Super Sonic Stealth (Dick Mooradian)

[Conan]

I purchased this kit (two of them, actually) based on a review that was in Sport Rocketry about a year ago. And I've been working on it (off and on) for nearly a year as well.

To summarize to date, this may be the most challenging low power kit I've ever built. It is definitely NOT your typical modroc build!

Here is a picture of the parts layout. There are a bunch of parts, and many of them are very delicate 1/32" and 1/16" balsa, bass, and ply...

 

[Conan]

First off, I had to trim every bulkhead center, as the holes were too small for the body tube. Given the delicateness of those parts, that was a challenge.

The first part of the build, you essentially tack-glue the parts in place. This makes it easier to adjust for fit as the rocket goes together. The basic fin assembly in the back goes together fairly normally, although sanding a wedge into such thin fins is fun.

The next thing is to make sure all the bulkheads line up, since the launch lug will go through them and cannot bind.

You also build up the shock cord mount here, although it's fairly easy since the body tube will be covered up by the "stealth faceted" shrouds and you mount the cord external to the BT and feed it through a small hole into the tube.

The forward part of the tube forms the nose cone area when the shrouds are completed and holds nose weight. I should also mention that the kit offers two options for fin mounting -- the standard mount and a more forward mounting. I chose to keep the standard mount, which simplifies the build somewhat...

Here is a picture of the body tube with bulkheads and fin assemblies mounted...you can see the shrouds in the background.

 

[Conan]

Here's another picture at the same point in the build. This one has the forward "nose cone base" mounted in the body tube.

 

[DynaSoar]

Originally posted by Conan
I purchased this kit (two of them, actually) based on a review that was in Sport Rocketry about a year ago. And I've been working on it (off and on) for nearly a year as well.

I've never seen this kit before. Just how "stealth" is it?

Is it THIS stealth?


Seriously, got a picture of it finished? I don't have the magazine.

 

[Conan]

At this point, I had a long delay in the build. Part was finding the time; part was that, at this junction, you have to sand bevels in all the shrouds and that was just intimidating for me.

Each shroud has two different bevels depending on how many "join" together at that point along the rocket's length to form the body. Where there are three that form a triangle, you have to bevel them 30 degrees so you join with a 60 degree angle at each corner of the triangle. Where there are six that form a hexagon, it's a 60 degree bevel. I finally worked up the moxie to get to work on this and it actually wasn't as bad as I feared. I used a flat block with 220 grit paper and pretty-much estimated the bevels. Turns out I did OK, based on how they fit together when I started putting the shrouds on.

Then you are to dry fit the shrouds with rubber bands before starting to "hard glue" everything. I then started with one of the rear shrouds (the 5-sided ones) and glued it on. At this point, I just went slow -- I used gel CA to tack the shrouds on, then yellow wood glue for overall glue.

Once I got three of the shrouds on, I then went inside and used combination of white glue, yellow glue, and thirty minute epoxy to "hard glue" all the bulkheads and the shroud junctions. I've also used a sanding block to clean up all the outer shroud junctions after each is glued to try and keep it manageable. There are a few gaps that will need filling, but it's going together pretty well.

This is basically where I am now, partially complete with the shroud mounting. One thing you have to do is mark the diagonal forward shrouds for the cut line that makes the "nose cone" assembly. I've done that but after the pictures. However, it's critical since you want to be able to get to the screws that hold the bulkhead into the forward BT (between the two most forward bulkheads).

Here's a picture of the assembly with three of the shrouds glued on...

 

[Conan]

And here's a picture at the same point with the model flipped over so you can see the exterior of the shrouds...

More to come as I complete the model.

 

[Conan]

Dynasaur...

I'm still in progress, so I don't have a finished picture yet. I went and checked my e-mail files and I sent the original request to Dick concerning the kit in late Jan of last year. That means the review should have been in either the Nov-Dec 03 or Jan 04 time frame. Unfortunately, since the USAF will be moving us again this summer (place TBD yet), we've started packing some stuff up and one of those packed-up things is my magazine stash. So I can't find it and scan it in for you. Perhaps someone else can. If you like, I can PM you the contact information and you can touch base with Dick. To my knowledge he's e-mail only (no web presence). He may have a finished picture he can send you.

He apparently kits these up on an as-requested basis. I had to wait a month or so for him to kit up a batch based on requests he got from that review.

 

[powderburner]

Your work looks great so far. It should pay off in a really nice MR.
I have to wonder about the basic design approach to the kit, however----it sure looks like it would have been a whole bunch easier to make the fwd and aft external covers from cardstock (even heavy cardstock, if you are worried about durability) and just make folds to create those corners. Granted, the irregular cardstock joint between the front and rear would be a pain....

 

[Fore Check]

I've read the review that you're referring to, and I actually got to meet the designer of the kit fly his at this past NSL in Hearne, TX. Good looking rocket!

Interesting info on your build. I thought about ordering one for myself, but I have sooooooooo many unbuilt kits and stuff as it is.......

 

[Stymye]

powder something a little different like a totaly balsa kit is pretty cool ...kinda like the old Guillows kits, a unique kit , change of pace..I like it! Conan , 2 words..launch pic

 

[Conan]

I've gotten a slight bit further along in the build and thought I'd post a few pictures as an update.

This one is with one more of the front shrouds installed (making 4 of 6). It's kind of edge on, but you can still see it. You can also see the cross-brace (triangle-brace?) near the nose.

 

[Conan]

This picture shows how the launch rod (1/8") will go into the rocket. You can also see the remaining two exterior shrouds. I'll explain the "door" in the diagonal one in a minute...

 

[Conan]

This one shows the interior view of the remaining diamond-shaped shroud. The door mechanism is to allow the launch rod to pass through, and then it springs back shut when the rocket clears the rod. Looks like a weird way to do things, but it works extremely well.

 

[Conan]

This view shows the exterior view of the same piece, with a launch rod passing through the door as it will on the completed rocket.

It's a pretty neat setup...

If I had thought far enough ahead, I might have worked to put a "jagged" edge on the door, to match the stealth faceting motif like the openings on the F-117A appear. Oh well.

 

[Conan]

And here's where I am at present. I've basically tacked down the final diagonal shroud and letting it sit. Will work on fitting the remainder of the shroud tomorrow and trying to ensure maximum internal glue coverage on the joints; it's getting harder and harder to do that as more shrouds get mounted!

As the exterior gets more pieces, the fit of the parts is somewhat less clean. I'll obviously have to use some filler and sanding to shape a few of the joints of the external facets. Fortunately, it doesn't seem that there are any really extreme gaps that would cause major problems.

Enjoy,

 

[SwingWing]

This is a really interesting kit. Is he still selling them anywhere?

 

[Conan]

I can't say for sure whether or not he's still selling them. I imagine he might make them in batches as requested.

My last e-mail exchange was almost a year ago. At that time, his e-mail address was:

rocketdog1_at_aol_dot_com

They were $20 including shipping (priority mail) at that time.

Hope that helps,

 

[Conan]

Been slack (and sick) so have made only a little progress to date.

This picture shows the kit with five of the six shrouds glued on. Beginning to really take on the faceted "stealth" look. Although getting good solid glue joint internal fillets is getting harder.

 

[Conan]

This picture is essentially the same view with a 1/8" launch rod showing how it will work with the spring door.

 

[Conan]

However, on the fifth shroud I finally ran into an alignment problem that required some minor surgery to straighten out. Shouldn't be a big issue, and I think I'll be able to clean up the area with some filler and sanding.

Remaining major tasks:

- Mount final shroud
- Cut off nose cone area (you can see the pencil lines I've drawn on some of the photos -- this is between the final two bulkheads)
- Final filling and sanding to clean up the surfaces and joints
- Paint (probably will go with a black pseudo-F117 look)

Remaining minor tasks:

- Recovery system
- Miscellaneous doo-dads

 

[DavyRocket]

Hello,
I need the instructions for this kit. Does anyone have a copy that they can share?

Thanks!
Dave V.

 

[BABAR]

maybe not a record for necro-thread resurrection, but close.

plans are here:

 

[DavyRocket]

Babar, I don't see a link in your post ...?

Thanks!
Dave V.

 

[kuririn]

maybe not a record for necro-thread resurrection, but close.

plans are here:

Babar, I don't see a link in your post ...?

Dave, what day was yesterday when Babar posted that?

 

[BABAR]

Babar, I don't see a link in your post ...?

Thanks!
Dave V.

Exactly

It's there, just in stealth mode