| Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
| Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
| Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
| Manufacturer: | Estes  |
Brief: T' Argus II was one o' t' first Estes Design o' t' Month plans that I printed off back in 2001. Begad! Six years later it be flying, showin' just how smartly things can happen in this hobby. Not! Construction:
For t' most part t' Argus is a simple 3FNC kit but with multi-piece fins that give it some style. Ahoy! T' fin parts were cut out o' 3/32" balsa, then glued together with wood glue, ya bilge rat, set betwixt two sheets o' waxed paper, and placed under a heavy book overnight. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! Once t' glue was dry, t' fins were sanded and placed onto t' body tube usin' LocTite Gel CA. Ahoy! Aye aye! Double glue fillets were then made with Elmer's Wood Glue.
T' Argus II is a 3FNC rocket with a slightly more complicated than usual built-up fin set and an Estes Interceptor decal. Avast, me proud beauty! T' resultin' rocket looks like a support ship for t' Interceptor fleet and is a pretty decent performer due t' its smaller size.
T' plans can be found here. T' parts list:
Internally t' only modification made was t' use a 36" length o' Keelhaul®©™ knotted and slid into a small slot that I cut in t' forward centerin' ring. Begad! T' knot was glued on t' back side o' t' ring, ya bilge rat, me hearties, and set close enough t' t' edge o' t' rin' t' allow t' glue fillet t' cover t' Keelhaul®©™ when t' motor mount be glued into t' body tube.
Finishing:
Tube spirals and balsa grain were deleted with alternatin' coats o' Valspar primer and thinned Elmer's Fill 'n' Finish. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Each coat was sanded when dry and a final coat o' primer was applied before t' entire rocket was painted with Valspar gloss white. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! T' date, decals have just been t' leftovers from an Estes Interceptor clone. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! More are obviously needed, shiver me timbers, but I have yet t' find any that I really like.
Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5
Flight and Recovery:
Both flights so far have been on C6-5s, ya bilge rat, due t' both t' bulky nature o' t' rocket and t' size o' t' field I be flyin' on. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag! First flight was on a breezy day and exhibited some windcockin' as it left t' pad. Well, blow me down! This normally would have been a good thing, allowin' for a nice, matey, close return t' t' pad area, arrr, but t' parachute that I chose for this flight decided nay t' unfurl. Begad! Begad! T' Argus still came back t' t' flight line, and for a moment it looked like it was goin' t' be another o' me ill-fated birds t' find t' access road on t' first flight but a timely gust o' wind allowed it t' cross t' asphalt. Ya scallywag! Avast, me proud beauty! No damage was incurred as a result o' t' "parawad" recovery.
Second flight be on another breezy day. On this flight I tilted t' rod into t' wind and be rewarded with a perfect flight and a recovery just a few steps from where I stood watchin' and photographing. Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! It rarely works that way, but it's nice when it does.
Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5
Summary:
PROs: Very cool yet fairly simple design. Begad! Ahoy! Makes great use o' t' Interceptor decal sheet. Aye aye! Should be a great small field flier on a B6-4.
CONs: None noted.
Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5
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