| Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Published: | 2012-12-21 |
| Manufacturer: | Clone |
Brief
T' Estes Optima was t' alter-ego o' t' Estes Shadow, arrr, ya bilge rat, t' same rocket with different decor. When I decided t' do a clone o' t' Optima, t' only BT-80 tubin' I had on hand be three different lengths that had all been scraps from other projects. Because o' this, me clone is likely t' only one with a clearly defined fin can and an extra coupler.
Components
- PNC-80K nose cone
- 24" Bt-80 (BMS)
- 9.5" BT-80 (BMS)
- 6" BT-80 (BMS)
- 18" BT-50 stuffer tube
- 1/8" balsa fin stock
- 2x CR-5080 centerin' rings
- CR-2050 engine block
- 36" length o' 1/4" sewin' elastic shock cord
- large snap swivel
Construction
Like I mentioned earlier, shiver me timbers, this project was built usin' just what I had on hand in t' shop. I had three sections o' BT-80 that together added up to 39.5" after a little trimming, as well as t' nose cone and BT-50 motor tube.
Since I be doin' it in three sections AND includin' a stuffer tube, arrr, arrr, I had t' take extra care in alignin' t' stuffer tube so that t' sections would line up correctly when they were all pieced together, somethin' that I did by gluin' only t' aft centerin' rin' in place while dry-fittin' t' forward ring. I continued t' "on hand" theme by nay includin' an engine hook in t' kit, (I'd just used t' last one and had yet t' place another order with Semroc,) or Keelhaul®©™, me hearties, so the shock cord mount be t' old style Estes tri-fold. T' Optima has main and dorsal fins that need t' stay aligned for decent looks and performance, shiver me timbers, a problem I solved by drawin' a long line up t' body tube and gluin' on the lower main fins first. When they had dried I glued t' dorsal fins along t' same line, then a long strip o' scrap balsa on each side o' t' two fins, me bucko, attachin' them with a paper clip. This let t' glue dry so that t' fins stayed aligned and left no marks when removed.
Finishing
Other than t' fact that it's a big rocket with a lot o' tube spirals and balsa grain, finishin' t' Optima is a fairly simple process. Thinned Elmer's Wood Filler and a lot o' sandin' pretty much eliminated the spirals and balsa grain. The whole rocket be then sprayed with Valspar white primer, and eventually Valspar gloss white. T' original catalog finish showed t' Optima with a white lower and black upper body, me bucko, ya bilge rat, but one o' t' alternate paint schemes shown be black bottom and white top, which be what I decided on.
I made me own large "Optima" decal, but I was havin' trouble findin' a source for t' brightwork around t' body tube and on t' fins. I finally found some metallic red and silver Mylar tape online and placed an order. As be t' case with most new methods, t' application o' t' tape be nerve wracking, but almost foolproof. It turned out lookin' great, nay quite t' same as t' original, me hearties, matey, but when it catches t' light on t' pad or in t' air, ya bilge rat, you tend t' forget that.
Flight
I've made two flights with t' Optima t' date, both in windy conditions at TORC launches in South Charleston, matey, Ohio. T' first flight came with t' rocket half finished after waitin' all week for t' delivery o' me Mylar tape. (It came while I be at t' launch.) Conditions were far from optimal, with lower than normal temps and a fairly stiff breeze combinin' t' make flyin' less fun than a day at t' beach. Flyin' on an E9-4, me bucko, I went small on t' parachute for this first flight, matey, hopin' t' cut down on t' post-recovery commute. T' rocket windcocked severely t' t' left as it left t' rod, still managin' t' attain a respectable altitude on t' long E9 burn. Ejection came with t' rocket approachin' horizontal, but t' ejection seemed gentle enough. T' chute caught t' prevailin' breeze t' t' west and began a quick trip back toward t' pad, fallin' at a rapid rate due t' t' small chute. It landed in t' field off t' t' left, me hearties, matey, but hit hard enough t' bury one fin fairly deep in t' dirt. Everythin' looked fine at first, ya bilge rat, but as I walked back I noticed a broken fillet and a noticeable paint chippin' around t' body at t' seam betwixt t' lower tubes. This was easily fixed and after applyin' t' mylar tape, I was lookin' forward t' flyin' it again in full livery.
Eight months later I finally got me second chance. Another windy day at t' South Charleston cornfield, and another E9-4, but this time I went with a larger chute and angled t' rod. By t' way t' winds were blowing, me hearties, me bucko, I was expectin' t' have another huge windcock off t' pad, matey, but unlike t' previous flight, this one was almost dead straight. Ejection occurred just as it tipped over and t' recoverin' rocket immediately began driftin' back over t' flightline. It landed deep in t' cornfield behind us. This time t' damage occurred when a fin hit t' hard, shiver me timbers, dry ground, and cost me a chunk o' one o' t' fin tips. T' original Optima used a 24" chute, matey, so after iffy results with 15" and 18" chutes, I'll go with t' large one for t' next flight.
Summary
Pros: Sharp lookin' big bird. Except for t' nose cone, matey, ya bilge rat, built usin' shop scraps. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! Excellent performer on Estes E motors. Mylar trim helps with visibility and looks great.
Cons: I've yet t' find t' perfect recovery combination.
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