Wheww-hoo..Aerotech Astrobee D...gotcha !

[Silverleaf]

Howdy,

My local Hobby store, located in the mall, never seems to have any sales worth anything (rocketry based), until today. They have had the Aerotech Astrobee D and the Mim (?) marked at 79.00 forever, and even though I'm a scale freak, I kept passing them both up.

Until today..

For the Memorial day weekend sale, they placed these 2 kits out front at 50 % off. I asked twice just to be sure, and sure enough, the out the door price was $42.80 including tax.

Since this is my first ever Aerotech kit, I'm wondering how others have faired with it. I've read the review ofver at EMRR and it sounds like a good kit. Impressions ?

Cheers,

 

[sandman]

I've had mine for about two years now and have yet to get around to building it.

It's just so darn big!

Lots of detail parts and documentation too!

I think a 38mm motor mount is called for. It sure looks like it could tak it with no problem.

I guess I do need an L2 project.

Has anybody done a 38mm motor mount conversion? She looks like she could take an "I" motor with no problem. Maybe a small "J".

sandman

 

[Silverleaf]

Sandman,

I was searching the forum when I came across this thread:

https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1896&perpage=20&highlight=Astrobee D&pagenumber=1

It talks about modding this kit for High Power.

For me, even though I'm not NAR memberized yet (funny that), the possibility of using this kit once I'm a member to L1 seems like a huge plus.

Cheers,

 

[Stones]

SL...
You got a great price on the Astrobee. Got mine for $40 plus tax.
If you spend the time doing the stock paint scheme and do up all the decals, she's a real sharp looking rocket, for sure.
I built mine stock with the exception of rail buttons and left the NC removable so a payload (such as an alt) could be placed in the upper BT. Went with the dual chute setup and it worked out fine, for the one flight on a G35 I have on it so far.
Check out the link in my signature for info and pics.

 

[Chilly]

It's supposed to be a great kit, and has been on my "must have" list forever. ROL has an article in their Tech Series about high-powering the Astrobee.
I would think you could convert it to 38mm, just trim the fin tabs down and epoxy them to the new MMT. But boy would it SCREAM.

 

[Johnnie]

Love mine, only 1 problem...on recovery, the payload section took a hard landing on one of those small chutes and bent the tube. Bent it enough that I will need to rebuild the payload section That is one of the sections that has a lot of detail that will be lost (i,e, stickers and scale antennas) I have been meaning to ask Aerotech if they keep spares of these item on hand.

G64-4W kicks this rocket up there very nicely

 

[Silverleaf]

Thanks for all the tips and thoughts fellas. I looked at the kit, and being my first mid power/possible high power rocket, it sure looks like a quality kit.

This is gonna be fun..8)