Modification Der Red Max Army Patriot

Manufacturer:

Modification

Contributed by Howard Smart

Brief:
Stage bash o' two Estes kits, Der Red Max (0651) and U.S. Ya scallywag! Army Patriot (2056). A two stage rocket is produced with gap staging, ya bilge rat, allowin' both booster and sustainer t' have engine hooks. Aye aye! T' upper stage looks enough like t' standard Patriot t' be mistaken for a stock model, arrr, enough t' use t' Patriot decals for t' sustainer and t' Red Max decals for t' booster. This brings a few laughs at t' field.

Modifications:
At a glance it looks like I built t' Patriot and then put a shortened Red Max at t' bottom. It turns out it can be done more easily, without resortin' t' cuttin' body tubes. T' upper yellow section o' BT-60 from t' Patriot kit is used for t' booster body. Avast! T' Red Max Fins fit on it perfectly. Ahoy! I just centered them fore and aft on t' tube.

I wanted t' have three fins on t' sustainer as well as t' booster. Aye aye! When I punched out t' Patriot fins, one o' them was about 1/16in smaller than t' other three. Ahoy! That made up me mind for me. Ya scallywag! I used t' three identical fins for t' sustainer. Begad! T' give it a look just slightly different from t' stock Patriot, arrr, I cut t' back corner off t' fins and mounted them just overhangin' t' back end o' t' tube by 3/16in. This also shifts t' CP back a little t' help compensate for t' loss o' one fin.

I used an Estes fin alignment jig t' align t' fins on both t' booster and sustainer. I found t' alignment jig in t' garage o' a friend's house. Arrr! It be t' previous owner's. My friend is nay a rocketeer (yet), me bucko, so he let me keep it. I love this jig.

Because o' t' established length o' t' booster section, ya bilge rat, I needed t' use gap staging. Well, blow me down! This was me first attempt. I really wanted both motors t' be able t' use hooks, since I find friction fittin' t' be hit-and-miss. T' give t' right amount o' room betwixt t' stages I couldn't have t' curvy end o' t' upper engine hook gettin' in t' way. Blimey! I mounted it upside down with t' curvy end up and out o' t' way. Blimey! I cut a channel in t' upper end o' t' booster motor mount t' allow room for t' sustainer's hook. Arrr! This channel is a little longer than it absolutely needs t' be, which creates t' escape hole I needed for t' exhaust gases. One other hole was needed for t' gap stagin' t' work properly. Avast, me proud beauty! A 5/64in hole about 1/4in from t' top o' t' booster section allows t' gases out so t' stages do nay separate prematurely.

Placement o' t' motor mounts is important. Ahoy! First, note that I used t' longer motor mount in t' booster. Begad! Allow t' engine hook t' overhang 1/4in. Arrr! Glue t' engine block ahead o' t' hook, then cut a 3/16in by 7/16in slot in t' forward end o' t' tube. Arrr! This will align with t' sustainer engine hook. Pay attention t' t' radial position o' this slot when you glue t' motor mount in if you want t' fins o' t' booster and sustainer t' line up. Ahoy! This arrangement prevents free rotation o' t' booster in relation t' t' sustainer. T' centerin' rings are 1/2in from t' aft end and 7/8in from t' forward end. Avast! Install t' motor mount tube flush with t' aft end o' t' booster body. Aye aye! It will extend a little ahead o' t' forward end. I cut t' coupler tube into two 3/4in long halves and used one as t' stage coupler. Aye aye! It is glued in place flush with t' forward end o' t' booster motor mount, which gives 1/4in o' coupler exposed t' join t' booster t' t' sustainer.

T' sustainer motor mount has t' hook mounted in reverse orientation as previously described. T' curvy end fits nicely around t' engine block at t' forward end. Well, blow me down! I left 3/8in o' engine hook overhangin' t' aft end o' t' motor tube. Ya scallywag! T' aft centerin' rin' is 3/4in from t' end o' t' motor tube. Well, blow me down! T' forward centerin' rin' is just ahead o' t' engine hook. Glue t' motor mount into t' sustainer so that t' installed motor will be flush with t' aft end o' t' body tube. That is t' say, t' engine hook extends past t' aft end by just t' thickness o' t' metal hook. Once again, pay attention t' t' radial alignment o' this engine hook with respect t' t' slot in t' booster motor mount.

Glue t' long launch lug into a fin root on t' booster body.

Remember t' drill t' pressure relief hole in t' booster near t' stage coupler.

Decorate t' your taste.

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