Estes Interceptor Modification
Scratch - Interceptor E (29mm) {Scratch}
Contributed by Lester Anderson
| Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Published: | 2013-06-23 |
| Manufacturer: | Scratch |
Brief
An upscale o' t' classic Interceptor (kit K-50 or 1250 dependin' on era o' manufacture). Avast! Upscaled t' a 2 inch body tube and more plastic details. Avast, me proud beauty!
Components
Mostly a stock build. I did modify all t' fins by "glassing" t' fins with paper and epoxy. Avast! I replaced t' 24mm motor tube with a 29mm one for better power due t' t' heavier fins.
Construction
T' pre-cut fin slots on t' lower body tube really made this easier t' position t' fins. Arrr! How-ever, this would also make clonin' this bird much harder. Arrr! Begad!
Finishing
T' large size made even paint application a little difficult for me. Aye aye! I accidently dropped t' poor rocket betwixt primer and topcoat application, crimplin' t' poor upper body tube. A replacement from Semroc be obtained for repairs, ya bilge rat, me hearties, and finishin' started over. Filletin' t' fins be actually easier than normal for me because o' t' larger gaps betwixt t' fins.
Flight
First flight occured on June 9, ya bilge rat, at t' flight field o' t' Tulsa Rocketry club (http://tulsarocketry.org/). Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! I attempted flight on a AeroTech E30-4, and she left t' pad perfectly on t' first attempt. Begad! Straight up with flames out t' tail.
Recovery
I modified t' airframe for an attempted anti-zipper design, me hearties, ya bilge rat, by havin' t' entire upper body tube come off with t' nose cone. Durin' consturction, ya bilge rat, I noticed a couple o' times that t' recovery harness I made kept gettin' tangeled up with t' parachute, me bucko, me hearties, so on launch day I purchased a foam ball from WalMart t' separate t' parachute from t' tangly bits further up t' body tube. Begad! Begad! Unfortunately, ya bilge rat, this last second mod was shoved in so tightly that it caused t' parachute t' get stuck also. A model this big be never ment t' use tumble recovery, shiver me timbers, because t' included 30 inch nylon parachute never left t' upper body. Blimey! This is wholy me error, but now t' poor rocket has a serious crack/tear in t' lower body where t' "strakes" fins landed first, and t' upper body is torn completely around t' center at a spiral.
Summary
I had a exceptional time buildin' this kit. Ahoy! I would expect any fan o' scifi lookin' rockets t' enjoy havin' it. I don't fault Estes in any way for me flight failure.
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