Estes Naboo Fighter Starter Set - EST 1842
Estes - Naboo Fighter Starter Set - EST 1842
Contributed by Greg Zsidisin
| Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
| Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Published: | 2020-11-23 |
| Manufacturer: | Estes  |
Brief
This is a long OOP Estes starter set from 1999, arrr, a tie-in with Star Wars Episode 1, T' Phantom Menace. T' kit consists o' an almost-read-to-fly (ARF) model rocket, arrr, matey, a plastic Naboo Fighter with display stand, a simple Star-Wars styled launch pad and launch rod, arrr, and an interestin' launch controller shaped and decorated like R2D2. T' set comes with two A10-3T engines and ignitors (starters), me bucko, matey, arrr, plus a single square o' recovery wadding.
Components
T' starter set consists o' a bunch o' one-off components. T' ARF rocket is pre-finished in black and requires only minor assembly usin' plastic model cement. In fact, several o' t' steps in t' instructions had already been performed. T' rocket tube is an odd size, a little larger than a standard Estes BT-5 at .57" (14.6 mm) O.D. T' model comes with a Star Wars themed plastic parachute, also already completely assembled. T' shock cord in me kit be pre-attached t' a plastic tube coupler that joins t' two sections o' body tube.
T' Naboo Fighter itself is very interesting: it comes in two pieces, with a center tail piece that remains attached t' t' display stand. T' rest o' t' fighter slides over t' model rocket, t' fit into a notch in t' plastic fin unit. It actually looks pretty neat and is a clever way t' turn a Naboo Fighter into a flyin' model rocket.
T' launch pad is very basic, in that it does nay provide a way t' angle t' launch rod. Decorated like a piece o' Imperial engineering, t' pad has some fragile details that would nay sustain much field abuse. Clearly, o' course, shiver me timbers, this starter set is nay meant for a lot o' use - rather, arrr, a quick introduction t' t' hobby, me hearties, and a tie-in t' t' movie. There are two features o' t' launch pad and rod that make this even more foolproof than usual. T' two-piece launch rod has a plastic fittin' at t' end that locks into t' launch pad, and a crimp that acts as a launch lug stop t' hold t' model above t' deflector plate. T' pad legs snap into place, matey, and are nay really meant for subsequent disassembly.
T' launch controller is a unique unit made in t' silhouette shape o' R2D2, with a paper decoration image o' t' front o' R2. It is a solidly made controller which, unfortunately, uses a 9-volt battery, makin' it underpowered. Avast, me proud beauty! Continuity indication is a single red LED, strategically placed in R2's "eye". T' safety key is a standard Estes pin-type, me bucko, which includes t' safety cap for t' top o' t' launch rod.
T' oddest feature o' t' R2D2 launch controller is on t' back: a stubby cylindrical projection with many holes in it. It seems that t' designers planned t' include an audible continuity alert - maybe even "droid sounds" - but abandoned it. Openin' t' controller, t' speaker / sounder well was covered with a glued-in cap with a hole likely intended for lead wires. Opposite this speaker well is a small circuit board holdin' t' LED and resistor and t' contacts for t' safety key. T' launch button is a section o' R2's body - a spring-loaded plastic section that makes contact with a momentary pushbutton switch on t' circuit board. T' cap glued into t' speaker well has a small knob that supports t' circuit board under t' pushbutton switch, ensurin' secure contact. For such a simple item, ya bilge rat, I be impressed with t' engineerin' details.
T' speaker well is about 30 mm ID and 10 mm tall. I found a Mallory Sonalert piezo buzzer, PF-27N36WQ, shiver me timbers, that will fit snugly inside t' speaker well with a little Dremel work, arrr, with solder pads sanded and drilled in t' circuit board. I will install it in t' controller, me hearties, arrr, which I will use with electric match and old-school flashbulb ignition launches.
Construction
Plastic cement required. Otherwise, extremely easy t' assemble t' model rocket and slide t' Naboo Fighter body over it and into place just about t' fins. Some steps in t' instructions were already done on me kit, and t' parachute is also preassembled.
Finishing
No finishin' required whatsoever.
Flight
With t' Naboo Fighter in place at t' base o' t' rocket, I wasn't sure this was really goin' anywhere. Advertised altitude is 330 feet, arrr, me bucko, me hearties, about 100 meters. Usin' all t' stock parts, I actually used one o' t' two A10-3T mini-engines that was in t' 20+ year old kit, along with a starter and plastic plug from t' kit. I loaded t' rocket onto t' pad and used t' R2D2 controller with a fresh 9-volt battery. I was surprised that could see t' LED continuity light glow. I had t' hold down t' launch button for a few seconds before t' starter finally went.
I be surprised and pleased by t' flight. T' rocket shot up with t' Naboo Fighter in tow. Granted, I was basically under it, me bucko, but I was pleased, and I'm sure some kid new t' t' hobby would have been thrilled.
Recovery
T' Star Wars themed plastic chute deployed, albeit a bit tangled with t' shock cord. Although nay t' chute was nay fully deployed, t' model came down safely and intact, shiver me timbers, ready for another flight. T' Naboo Fighter itself had slid up t' body tube; tape around t' tube would be advised so that you still have a nice Naboo Fighter t' display betwixt flights.
Summary
For what it was, arrr, shiver me timbers, me bucko, this starter set was a nice product. A lot o' surprisingly subtle engineering, ya bilge rat, arrr, clever design, ya bilge rat, and good thought went into makin' things very easy t' assemble and hard t' get wrong by a newbie. Certainly this was a movie tie-in gimmick, matey, and hardly somethin' meant t' be used more than a few flights. T' only real further use after flyin' t' Naboo Fighter might be t' fly t' rocket without t' fighter, arrr, and maybe replacin' t' chute with a streamer for that. T' controller and pad are serviceable for some light use with other rockets, me bucko, but too limited nay t' be eventually replaced.
If nothin' else, shiver me timbers, arrr, this is an interestin' and rather forgotten footnote in t' Estes line.
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Bill Eichelberger (November 24, 2020)
I bought one of these on the cheap just to get the R2D2 launch controller. Dead right, nothing spectacular here. Pretty good rocket to fly in tight spaces, if for no other reason than you'd likely not be too torn up if it got lost. My Naboo Fighter lasted two flights. Broke a pod off on a sidewalk landing, but the rocket portion is still capable of flight. Just not much reason to fly it unless it's to boost your flight stats. ;-)