Thrustline Arapahoe

[sandman]

This is a bit more than your basic three fins and a nose cone.

John was real fast getting the kit too me even if the post office was a bit rough...just a creased body tube and really...one of the strakes hides it completely!

I opted for the nylon chute option...just 'cause.

The extra "bits" like the strakes and unusual fin shape make this truley unique.

I'm sorry I didn't take more construction pics but...three two piece fins three stakes, a nose cone, body tube and a tail cone. Nothing much to see really until the parts are cut and put together.

The motor mount couldn't be simpler. Glue in the motor block (I did mine to fit an "E" motor), glue the motor tube into the tail cone and put the centering ring over the end...that's about it.

The centering ring is glued onto the top of the tail cone but I think I could have left the centering ring out and it probably wouldn't have any detrimental affect.

All of the fins have to be cut out from the provided 1/8" balsa using the two templated included. The hardest part is getting the seam where the two halves come together to disappear.

The strakes just need the tips trimmed.

I did all my cutting and assembly of the fins and strakes, and then I stack sanded them to get them uniform. There is a lot of balsa!

That is the worse part of this model...a lot of fillets to make even and a lot of balsa to fill!

Now I did make one change on mine...you guys know me and nose cones...sorry, John, I just had to use my own nose cone. It's about an inch and a half longer...and a LOT smoother.

 

[sandman]

I know, I know I said I was going with green but...it turns out I used up that paint last fall on my boat trailer.

I decided to go with red instead.

Here she is with the first coat of Kilz primer (my second model to use this. The jury is still out yet).

 

[sandman]

With the nose cone on I have a better feel for the paint scheme.

I may use a different layout for the stripes and fin colors but we'll see.

Good design, John! She sure has pretty lines!

Boy! My camera sure does hide the flaws!!

 

[airwolfe1]

How in the world do you have time to build a rocket for yourself? I mean, "Hey....where do we stand with that LTV Scout?" LOL
I like the looks of that Arapahoe...nice looking rocket.

 

[OKTurbo]

Lookin' good Gordon.

I'm a Kilz fan....it goes on thick. More of a filler coat than a primer. I usually spray on some grey primer after sanding the Kilz....makes for a killer smooth finish.

The red looks good on the Arapahoe E.

(....an upscale would look good too....)

 

[flying_silverad]

Originally posted by airwolfe1
How in the world do you have time to build a rocket for yourself? I mean, "Hey....where do we stand with that LTV Scout?" LOL
I like the looks of that Arapahoe...nice looking rocket.

I know. I was going to ask that question myself. It's a great compliment that he's taking the time to build this. Looks great Sandman!

 

[Stymye]

Nice job Sand !

Mine's in the fill and sanding stage
I plan to go with the green scheme, keeping Mr. McClure's layout
I think he did a fantastic job af making the grapics fit the model.

(I have an upscale on the drawing board)

 

[paulk]

Looking good. That color scheme looks awfully familiar somehow...

I've just started sanding phase on mine, looks like you'll win.

-Paul

 

[flying_silverad]

Originally posted by stymye
......snip....

(I have an upscale on the drawing board)

Oh you just have to post some photos on that. Just how upscale are we talking here?

 

[flying_silverad]

Looking good. That color scheme looks awfully familiar somehow...

Sandman...are you planning on making your own decals by any chance?

 

[sandman]

Sandman...are you planning on making your own decals by any chance?

No new decals...I don't make decals.

But the color scheme may also include some blue...just don't know yet.

Gotta look at it and think about it some more.

I may just use the original.

As for the LTV Scout...well, if someone can find Astronboy...AGAIN!

 

[cliveroonie]

From what I understand, Astronboy has not dropped off the face of the earth, but he is busy with some family stuff right now.... hopefully everything is well with his clan right now.

 

[brianc]

My A-E is sitting in primer too. And I gotta agree with everything sandman said ('cept
the NC bit)... The only thing I was a wee bit disappointed with was the T-bird decal doesn't
match the one OKTurbo did for the beta and is shown on the packaging.

https://rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=16112

But then, I figured if sandman can redo the NC, I can fix the decal...

 

[brianc]

Originally posted by OKTurbo
(....an upscale would look good too....)

I was describing the Arapahoe to the section Pres, and compared it to a baby Armageddon
https://www.rocketreviews.com/reviews/kits/dga_armageddon.html
Immediately a lightbulb lit up over my head and since then, I haven't been able to stop
thinking of building an upscale....

 

[flying_silverad]

Originally posted by brianc
My A-E is sitting in primer too. And I gotta agree with everything sandman said ('cept
the NC bit)... The only thing I was a wee bit disappointed with was the T-bird decal doesn't
match the one OKTurbo did for the beta and is shown on the packaging.

https://rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=16112

But then, I figured if sandman can redo the NC, I can fix the decal...

I must say I have to agree. To re-create the white "T-Bird", the decal of course would be ...white. It just wasn't feasable at the time. Besides, I believe the actual white T-Bird was masked and not a decal. Also, I don't think Sandman was "Re-doing" the nosecone as much as he was making it longer, for his own tastes.

 

[sandman]

A bit OT on the Arapahoe E.

I have been getting a few requests for upscale parts already for this design...THAT'S gotta make ya feel good, John!

If anyone wants to make a BT-80 sized version, just buy an Estes Canadian Arrow kit and some extra BT-80 body tube.

The Arapahoe E uses, I think, a 3:1 ogive nose cone and tail cone that was used for the BT-60 sized V-2.

The Canadian Arrow will have most of the parts you'll need for an upscale only with a plastic nose and tailcone.

If you want balsa parts, BMS makes a BNC80K or a BNC80KH (for the heavy duty tube) that is the same shape as the V-2 nose and tailcone. You would have to drill one to make a tailcone.

Or...I could make 'em for you if you really want me to.

 

[flying_silverad]

Originally posted by sandman
A bit OT on the Arapahoe E.

I have been getting a few requests for upscale parts already for this design...THAT'S gotta make ya feel good, John!

If anyone wants to make a BT-80 sized version, just buy an Estes Canadian Arrow kit and some extra BT-80 body tube.

The Arapahoe E uses, I think, a 3:1 ogive nose cone and tail cone that was used for the BT-60 sized V-2.

The Canadian Arrow will have most of the parts you'll need for an upscale only with a plastic nose and tailcone.

If you want balsa parts, BMS makes a BNC80K or a BNC80KH (for the heavy duty tube) that is the same shape as the V-2 nose and tailcone. You would have to drill one to make a tailcone.

Or...I could make 'em for you if you really want me to.

I'm getting quite a few e-mails regarding the upscale version. It's cool to know folks really want to "biggie" size it. I do sell the BNC80K. Making that as a tail cone should be fairly do-able as well. I'm really suprised that BMS doesn't carry a BT80 tail-cone considering the possibility of even a BT80 V2! (Which I would kit in a heart beat!)

 

[John Dyer]

Originally posted by sandman
Good design, John! She sure has pretty lines!

I agree. Thats one great looking kit! And You've done a great job Sandman!

John

 

[sandman]

Got mine finished!!!

No pics yet I put a lot of decals on mine and I don't want to touch it for a while.

One "con" on the kit, John.

I've used inkjet decals before and this time, as usual, I applied a nice heavy coating of Microscale Liquid Decal film but...to no avail.

My "ARAPAHOE E" decal's ink ran so badly it's unusable.

The blue/black eagle was usable...carfully and I blitted up any ink that ran...but it still ran.

The "eagle" does need to be on a white background. On the red it just looked awful...so I moved it.

I'll post pics later.

 

[flying_silverad]

Originally posted by sandman
Got mine finished!!!

No pics yet I put a lot of decals on mine and I don't want to touch it for a while.

One "con" on the kit, John.

I've used inkjet decals before and this time, as usual, I applied a nice heavy coating of Microscale Liquid Decal film but...to no avail.

Snip..................

The "eagle" does need to be on a white background. On the red it just looked awful...so I moved it.

I'll post pics later.

Hmmm. Didn't seem to have a problem with them so far. But, I'm going to see if I can get Phred to do the decals on an ALPS printer. Everyone that has bought a kit up to this point, if they've had problems will get replacements (as with any part that doesn't meet their expectations) upon request.

 

[sandman]

Actually...I think it came out pretty good...even without the "ARAPAHOE E" decal.

 

[sandman]

Here's another shot.

I had to put the decals on the white or the blue combined with the red underneath and looked...wrong.

But it looks good on the white!

 

[sandman]

Here's what the decal did after about 15 sec in room temp. water even after a heavy coat of decal film about 2 hours earlier.

But the model still looks good without it.

 

[flying_silverad]

Originally posted by sandman
Here's what the decal did after about 15 sec in room temp. water even after a heavy coat of decal film about 2 hours earlier.

But the model still looks good without it.

I'll get you a replacement decal out on Tuesday. I'll even coat it for you.

 

[sandman]

No big deal really, John.

Those things happen I guess.

 

[flying_silverad]

Originally posted by sandman
No big deal really, John.

Those things happen I guess.

To me, it's a big deal. It's right when it's right.....Right?

 

[flying_silverad]

For anyone who would like a replacement set of Arapahoe decals, please go ahead and e-mail me. I should be getting some in the mail in a few days that Excesior is making up. All kits from this point out will have the "new' decals.


JOHN

 

[Stymye]

Originally posted by sandman
Actually...I think it came out pretty good...even without the "ARAPAHOE E" decal.

It came out great!

Can't go wrong with red white and blue have to say, this is a really cool kit ,worth the money and goes together very easy

 

[sandman]

Can't go wrong with red white and blue have to say, this is a really cool kit ,worth the money and goes together very easy

I have to agree on all those points, Andy...well maybe not "easy". There's a LOT of balsa to fill and a LOT of fillets!!! But it's not bad...just more work.

Best compliment I heard was that my wife likes it! Her usual comment is that they all look the same.

She thinks this design is cool!

The biggest flaw in this kit...I'm sure I'll lose it!

 

[sandman]

OK now that's looks better!

I know the two "eagles" are different but I like that.

Now it looks "finished"

Thanks for the decals, John!