Vostok Quick Build

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mIcahel

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I jumped right in to this build as soon as the kit arrived with the goal of assembling before it is too cold to paint.
Building mostly according to the directions to fly often and with the included scale details, but no additional.


vostok2.jpgIMG_1864.jpg
 
Nice! I've never heard of one going together so fast. I might just have to design something more complicated just to keep you in line....
 
Nice! I've never heard of one going together so fast. I might just have to design something more complicated just to keep you in line....

Already fighting above my weight class with this one! Guilty of click baiting a little on the thread title as this kit resists quick
building. Still hoping to finish in weeks, not months. Posting this picture of the potato mashers because the cut out section of
of the boosters was the first part where I had some trouble on the steps. In the end it was just necessary to read the instructions
and consult the parts list more carefully. Thanks to previous builders of this kit for posting pictures here as it would have been difficult
to get this far without them.

Potato Mashers.jpg
 
Nice! Where is that kit from? I've seen the Cosmodrome one, but that seemed smaller.

This will be a neat one to watch!

The bag that arrives from Cosmodrome with all the parts seems small considering the size of the model, but that
is just because everything is packed so efficiently. Someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but this is the only
Vostok kit designed for high power.

Vostok Card.jpg
 
More a matter of needed improvements to my reading comprehension :)
 
Love that kit, but recovering the top section nose down can cause issues depending on what it lands on. My last flight landed on asphalt and tore up the nose cone.
 
Unfortunately I couldn't find a way to stuff any bigger of a chute in, there's barely enough room for the 35" and 24". My last flight (years ago) found the one surface rock in the entire field. Let me know if you need a replacement.
 
Love that kit, but recovering the top section nose down can cause issues depending on what it lands on. My last flight landed on asphalt and tore up the nose cone.

Do you think I should glass the
Top part of the nose cone?
 
I found that coating the top in epoxy does help to lessen the road rash. A very light weight cloth should help too.
 
I found that coating the top in epoxy does help to lessen the road rash. A very light weight cloth should help too.

Okay, I am in on fiberglassing the top part of the NC only. If it looks like I start finding a bunch of other stuff to glass in a few posts, please talk me
away from the West Systems. Found a few mins to make slots for aft booster and lug standoffs.

vostok3.jpg
 
Wouldn't even think about using finishing epoxy on the shrouds. Wouldn't even mention it in a post, nope, never...
 
Okay, I am in on fiberglassing the top part of the NC only. If it looks like I start finding a bunch of other stuff to glass in a few posts, please talk me
away from the West Systems. Found a few mins to make slots for aft booster and lug standoffs.

View attachment 302588

Okay if not West then US Composites 635 with Medium hardner.......:dark:
 
Since you are building a Vostok you might be interested in some of the history. There is a great series of eBooks you can get from the NASA site for free. They are all very well written and give great insight to the Russian space program. It was written by Boris Chertok who started working as an apprentice electrician and ended up as the control system engineer for the R-7 missile, which we know today as the Soyuz. All four books in the series are a great read.

https://www.nasa.gov/connect/ebooks/rockets_people_vol1_detail.html

IIRC volume 3 dealt with the manned space program. It was the largest, and also probably the most difficult to read, just due to the it jumping around a little in time. Still a good read.
 
Since you are building a Vostok you might be interested in some of the history. There is a great series of eBooks you can get from the NASA site for free. They are all very well written and give great insight to the Russian space program. It was written by Boris Chertok who started working as an apprentice electrician and ended up as the control system engineer for the R-7 missile, which we know today as the Soyuz. All four books in the series are a great read.

https://www.nasa.gov/connect/ebooks/rockets_people_vol1_detail.html

IIRC volume 3 dealt with the manned space program. It was the largest, and also probably the most difficult to read, just due to the it jumping around a little in time. Still a good read.

Thanks for the link. I have always had a thing for Russian and Russian themed rockets. Here are a couple of my previous projects. The Vostok will be painted in the 1967 Paris Air Show
all white for 50th anniversary next year.

redstar11.jpg

RedGlare7-099057.jpg

Comp4 done.jpg
 
If anyone has some asphalt or boulders that need busting I'm your guy on account of the new super duty nosecone.
Greatly increased chances that I will be playing pickup sticks with truss rods instead of wood putty patching the NC
in the event of a hard landing.

Had some leftover epoxy that I did not want to waste so applied a wee thin layer to the booster cones

... and the after booster balsa cutouts.

View attachment 302613
 
Unfortunately I couldn't find a way to stuff any bigger of a chute in, there's barely enough room for the 35" and 24". My last flight (years ago) found the one surface rock in the entire field. Let me know if you need a replacement.

Mike, I already got a replacement from you. I just need to get my lazy butt in gear and work on it. Maybe after the Red Sox season is over.
 
Trying to make a little progress every day I marked the core for the conduits and laid them out.
I'm a little unsure on the position of the conduit lengths. If someone who knows can confirm
the photo below that would make me feel better about making it permanent.

laser core.jpgcore conduit.jpg
 
Awesome rocket kit .. Add some small patches of fiberglass at stress points ..
 
Well I have the top of the nose cone covered and did not feel too guilty because the extra weight there helps with stability. What are the other stress points that need reinforcement?

*Note- I plan to recover on farm land; usually pretty soft landings
 
Back at it after a brief intermission. There is a window of good painting weather ahead so I am going to try
and find time to complete the booster, core, and vostok assemblies. Here is the completed core.

I am stuck on the booster conduits and am not sure of their exact location/orientation. Any help/pictures with the
booster conduits would be appreciated.

core assembly.jpg
 
Use the 'Booster Body Tube' marking guide on the templates to get the location of the conduits. I think it's 155 degrees from the fin, but I'm pulling that number out of memory. Extend the conduit line all the way up the booster. Start with the 3/8" x 3/32" x 6" balsa and form it as in figure 19. Epoxy to the conduit line 1/4" above the gap between the two out booster body tubes. Glue the 1/8" x 3/32" balsa to the forward end of the lower conduit. This one will extend past the top of the shroud. Cut off the extra (save). Install the nose cone (do not glue). Place the remaining piece on the nose cone and bevel the end so that it creates a flush joint with the lower piece. Cut a 3" piece of the remaining 1/8" x 3/32" balsa and glue to the nose cone. Once dry, remove the nose cone (need to epoxy the booster on first, then install the nose cone).
 
Thanks, will post a mock up pic before making it permanent


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Use the 'Booster Body Tube' marking guide on the templates to get the location of the conduits. I think it's 155 degrees from the fin, but I'm pulling that number out of memory. Extend the conduit line all the way up the booster. Start with the 3/8" x 3/32" x 6" balsa and form it as in figure 19. Epoxy to the conduit line 1/4" above the gap between the two out booster body tubes. Glue the 1/8" x 3/32" balsa to the forward end of the lower conduit. This one will extend past the top of the shroud. Cut off the extra (save). Install the nose cone (do not glue). Place the remaining piece on the nose cone and bevel the end so that it creates a flush joint with the lower piece. Cut a 3" piece of the remaining 1/8" x 3/32" balsa and glue to the nose cone. Once dry, remove the nose cone (need to epoxy the booster on first, then install the nose cone).

How is this? The aft conduit section will need to be cut where the aft booster meets the shroud?

booster conduit.jpg
 
Looks correct. Trying to remember why I don't say to cut the booster at the BT/Shroud interface.... possibly that the balsa I used was flexible enough to make the bend on it's own. Remembering what I did last week can be a challenge, never mind 15 years ago :confused:. If it helps, but it at the seam or even just score the back side.
 
Looks correct. Trying to remember why I don't say to cut the booster at the BT/Shroud interface.... possibly that the balsa I used was flexible enough to make the bend on it's own. Remembering what I did last week can be a challenge, never mind 15 years ago :confused:. If it helps, but it at the seam or even just score the back side.

Looking like score/bend is going to work, thanks Mike!
 
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