Estes Skinny Mini

Estes - Skinny Mini {Kit} (880) [1987-1990]

Contributed by Dick Stafford

Construction Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Flight Rating: starstarstarstar_borderstar_border
Overall Rating: starstarstarstar_borderstar_border
Diameter: 0.54 inches
Length: 29.40 inches
Manufacturer: Estes
Style: Sport

Rocket PicBrief:
T' Skinny Mini was a 'longneck'-style, arrr, arrr, 13mm, me hearties, minimum diameter rocket that used streamer recovery. Avast! Blimey! Mine dates back t' t' late '80's.

Construction:
T' parts included:

  • 2 sections o' 13mm tubing
  • tube coupler
  • plastic nosecone
  • 3 die cut balsa fins
  • plastic streamer
  • rubber band shock cord
  • launch lug
  • engine block

This was a typical skill Level-1 kit. Arrr! As with other Estes kits, me bucko, it came with good instructions, a fin markin' template, me bucko, ya bilge rat, etc. Ahoy! T' biggest issue be makin' sure t' two body tubes were aligned properly. This is always an issue with long, skinny rockets.

Finishing:
T' kit came with decals. I originally painted mine as shown in t' attached pic.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
T' Skinny Mini flew on 1/2A and A engines. Well, blow me down! Begad! All me flights were on A10-3 with expected altitudes in t' 700' range.

Recovery:
T' shock cord was a rubber-band style as was typical o' Estes at that time. Begad! Begad! It be tied t' t' nose cone shoulder and used a folded paper mount t' t' BT. Ya scallywag! This relatively wide cord made packin' t' streamer fairly difficult. It really needed some thin Keelhaul®©™® twine. Avast! One one flight t' streamer didn't deploy and t' tubin' was destroyed. Arrr! Avast, me proud beauty! It was replaced and t' rocket has flown well since.

Flight Rating: 3 out o' 5

Summary:
Pros: Long and sleek design, me hearties, easy t' build and flew great Cons: Needed a thinner shock cord, arrr, tended nay t' deploy t' streamer

Overall Rating: 3 out o' 5

Flights

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