capsule to save me from the boredom of the fins. Except for the escape tower I nearly have a framed up model.

Plus I need to make up that 29 mm motor mount.

Here's today's progress.

I started by sizing up the capsule wrap I found on the net. I just printed out B&W versions to save on ink until I got the right fit. then used that to make the supporting balsa parts. I think the pictures tell the story.

Steve

 

[Bravo52]

Here's today's progress.

Steve

Wow.... sweat....:clap:

 

[U812]

Thanks Bravo.

Steve

 

[dave carver]

As my hereo Emeril Legasse says, "and there ya have it!". I have made my own decals - it's the dern printers that mess them up - but a "gum-cam"??? :confused2: I think we just need to drop in on U812 at his house and pick his brain. Besides, at 57, he's actually older than me!! Ok, only by 4 years, but who's counting???

...53 here, too, I think...I lost track a long time ago

 

[U812]

As my hereo Emeril Legasse says, "and there ya have it!". I have made my own decals - it's the dern printers that mess them up - but a "gum-cam"??? :confused2: I think we just need to drop in on U812 at his house and pick his brain. Besides, at 57, he's actually older than me!! Ok, only by 4 years, but who's counting???

I missed this some how but if you can get here the door is open to any and all Rocketeers! Come on down!

Steve

 

[GuyNoir]

That bird's shaping up like a champ. I did something similar using a Merc Redstone paper model and scaling it up, using a program called "Click to Poster". It enlarges 8 1/2 x 11 pages to poster side by letting you select how many 8 1/2 X 11 sheets you want the resulting poster to be.

Most of the paper models are PDF, so if you have (or have access to) a full Adobe version, you can skip using a program like this. But if you don't (and I don't) and you're cheap (like I am), a $20 investment gets you most of what you need to enlarge these 1/96th scale paper birds into something that won't tax aging eyes (like mine).

Assuming you've ended up with a 3" dia. bird, a 24 MM mount will be fine. I flew my 3" Merc - Redstone on D12's and everyone comments about how majestic the whole flight is. I liked the bird so much, I entered it in NARAM-50's Sport Scale event on a lark. It finished somewhere in the middle of the pack, but got 170 of 200 dimensional points. Not bad at all.

 

[U812]

Great looking Redstone. Nice picture too.

Thanks for the tips and the kind comment. Working on the fins now. My least favorite part.

Steve

 

[Grif Ingram]

This reminds me of a movie I saw a couple of times on TV called "The Mercury Project" - anyone ever seen it? A kid whose uncle owns a space museum gets hold of a Mercury capsule and a Redstone and, with the help of his science class at school, gets to ride it to space - hokum, but if only...Also, I recently got a copy of "The Astronaut Farmer" also hokum, but great fun! I might even do a Mercury-Atlas as per the film as a tribute!
Grif

 

[U812]

Getting close to done. I do have to attack the bells to the escape tower. Seal the wraps with clear Krylon. A bit more work to the adapter ring. The red ring isn't there yet. A few more scale details but the basic ship is all there now.

I need to weight it next and you guys can help me figure out the best power for it before I can make the engine mount and a launcher for this bigger Rocket.

All fun and in time.

Steve

P.S. Grif I loved Astronaut Farmer of course but didn't see the other one. I'll have to track it down.

 

[GuyNoir]

I do have to attack the bells to the escape tower. Seal the wraps with clear Krylon.

Built a stand alone escape tower, I see. Nicely done.

Say, is that a Mike Machat print I see in the background??

 

[U812]

Yes it is. 598 out of a 1000. Signed in pencil by himself and Yeager.

Yes the tower is removable for transport. Hopefully not during flight.

Steve

 

[U812]

A bit more work done tonight. Still plenty to do but it's looking like a Redstone now I think.

The escape tower was a nightmare to make but will be easier the second time if and when I have to replace it.

Steve

 

[Grif Ingram]

Steve, go here for info on "The Mercury Project" movie:

https://www.moria.co.nz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2503&Itemid=1

Grif

 

[U812]

Thanks Grif!

steve

 

[U812]

Finally got the motor mount built. Will get the clip in tomorrow. Also my chute showed up today. A 36 inch nylon.

Guess I'll have to build and launch pad for this one. That Estes pad won't do for this one.

I plan to use 1/4 inch lugs which I have here.

Any plans or pictures of a pad I could build out there?

Steve

 

[U812]

I would love to know what kind of mount I should have build in order to accommodate this re loadable motor. It fits well without the end cap on so I will order a couple of single use for it's maiden.

If anyone would like to enlighten me on this subject it would be much appreciated so I don't make the same mistake in the future.

Steve

 

[UPscaler]

I would love to know what kind of mount I should have build in order to accommodate this re loadable motor. It fits well without the end cap on so I will order a couple of single use for it's maiden.

If anyone would like to enlighten me on this subject it would be much appreciated so I don't make the same mistake in the future.

Steve

actually, it will fit fine, see the side you have hanging out of the rocket is actually the delay side, the nozzle comes through the other closure in your hand
So put the closure on and flip the motor around. The "end cap" won't go in the tube, as it is not meant to. It buts up against the tube and will provide extra insurance that the motor will not fly up in the rocket.

This is a beautiful build, I wouldn't want to let you go blow a ton of money on SU motors while you have a RMS case. So just in case I didn't explain it well (wouldn't be the first time ) I will demonstrate with my AT mustang.

I recommend a G64 White Lightning for the first flight

 

[U812]

Ahhhhhhhh...now that I feel like a real dumbass I'll finish by saying, "THANK YOU."

I am now truly enlightened. Fits perfect now. Picture at 11.

Many thanks again,

Steve

 

[UPscaler]

Ahhhhhhhh...now that I feel like a real dumbass I'll finish by saying, "THANK YOU."

I am now truly enlightened. Fits perfect now. Picture at 11.

Many thanks again,

Steve

:roll:]
No need to feel that way, I got my case from a friend who quit rocketry for a while, took me forever to figure that out as well