Model Rocket Building Blog
Semroc V2 Build, Part 1, PartsThe Semroc V2 is a clone of the old BT-55 Based Estes V2 kit. It looks like the Semroc V2 kit has been discontinued. ASP now offers a BT-55 V2 kit along with 13mm and 24mm engine kits. I first saw the Estes V2 in a "temporary" Estes catalog around 1969. TRIVIA: Estes had run out of their standard ...[Read More]
Semroc V2 Build, Part 2, More PartsOn the left is one of the "scale" sized fins I had cut and shaped earlier. These smaller fins require an additional 1/2 oz of nose weight in addition to the washer weight at the nose cone! I'll be making the larger fins. Two of the three launch lugs are cut to make "pull-out" plugs that glue to ...[Read More]
Semroc V2 Build, Part 3, Fin ShapingHere's the larger semi-scale fin. If I were to use the smaller scale size fin, Semroc recommends an additional 1/2 oz. of nose weight along with the washer weight held in place by the screw eye. That seems like a lot of extra weight. I'll go the easier way out and use the wider fins. Notice the ...[Read More]
Semroc V2 Build, Part 4, Fin Shaping and ServosA flat diamond file was used to do a final squaring up to the sand line. After all four fins were shaped, the remaining black ink is sanded off. The X-Kit supplies the narrow fin servos laser cut on the balsa fin sheet. These are small and would be difficult to fill. When this model was initially ...[Read More]
Semroc V2 Build, Part 5, CWF Balsa FillThe nose cone and tail cone shoulders weren't sharp. Here I've brushed some CWf over the shoulder edge. While it is wet, it is quickly pushed into the body tube and turned. Let this dry and then sand even with the sides of the tube. You'll end up with a much sharper shoulder corner. I was ...[Read More]
Semroc V2 Build, Part 6, Gluing On ServosThe servo slot is cut out of the fin template. Set this over the fin and do a pencil tracing inside the servo slot. The right side shows the servo glued in place. I'm checking the position with the template. Servos are glued on both sides of the four fins. Look over the trailing edge and from the ...[Read More]
Semroc V2 Build, Part 7, Gluing On The FinsMarking templates are cut out and pencil marks made at the fin locations. Set the tail cone and body tube on a table with the flat sides of the templates facing down. After adjustments I taped the marking templates in place and marked the fin locations. It's not easy to draw a straight line down a ...[Read More]
Semroc V2 Build, Part 8, Launch Lug TrimThe original instructions give a full size template for cutting the turbine exhausts and pull out plugs from standard launch lugs. TIP: Draw pencil lines extending the cut lines beyond the launch lug sides. Why extend the cut lines? When you set the lug on the full size illustration, the lug ...[Read More]
Semroc V2 Build, Part 9, Gluing On The DetailsThe trimmed lug locations were sanded to remove the filler/primer down to the beige CWF filler. The gluing edges are narrow, more glue was set up and inside the top for an internal fillet. You'll find these much easier to position using long tweezers. After the glue dried, small fillets were ...[Read More]
Semroc V2 Build, Part 10, Picking The Paint PatternThe model got a few coats of gloss white, sanding any rough spots between coats. The tail cone assembly isn't glued on yet. Having it separate should make the masking a bit easier. Now to pick a paint pattern - There were many different variants from camouflage to the black and white White ...[Read More]
Semroc V2 Build, Part 11, Extending The BodyI had to make a coupler from a short length of BT-55 to add on the short extension. 1.Cut a segment of tube. 2. Cut vertically down the tube using scissors. Cut in a straight line. 3. Set tightly in tube and trace down the overlap with a sharp pencil. 4. Cut off the overlap with another straight ...[Read More]
Semroc V2 Build, Part 12, Fix!Why post mistakes, assembly and paint problems? We're all in the same boat, mishaps happen to all of us. Hopefully there are lessons learned that lead to a better build the next time around. Here's where I was left after pulling the simple around the tube mask. I've seen this before, metallic ...[Read More]
Semroc V2 Build, Part 13, Trim StripesI used my favorite black trim material - Contact Paper blackboard covering. It's cheap and a roll will probably last a lifetime. After the first width is cut, the ends are lifted and stuck back down a little to the right. The others are cut using this as visual guide width. This White Sands roll ...[Read More]
Semroc V2 Build, FinishedThe V2 was the first kit I was attracted to looking through that first Estes catalog in 1969. I've built a few larger ones since then. When this build was started a few years ago, a Kevlar loop was attached to the tail cone. I ended up using a tri-fold mount and some 1/8" wide elastic for a shock ...[Read More]
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