Blast From The Past
FlatCat Boost /Glider Build, Part 1 – Introduction.The FlatCat Boost Glider was designed by G. Harry Stine back in the earlier days of model rocketry. It is arguably the quintessential example of a standard front engine pop-pod boost glider, designed to be easily built and flown by model rocketeers who had no previous experience ...[Read More]
FlatCat Boost/Glider Build, Part 2 - PARTS IS PARTS!For this build, I am going with the plans published in the August 1969 Model Rocketry Magazine article. Copies of it can be found here: http://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/ModelRocketry/Model_Rocketry_v01n10_08-69.pdf Just for grins, and a further source of reference, I have downloaded a copy ...[Read More]
FlatCat Boost/Glider Build, Part 3 - The Fuselage.Now it's time to tackle the component that holds all the other parts together to make something that resembles a glider - the fuselage. The first step is to cut the two lengths of 1/4 x 1/2 balsa that will make up the fuselage. The main piece is a king's foot (12") in length and the nose ...[Read More]
FlatCat Boost/Glider Build, Part 4 - Let’s Rustle Us Up Some Glider Wings.Ah, there’s nothing like a full-sized, fresh chunk of balsa wood – just waiting to be butchered! Taking the easy measurements off of the plans, the first job is to mark out the FlatCat wings. For accuracy I like to use a straight-edge reference block ...[Read More]
FlatCat Boost/Glider Build, Part 5 - Some Mighty Fine Wing AssemblyPreparing the wing root edge for gluing… The MRm instructions say to bevel the root edges. This is done to provide a better gluing surface to join the two halves of the wing. One can get by with eyeballing and free-hand sanding this bevel with a sanding block. Being a ...[Read More]
FlatCat Boost/Glider Build, Part 6 - The Tail SectionThe beauty of building a boost/glider is that one can construct any of the several sub-assemblies while waiting for the glue to dry on all the others. This post deals with the FlatCat's tail section. This particular design features a 3-piece assembly - one large rectangular horizontal ...[Read More]
FlatCat Boost/Glider Build, Part 7 - Slapping The Glider TogetherOK, so I don't really just 'slap' my models together. I am a careful modeler! The FlatCat's wing and tail sub-assemblies are completed, so now it's time to glue them to the fuselage to begin making something that resembles a real glider. The tail is first. After carefully ...[Read More]
FlatCat Boost/Glider Build, Part 8 - The Pop-PodThis post covers the assembly of the FlatCat's 'Removable Propulsion System Housing', a.k.a, the Pop-Pod. The heart of this sub-assembly is a 6 inch length of BT-20 or similar tubing. Before any cutting and gluing begins, this is a good time to break out the CWF and fill the spiral seams. ...[Read More]
FlatCat Boost/ Glider Build, Part 9 - Makin' The Glider All 'Purty'To start off with finishing the FlatCat, I hit it with a light coat of white sandable automotive primer. This is more for sealing the grain and providing a better surface after sanding for coloring the model with permanent markers. The trim weight cavity in the glider's nose made a ...[Read More]
FlatCat Boost/Glider Build, Part 10 - Decorative EmbellishmentsTo finish off the glider details, I hand drew a rendition of the famous FlatCat logo, along with the model's fleet number and my old NAR number. Next, it's off to the park to do a little glide trimming....[Read More]
FlatCat Boost/Glider Build, Part 11 - Oops! I Goofed Up...Yep, I kinda got a couple things out of order. . I should have applied the silver trim Monokote strips to the wings before drawing the FlatCat logo. Turns out, the trim covers up part of the design. Can't fix it now...just have to live with it as is. Is it just me, or does the cat in the logo ...[Read More]
FlatCat Boost/Glider Build, Part 12 - FlatCat For Lunch...Yummmm!Right across the street from my workplace in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, is a nice, large public park with a decent expanse of grassy area. Appropriately, for a model rocketeer, the place is named 'Redstone Park'. Unfortunately, park regulations prohibit the flying of model rockets ...[Read More]
FlatCat Boost/Glider Build, Part 13 - Pop-Pod Prime-TimeI didn't have very much time this past weekend to do a lot of rocket building work, but I did manage to get the primer coats and sanding finished on the FlatCat's pop pod. The 'Piece X', of course, is masked off so there is not paint build-up that would interfere with its fit in the glider ...[Read More]
FlatCat Boost/Glider Build, Part 14 - Pop Pod Painting PartyToday is the day to apply the color coats to the FlatCat's pop-pod. I'm continuing on with the yellow/orange/red motif used on the glider. At first, the thought had been to mask off each color area to make straight section demarcations, but I decided to go with the color-fade effect instead. ...[Read More]
FlatCat Boost/Glider Build, Part 15 - Finishing UpNow that the paint on the pop pod is dry, it gets some fleet number decals applied. It's funny to think that this project is only the 117th model rocket I've ever built for my personal fleet. This quantity includes the 103 birds built between 1973 and 1984. I've ...[Read More]
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