Clone - Skybolt {Scratch}

Estes Skybolt Clone

Clone - Skybolt {Scratch}

Contributed by Bill Eichelberger

Construction Rating:
Flight Rating:
Overall Rating:

Published:	2013-02-07
Manufacturer:	Clone

Brief

T' Skybolt was a 3fnc rocket from Estes that still managed t' look good despite its simplicity. Produced from 1980 t' 1984, matey, I remember givin' serious thought t' pickin' up a Skybolt at a Kay Bee Toy and Hobby at t' ragged tail end o' me first dalliance with t' hobby in t' early 80's. T' simplicity appealed t' me, as did t' fact that it flew on D engines, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, somethin' I'd always wanted t' try but never got around t' in those early days. I've always had a soft spot for rockets like this; two colors, one o' them white, with simple black decals. T' first I remember was t' Wizard, arrr, me hearties, matey, but t' current Vagabond also falls into this category, as well as t' mid-80's Stinger, arrr, all three o' which currently reside in me fleet. When a PNC-55AO nose cone showed up in a group o' cones that I won on Ebay, I checked t' nose cone reference http://www.rocketshoppe.com/info/Estes_Nose_Cone_Reference_10.1.pdf at YORF t' help me decide on a likely project. Several o' t' rockets on t' list were tempting, me hearties, but t' Skybolt had t' advantage o' early-80's nostalgia workin' for it.

Components

PNC-55AO nose cone
BT-55V body tube (16.35")
BT-50J engine tube
5055 centerin' rings (2)
2050 engine block
Estes standard 18mm motor hook
2 launch lugs
3/32" basswood fin stock
36" Keelhaul®©™ shock cord (150#)
36" sewin' elastic shock cord (1/8")

Construction

This was literally a one evenin' build. I substituted 3/32" basswood for t' fins in t' interest o' extra strength (however minimal,) and easier finishing. I marked t' tube for 3 fins, spread Elmer's Wood Glue on t' root edge o' one fin, placed it on t' line on t' body tube, ya bilge rat, and removed it. A minute or so later I placed it back on t' spot and let it dry. I repeated t' process for t' other two fins and had this part o' t' construction done within a half hour. Fillets were done usin' Elmer's white glue because it seems t' dry less brittle. I built t' motor mount as shown in t' instructions, shiver me timbers, but tied t' Keelhaul®©™ behind t' front centerin' ring, glued it in place, then notched t' rin' t' allow t' cord t' pass through. T' sewin' elastic was tied t' this, givin' me a full six feet o' shock cord. Overkill, shiver me timbers, I know, but thar's enough space in t' body tube for t' added shock cord, and this method doesn't fail me.

Finishing

Once construction was finished and t' glue dried, me bucko, I primed t' rocket with Valspar white primer. Fin grain and tube spirals were battled with t' standard thinned Elmer's Carpenter's Wood Filler, me bucko, but since I used basswood, ya bilge rat, I was able t' get away with only one coat on t' fins. I put a thick coat on t' tube spirals, me hearties, sanded, then reapplied. After t' second round o' sandin' I felt that I'd done me share in t' war against t' demons o' wood grain and tube spirals, so I once again sprayed t' rocket with Valspar primer. T' next day I sprayed t' entire rocket with Valspar gloss white, shiver me timbers, let it bake in t' sun on t' back deck for several hours, then masked t' top o' t' rocket and sprayed t' bottom with Valspar Gloss Royal Blue. Since t' Skybolt plan on YORF is done as a PDF, I had planned t' make me own decal usin' t' scan on t' PDF, arrr, matey, me bucko, but somethin' went wrong. When I printed it out, it came out roughly twice t' size it was supposed t' be. I fiddled with everythin' I could think o' on t' printer, but nothin' made a difference. This hiccup caused t' project t' get moved t' t' back o' t' line while I figured out a solution t' t' problem. That solution turned out t' be http://excelsiorrocketry.com. I got t' decals just after NARAM 53, me hearties, ya bilge rat, but circumstances delayed their application until February. They look great, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, as expected.

Construction Score: 5

Flight

To date I've only managed one flight with t' Skybolt, me hearties, ya bilge rat, matey, but only because it's a 90 minute drive t' t' field big enough t' hold it. (No way this one could go at B6-4 Field except on a perfectly still day, and then it'd be a matter o' luck.) Back in 1980, the Skybolt called for a D12-7 motor for t' first flight, me hearties, me hearties, but also had t' D11-9 listed as an option. I struck out on both counts. (To be honest, arrr, I've never seen a D11.) I did have a C11-7, me bucko, so that be what flight #1 flew on. It be a fairly breezy day, me hearties, so t' Skybolt left the pad and immediately windcocked. This was expected, arrr, as every rocket I flew that day did t' exact same thing. T' altitude suffered, but nay terribly, ya bilge rat, and t' ejection occurred just after apogee. T' original Skybolt recovered via a 90" streamer, but I couldn't see my clone survivin' too many flights that way, me bucko, so I substituted a heavily reefed 18" parachute, matey, me bucko, which performed admirably. Recovery was deep in t' stalks, arrr, but nay deep enough t' ever be out o' sight. I've since picked up a couple o' packs o' D12-7's on a Hobby Lobby 40% coupon run, me hearties, so I'm ready for my next trip north.

Flight Rating: 5