X-Wing build

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SCIGS30

SCIGS30

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Well I decided to build this smaller kit that I won on ebay. There is a lot of parts and feels like I am building a plastic model.....Normally it takes me a while to build a plastic model because of all the filling and sanding.....This is a rocket so I will build it straight and strong and will cover the plastic imperfections with primer.....
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Well, this is way too much like building a plastic scale model. Pieces don't fit real well and does take a lot of sanding. I will finish sealing the fins and then prime the model...Also it seems to be real heavy.
100_1957.jpg
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Hang in there! It does look really hard, but it also looks really good. It should get a lot of attention on the pad as well!
 
Sadly, Estes was up against Lucas approval for the Star Wars designs. I'm afraid that looks won over flight performance. Still, it should make a good looking model. Go ahead and put some time into finish and detail, do some heavy weathering effects. You ever see a clean X-Wing?
 
Yea, I was hoping this would be more like the Colonial Viper. I know it would not look scale but that is ok by me. I wish I was more creative and could build a scratch X-Wing that was more like a model rocket than scale plastic. As far as finishing, I am just going to shoot primer, white top coat, add decals and spray dull coat....Oh yea I will paint R2 D2. I got back into model rocketry because I did not have time to build my plastic models. Even with my busy schedule, I am able to build and complete all the rockets that I have started. With my plastics they would sit in the closet for a year. And I love to watch these little suckers fly.
 
Today I am applying the balsa sealer and adding putty to some areas on the fuselage where the plastic was warped. I am trying to build this model to the plans but have noticed a couple of issues. First the plans called for plastic cement, well I knew this was not going to work so I used Epoxy on the plastic to the wings and on the non essential plastic to tube parts I used testors wood cement. I used Plastic cement on the the plastic to plastic parts. Also the plans call for applying the wing sections to the body before painting. I normally prime my rockets and fill any left over balsa imperfections and prime again. Well if I attatch the wings to the fuselage sanding will be a royal pain, so I am going to prime and sand the wood before gluing to the fuselage.
 
Wow, you're on a real roll here :)

I used plastic cement on all parts as per instructions without any problems.

Unfortunately I didn't get past the first white coat.

x-wing1298.jpg
 
Originally posted by Roguepink
Sadly, Estes was up against Lucas approval for the Star Wars designs.
Click to expand...

I know how that goes. I have several friends who have had to work with Lucasfilm Licensing, on various products for the Star Wars Roleplaying Game. They're an extremely demanding licensor...but, given how much money Uncle George has made on licensing, it's hard to argue with his approach.
 
I know that when I was a kid I always wanted this kit, but now after building it, I would have had a tough time putting it together when I was younger.
 
Maybe the Centuri Design Contest X-Wing plan from 1977 would work for those not fond of all the plastic in the Estes kits. This would probably be a cool upscale too!

... Bill
 
I have the rocket primed and I will give it a day or so and sand out the rough spots and prime again.....My first coat of primer is gray then my second will be white followed my gloss white and dull coat. Will take pictures after white primer. P.S this rocket is getting heavier by the minute.
 
May I recommend a longer shock cord and a mylar 'chute. I've launched X-Wings before and cords and shrouds always seem to get hung on the laser tubes. I suggest mylar because it folds smaller. Also, go bigger than 12" if you can, but I don't think 18" will fit.
 
https://www.nasarocketclub.com/gallery/album23/IMG_6755

https://www.nasarocketclub.com/gallery/album23/IMG_6756

https://www.nasarocketclub.com/gallery/GCR-2/100B2470

https://www.nasarocketclub.com/gallery/GCR-2/100B2471

https://www.nasarocketclub.com/gallery/GCR-2/100B2472

Last three pics by Warren Benson, President of NASA/Houston Rocket Club and Contest Director of Gulf Coast Regional meet,
held at JSC on November 19-20, 2005. Model was the Battlerock
Warriors Team's entry for the Future Scale/Science Fiction event.
Won first place despite the sad ending of this mission; flying as
a five engine cluster pulled us ahead of the next best entry by
20 points! My thanks to David Bachelder of QuickBurst, who
provided the Hot Shot igniters for making this launch possible.
David (QuickBurst) is now fighting with the ATF over his igniters
(ATF says they're "explosives"!).
 
Originally posted by rkt2k1
Maybe the Centuri Design Contest X-Wing plan from 1977 would work for those not fond of all the plastic in the Estes kits. This would probably be a cool upscale too!

... Bill
Click to expand...


I based this x-wing version based on that Centuri Design. I had to take out the parachute and the flight simulations to make it less than 100 kbs. BTW, SCIGS30, your X-wing is looking great!
 
Well I been busy lately so I have not had time to work on my rockets. I was able to seal the wood and prime my x wing with one coat of gray tonight. Saturday I will sand the minor imperfections and apply one coat of white primer.
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That looks great!! Try as I may I cannot see any imperfections. That is going to turn out nice :)
 
Here is my X-Wing with Gloss white. Tonight I noticed there are a couple of spots that I missed so tomorrow I will touch up then paint the cockpit blue. This rocket now weighs 3.3 oz. The kit says it weighs 3.5 oz. Still have to add the clay wt. and dull coat.
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Ithink that looks great. I wonder how well these xwing designs fly? I just read the whole thread and if it's plastic and works who cares :)
Cheers
fred
 
I don't know how well this thing will fly or if it. I bought this kit on ebay and I am affraid of flying it and breaking it since it is expensive. I wouldn't even mind the price and flying, but this thing is heavy and appears and feels fragile. If I do end up flying it I think I will add a bigger parachute. The little fins on the engine pods appear to be fragile. I double glued with Pro-Bond and added pro bond fillet, but I still don't think there is enough surface area for a strong joint for a model of this wt. On another note, I just won a Colonial Viper on ebay and looking forward to building and flying that. I built one as a kid and it flew great.
 
I had the regular X-wing model as a kid and trust me, if built properly , they do make for spectacular flights.

I'd love to have the Maxi-Brute X-Wing!

I had the Colonial Viper, as well, but I never really cared for it though.....it was just too far removed from what a Viper is supposed to look like.
 
Well I finished my X-Wing and it ended up comming in at 3.8 oz completed. The estes package says 3.5 for completed model. The decals were a pain to butt to put on because of age. They would not stick and would winkle and tear. If I can I think I will use on line decal suppliers next time.
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Originally posted by matthew
I'd hate to see you die for lack of a rocket kit. ;)

I think this is the one (NCR).

https://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAP...00035036719&rd=1&sspagename=STRK:MEWA:IT&rd=1
Click to expand...

The NCR X-Wing is a really nice mid-power kit. I'm on my second one (see: https://www.payloadbay.com/gallery/v/projects/xwing/). The parachute on the first one I built and flew separated and the two-pound rocket came in ballistic. It was impressive as it created a cloud of dust which rose a few feet into the air. But the damage was beyond repair.

The second one has flown a few times without no dramatic landings. It flies great on Aerotech G motors. Packing the 'chute into the small space provided is difficult. You must be careful not to wrap the 'chute, shroud lines, or shock cord around the rear-ejection pod since they must be able to unfurl quickly without having to unwrap. It may have been a problem with how I packed the parachute that doomed my first X-Wing. If the smaller X-Wings use a similar system for recovery, you should be careful with them, too.

-- Roger
 
Originally posted by rkt2k1
Maybe the Centuri Design Contest X-Wing plan from 1977 would work for those not fond of all the plastic in the Estes kits. This would probably be a cool upscale too!

... Bill
Click to expand...
I like it! I just need to upscale it to Estes BT-60 tubing, since I have an 18" BT-60 looking for something to do.

Also, I have a couple of the little totally plastic Estes X-wings, sent to me for a nominal charge by a fellow TRF'er. He sent me 3 of them, I flew one and gave it to my club president. The flight was cool and it came in ballistic and fast, but with no damage. I'd like to have a bigger one that flies well and actually recovers safely. ;)
 

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