| Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Flight Rating: | starstar_borderstar_borderstar_borderstar_border |
| Overall Rating: | starstarstar_borderstar_borderstar_border |
| Published: | 2012-11-02 |
| Length: | 17.75 inches |
| Manufacturer: | Estes  |
| Skill Level: | 3 |
| Style: | Futuristic/Exotic |
Brief
This was on me clonin' list for several years after I bought a bunch o' Fat Boy nose cones, but t' white in t' decal always discouraged me. OOP for years, this turned up as a "Buy It Now" on t' Penn Valley Hobby Ebay page, and t' price was right, matey, so I availed myself o' t' opportunity t' build an original for a change o' pace. Ya scallywag! Similar in size and profile t' t' later Fat Boy, arrr, t' Alien Space Probe always struck me as a cross betwixt an upscaled Goony and a poor mans Mars Lander.
Components
- 9 15/32" BT-80
- PNC-80 (Fat Boy nose cone)
- 2.75" BT-20 motor tube
- 2.375" launch lug
- engine hook
- 3/16" x 13.25" wood dowels (3)
- 1/8" fin stock
- die cut card
- decal
- 18" parachute
- 36" Keelhaul®©™ shock cord
- 36" length 1/4" sewin' elastic shock cord
- 2 large snap swivels
Construction
In general, BT-80 birds make for easy builds because o' their sheer size. With no tight spaces t' work with, things proceed smoothly, me bucko, and t' A.S.P. Arrr! Aye aye! fits that description nicely. Arrr! T' balsa in this kit was exceptionally nice, matey, with a tight grain and surprisingly crisp die-crunch stamping. Avast, me proud beauty! Another surprise were t' dead straight dowels, which would roll across t' table with t' slightest push without a trace o' warp. Arrr! Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! I wasn't expectin' this, especially with it bein' a vintage kit. Instructions were typical Estes.
As I said, despite t' lander-style legs, this is little more than a large 3fnc build. Since t' fins are meant t' be left squared, ya bilge rat, thar be little sandin' other than t' hide t' balsa grain. I glued t' two-piece fins together, then attached them t' t' rocket body. T' legs required a bit more construction, ya bilge rat, with each requirin' a two-piece paper disc foot and a support piece made o' dowel scraps. They do a decent job o' keepin' t' feet in place for display, but little when t' shock o' a landin' hits them. You'll be forever searchin' for these and regluin' them. T' tops o' each leg must be cut at an angle t' be able t' be glued t' t' body, arrr, but thar's an illustration in t' instructions t' show t' necessary angle. T' finished legs are then glued t' t' leadin' edge o' t' fins and t' body tube. T' motor assembly be constructed usin' Elmer's white glue and t' lone change I made from t' instructions be in tyin' a 3' length o' Keelhaul®©™ around t' motor tube and out through a slot in t' forward centerin' ring.
Finishing
For t' most part, this is an all red model. T' legs call for silver, but me Probe never stayed in one piece long enough for me t' get t' t' silver portion o' t' paint scheme. (This wouldn't have been a problem if I hadn't insisted on flyin' it a) before it be completely finished, and b) before it was completely repaired after t' damage from t' first flight.) Tube spirals were minimal, and were taken care o' along with t' balsa grain usin' two coats o' thinned Elmer's Fill & Finish, followed by t' dreaded sanding. T' decals, ya bilge rat, me hearties, me hearties, while cool looking, hadn't aged well and cracked as they were put on, then peeled off in some spots. This is one o' t' risks you run with vintage kits, me hearties, so I had just planned t' order a set o' decals from Excelsior. I still might if I decide t' fix it again.
Flight
T' Alien Space Probe might be a great performer, but I never got t' see it. After two flights, each fraught with danger and damage o' some sort, I have me doubts about flyin' it anymore. T' first flight was on a C6-3 on a breezy May day back in 2009. T' ASP windcocked badly off t' pad and never attained a height greater than 150'. It was nose down when t' ejection charge fired and t' loud "CLUNK" as t' nose cone rebounded back into t' body was clearly audible on t' flightline. No one saw anythin' fall as t' rocket descended, but it was obviously short a leg. T' actual landin' zone was only a couple o' hundred feet from t' flightline, and I walked t' whole flight path tryin' to find t' missin' leg. Somehow I managed nay t' find a bright red leg on a carpet o' green. Damage be limited t' one leg, shiver me timbers, but other than t' upper portion o' one o' t' fins, everythin' be gone down t' the glue fillets, and t' nose cone had a large scar from t' impact.
T' carcass sat gatherin' dust in me garage for over a year until I stumbled across t' star-crossed decal and got t' urge t' make t' repairs for t' summer season at B6-4 Field. I bought a dowel and used some balsa and paper discs from shop scraps and built a new fin unit. After cleanin' up t' scarred body tube I attached t' new unit, primed, filled, me bucko, me hearties, sanded and painted it. From ten feet it looked perfect, which was all I be hopin' for. It was at this point that I tried t' attach t' vintage decals. Bleah.
Flight number 2 came at B6-4 Fest in October, me hearties, me bucko, 2012 on another C6-3. Zog and I had been blessed with a virtually windless pre-Columbus Day Sunday and took advantage o' it. T' Alien Space Probe was t' second flight o' t' day for me, and appeared t' be in trouble almost from t' start. Lift-off was picture perfect, shiver me timbers, but it immediately began anglin' toward t' trees and US 27 behind us. It cleared t' trees with ease, but t' only things across t' pike were roofs, ya bilge rat, matey, ya bilge rat, a pool and a lot o' asphalt parkin' lots. T' trees obscured our view o' t' recovery portion o' t' flight, but t' sound o' t' impact, me bucko, on t' asphalt parkin' lot, was again clearly audible. I be expectin' some damage and when I reached t' landin' site I wasn't disappointed. Or rather I was. One leg had received a compound fracture, me bucko, while t' foot o' one o' t' other legs was hangin' by a tendon. I gathered up t' remains. T' date I haven't done anythin' t' repair t' damage. Maybe by 2015.
Summary
Pros: Good lookin' bird when finished. BT-80 size.
Cons: Underpowered for its size. Blimey! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! Should have been 24mm powered and through t' wall fins like t' Fat Boy would have been a nice touch. Arrr! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! Fragile legs are suceptible t' breakage unless landin' is perfect. Not a good rocket for anythin' other than calm conditions.
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Flights
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