"vintage" Estes Sidewinder

[Sparkytfl]

Back in August 96, I built the biggest rocket I'd ever had. The new Estes Sidewinder. It was my first experience with low-and-slow. I loved how it spun on the way up, and how I didnt need to worry about losing it. Spoke too soon though, because the nose half drifted away a couple years later. The main part took some damage in the garage since then. I decided a couple months ago that I had to have one again, found one on ebay, finally got around to building it. Glad it looks so much better. It would be embarrassing to be worse than my 13 year old self. Biggest blunder was that I put the launch lugs on the engine hook side.

This one's been upgraded to 3/16 lugs, and with the balsa standoffs properly sized to fit under them and with the sides filled smooth. I dont know what's up with the original design, looked terrible.

Does anybody else have one? I dont know if I should be using a c6-3 or a c6-5. The box says c6-5, but the thing is bigger and heavier than my Bertha which prefers -3. Would hate to zipper the thing. First flight will be with the club tomorrow.

 

[sodmeister]

Back in August 96, I built the biggest rocket I'd ever had. The new Estes Sidewinder. It was my first experience with low-and-slow. I loved how it spun on the way up, and how I didnt need to worry about losing it. Spoke too soon though, because the nose half drifted away a couple years later. The main part took some damage in the garage since then. I decided a couple months ago that I had to have one again, found one on ebay, finally got around to building it. Glad it looks so much better. It would be embarrassing to be worse than my 13 year old self. Biggest blunder was that I put the launch lugs on the engine hook side.

This one's been upgraded to 3/16 lugs, and with the balsa standoffs properly sized to fit under them and with the sides filled smooth. I dont know what's up with the original design, looked terrible.

Does anybody else have one? I dont know if I should be using a c6-3 or a c6-5. The box says c6-5, but the thing is bigger and heavier than my Bertha which prefers -3. Would hate to zipper the thing. First flight will be with the club tomorrow.

Looks great ,and it was a great kit !!!

I have two ,and use C6-3 ,as mine are heavier also(added nose weigth) also use two separate chutes and no more elastic shockcord ,switched to kevlar ,as my first one got badly damaged when the ejection charge went off and the nosecone snapped back into the main aft fins.I since fixed it and did the modifications on the second.

I`m slao going to make a few scratch builds as I have spare nosecones ,so Basswood fins and a 24mm version and a cluster version 2 x 18mm.

Yessir ,the AIM-9 is my favorite missile and the Estes kit was one of my first when i got back into the hobby.

Cheers

Paul T

 

[Zeus-cat]

I put a 24mm motor mount in mine and she flies great on a D12-5. If I want to keep her low I put a C6-3 in her and she flies great on that too.

 

[Sparkytfl]

Biggest blunder was that I put the launch lugs on the engine hook side.

I meant I put the hook opposite of the lugs, so it'll be sort of in the way. Just have to hook up the wires from the side.

Got it weighed, 5.81 ounces, and that's without any parachutes, wadding, or engines! Hopefully the RSO is lenient on how underpowered this will be on a c6-3. Advertised weight was 4.2 and even that is above their recommended weight, so I dont know why it wasnt 24mm stock. I didnt feel like dealing with modding it, or have time time to buy/make the centering rings anyway. Hopefully our onsite vendor will have some 18mm reloads.

Sodmeister, you connected the parts with a shock cord instead of leaving them separate? It seems like maybe that would still work if the cord was like ten feet long.

It came with a small cord for the nose chute, though it doesnt show to use it. Must be a generic pre-packaged chute/cord thing.

 

[goose_in_co]

Looks Great! Nice build!

From what I remember, I needed to add nose weight to get it to be stable, which makes it a little heavy. Mine Flies great with the C6-3 Motors, low and slow. I tied the nose cone to the rocket with a very long shock cord (about 4-5 feet) and use a larger parachute, 24" if I remember correctly because I don't like to chase two pieces if I don't have to . If I were to build it again I would put a 24mm mount in it.

Goose

 

[Sparkytfl]

I laugh at how estes thought an 18mm mount was enough. A C6-3 took it to 100 feet at most. Bought a d13 reload set, which I may have assembled wrong because it seemed to sputter and barely take off. Somebody thought it got caught up on the rod. Either way, it went to under 200, ejection at about 10 feet which wasnt good enough. Neck is screwed up but flyable, clear coat cracked along the fin joints. Nose half needs major repairs. I can glue the fin back together, but the tube is crushed in where it hit the ground. It will take a lot of work to fix.

 

[paul.nortness]

I just picked up a nose cone/shoulder for the Estes Sidewinder...looking forward to cloning it with a 24mm motor mount.

 

[Sparkytfl]

Where did you get them? Old ones, or is somebody making reproductions?

 

[Rocketbuilder]

Where did you get them? Old ones, or is somebody making reproductions?

Higgs Flyer has some for sale here: https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?41167-Nose-Cones-Body-Tubes-amp-Launch-Pad (At least I think he still has some...)

 

[paul.nortness]

Higgs Flyer has some for sale here: https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?41167-Nose-Cones-Body-Tubes-amp-Launch-Pad (At least I think he still has some...)

Yup, that's where I got mine from.

Moldin' Oldies has been selling one through Sirius Rocketry for awhile. I got one last year....it looks good, but the plastic felt too soft so I opted not to use it

 

[RocketT.Coyote]

Built it, flown a few times, and still have it.

 

[DRAGON64]

I still have a Sidewinder in the box that I had plans to put a 24mm mount in...