RocketManDan
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Unless you plan on keeping your bird caged up and not flying it I wouldn't sweat it. After a flew flights it'll get some flight damage.
Have fun and make OREO day
SR-71 Blackbird build thread - FINISHED
- Thread starter Mushtang
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Unless you plan on keeping your bird caged up and not flying it I wouldn't sweat it. After a flew flights it'll get some flight damage.
Have fun and make OREO day
Again, I wasn't saying that this was a problem, I was saying that it was good the way the non printed area disappeared. There is nothing for me to sweat. I like the way the final finish looks. I like it a lot.
Looks awesome. Im going to have to try the matte finish on a suitable bird. I usually go for glossy but maybe its time to expand my horizons. Again, nice jobs with great documentation.
dlazarus6660
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Looks good, now get us a flight report and video!
hornet driver
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That looks great ! Shoot out some pics of the whole bird.
RocketManDan
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Nice job! It looks great!!
Thanks for all the kind words!!
I took the rocket out to the front yard in the sun this evening and took a few more pictures.
Next up - launch pictures.
I took the rocket out to the front yard in the sun this evening and took a few more pictures.
Next up - launch pictures.
RocketManDan
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good luck and lets get that bird back in one piece!
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I know I understood what you meant. Great decals from Sandman, amazing finish, and I agree, unbelievable how the "edges" of the decals essentially completely disappear with that matte finish.
New pics are great. I'm thinking Gallery here!
luke strawwalker
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Looks TERRIFIC Mushtang!! GREAT JOB!!!!
Good luck with yer flight! Later! OL JR
Good luck with yer flight! Later! OL JR
Great looking SR-71 Mushtang!
Hope you have many fun flights with it.
Hope you have many fun flights with it.
mmmdowning
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Awesome job, watching your build it got me hooked and was able to get 2 of them on ebay cheap. I wanted an extra for repairs.
Again awesome job.
Again awesome job.
Lessons Learned during the build:
1. The engine mount should be glued into the main body tube BEFORE the paper coverings are glued on. Don't wait until the end like the instructions say - there's no reason to and the body tube will deform.
2. Have the nose cone in place when gluing on the paper coverings. They overlap the nose cone and butt up against a shoulder in the plastic. If the nose cone isn't in place it will be nearly impossible to accidentally get the paper in the correct place.
3. The edges of the paper coverings shouldn't overlap the balsa fin edge when you glue them on like mine did, but should be nearly flush with the edge where the nacelle meets the wing. Check the image for decal placement and note where the embossed areas end and where the decals will go near the nacelle.
4. Pre curl the paper coverings before gluing them on to avoid accidentally folding the paper during gluing. I didn't fold mine, but it was close. I was pulling pretty hard to try and line up the edge of the paper but the glue held it firm.
5. Check to see if your decals are stickers. They put stickers in the kit for a while before discontinuing the kit completely. I'd recommend Excelsior for new decals either way. Order them after you paint the rocket gloss black so it'll force you to wait a few days while the paint completely dries. No need to sand the gloss paint, just give it a few coats and it will be smooth enough for the decals.
6. Don't try and put on the decals if they're longer than a half inch. Cut the individual images out and put them on separately, otherwise it's EASY to wrinkle them and then rip them beyond repair.
7. After decals dry, cover with a matte clear coat and the final finish will look MUCH better.
8. Apparently the bottom fins are only used on the trainer version of the real life plane, but they're almost certainly necessary for the rocket to fly correctly. If doing it over again I'd glue the upper fins just outside the fin line, and the lower fins just inside the fin lines.
9. If you do a build thread, ignore RocketMan Dan's comments. He's only trying to get a rise out of you by pointing out flaws that don't exist.
1. The engine mount should be glued into the main body tube BEFORE the paper coverings are glued on. Don't wait until the end like the instructions say - there's no reason to and the body tube will deform.
2. Have the nose cone in place when gluing on the paper coverings. They overlap the nose cone and butt up against a shoulder in the plastic. If the nose cone isn't in place it will be nearly impossible to accidentally get the paper in the correct place.
3. The edges of the paper coverings shouldn't overlap the balsa fin edge when you glue them on like mine did, but should be nearly flush with the edge where the nacelle meets the wing. Check the image for decal placement and note where the embossed areas end and where the decals will go near the nacelle.
4. Pre curl the paper coverings before gluing them on to avoid accidentally folding the paper during gluing. I didn't fold mine, but it was close. I was pulling pretty hard to try and line up the edge of the paper but the glue held it firm.
5. Check to see if your decals are stickers. They put stickers in the kit for a while before discontinuing the kit completely. I'd recommend Excelsior for new decals either way. Order them after you paint the rocket gloss black so it'll force you to wait a few days while the paint completely dries. No need to sand the gloss paint, just give it a few coats and it will be smooth enough for the decals.
6. Don't try and put on the decals if they're longer than a half inch. Cut the individual images out and put them on separately, otherwise it's EASY to wrinkle them and then rip them beyond repair.
7. After decals dry, cover with a matte clear coat and the final finish will look MUCH better.
8. Apparently the bottom fins are only used on the trainer version of the real life plane, but they're almost certainly necessary for the rocket to fly correctly. If doing it over again I'd glue the upper fins just outside the fin line, and the lower fins just inside the fin lines.
9. If you do a build thread, ignore RocketMan Dan's comments. He's only trying to get a rise out of you by pointing out flaws that don't exist.
Last edited:
sodmeister
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Yessir ,like the others said ,your kit turned out to be a real beauty ,you should be proud of that ! The decals do indeed make the kit ,no doubt about it ,and the flat is just a nice finishing touch.
Like I said ,I have one built and one in my stash.....hope to find a few more if I can.
One thing I did not add were the white windscreen outlines ,sure wish I would have :blush:
Take care
Paul T
Like I said ,I have one built and one in my stash.....hope to find a few more if I can.
One thing I did not add were the white windscreen outlines ,sure wish I would have :blush:
Take care
Paul T
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You, Sir, are to be commended for not only your timely build and great looking bird, but your patience from the peanut gallery while posting. Hats off, mate, as I, for the life of me, could not post a thread of this magnitude, difficulty and clarity and while still retaining some semblance of civility. I tend to get cranky if interrupted while building and don't even have the patience for camera work as good as yours.A picture is worth a thousand words and you have written a definitive book for this kit. Wishing you great flights and a well deserved pat on the back for a job well done. Thanks!
Tazfire598
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I've had mine sitting in its original package since 1998 and never built it out of fear that I'd screw it up. After viewing this thread I feel like tackling it soon. Thanks for the thread.
That's awesome. I'm glad I could inspire.
Wait a minute!!! Should I take that as, "Well if YOU can do it, I guess anyone can!"
Either way, I'm glad I can help. Heh.
peter_stanley
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Awesome job on that! I have one of those in my build pile. This thread will be a great resource when I get around to building mine..
Can't wait to see some launch pics.
Can't wait to see some launch pics.
GDJ
Semi-retired Rocketry guy
Excellent job! The choice of paint really gives it alot of realism.
I finally got to launch the Blackbird!! Today I went with my son to his school's playground and launched a few. I lost the Hyper-Bat, and damaged the Vostok, but the SR-71 Blackbird flew GREAT!!
Before I left home I packed all the rockets and loaded them with engines. I put a C6-3 in the Blackbird hoping it would fly high and straight, which it did. When we got to the Blackbird's turn to fly I put it on the pad and took a picture first (still thinking about the lost Hyper-Bat) just in case I never saw it again.
Then my son counted down and pushed the button for launch. Unfortunately I didn't get a picture of the take off because when he got to zero nothing happened. I took a picture expecting it to take off but it didn't.
So then I turned to him to ask what was wrong and I heard it take off - so no pic of the launch this time. However, it sounded GREAT and looked awesome because of a large column of smoke that seemed to stay in place with little wind to move it. By the time I thought to take a picture it was too late, but it was amazing. And the sound was like something from a much larger rocket. I don't know if all C engines sound that way since that was the first one I'd launched but I hope it always sounds that nice. I finally did get a picture of the rocket after chute ejection.
Can you see it? That sucker is really high. Here's a close up.
As it came down it pretty much landed on the edge of the field but I was running and was able to catch it in the air! Hooray!!!
What a great day for the SR-71!
Before I left home I packed all the rockets and loaded them with engines. I put a C6-3 in the Blackbird hoping it would fly high and straight, which it did. When we got to the Blackbird's turn to fly I put it on the pad and took a picture first (still thinking about the lost Hyper-Bat) just in case I never saw it again.
Then my son counted down and pushed the button for launch. Unfortunately I didn't get a picture of the take off because when he got to zero nothing happened. I took a picture expecting it to take off but it didn't.
So then I turned to him to ask what was wrong and I heard it take off - so no pic of the launch this time. However, it sounded GREAT and looked awesome because of a large column of smoke that seemed to stay in place with little wind to move it. By the time I thought to take a picture it was too late, but it was amazing. And the sound was like something from a much larger rocket. I don't know if all C engines sound that way since that was the first one I'd launched but I hope it always sounds that nice. I finally did get a picture of the rocket after chute ejection.
Can you see it? That sucker is really high. Here's a close up.
As it came down it pretty much landed on the edge of the field but I was running and was able to catch it in the air! Hooray!!!
What a great day for the SR-71!
Woo-Hoo!
Congratulations!
:handshake:
Congratulations!
:handshake:
I hope it's okay to bump a thread just to add a video.
Here's the Blackbird on a flight this past weekend. This is the 5th flight of this rocket, and the 4 previous went straight up, and came straight down.
This one went straight up, turned, and at several hundred feet seemed to fly level for a short time before the ejection charge fired. I sure wish the Microsoft movie editor I used had the ability to zoom in on part of the image so I could see better what it was doing. The video ends right at ejection because when taking the video I couldn't see anything on the screen and didn't realize I was actually filming anything other than clouds. So I didn't follow it down to the ground like I wish I had.
Tell me what you think.
[video=youtube;4nXJy3uB1p4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nXJy3uB1p4[/video]
Here's the Blackbird on a flight this past weekend. This is the 5th flight of this rocket, and the 4 previous went straight up, and came straight down.
This one went straight up, turned, and at several hundred feet seemed to fly level for a short time before the ejection charge fired. I sure wish the Microsoft movie editor I used had the ability to zoom in on part of the image so I could see better what it was doing. The video ends right at ejection because when taking the video I couldn't see anything on the screen and didn't realize I was actually filming anything other than clouds. So I didn't follow it down to the ground like I wish I had.
Tell me what you think.
[video=youtube;4nXJy3uB1p4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nXJy3uB1p4[/video]
I do it all the time! I jokingly call it necro-posting.
Nice flight! Looked like fun and you've got good camera aiming instincts!
I remember reading your build thread; it's great to see it in the air. Congrats!
JPVegh
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It's always OK to update a thread with video of a rocket launch
. Nice flight, gotta love the way a SR-71 seems to cruise through the air. Yours is one of the prettiest I've seen, good job!
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Mushtang...awesome job with both your SR 71 and your Zooch saturn V!!!
Nice job on the build. I don't know where I saw it...maybe on this forum, but someone converted this model (SR-71) into a three engine flyer. Looked cool. I always liked the SR-71. I wish I could find plans for an upscale version of it.
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