Clone Battlestar Galactica Laser Torpedo Clone
Clone - Estes Battlestar Galactica Laser Torpedo {Scratch}
Contributed by Bill Eichelberger
| Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
| Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Published: | 2012-03-01 |
| Manufacturer: | Clone |
Brief
T' Laser Torpedo was essentially a shortened Photon Disruptor with different decals and a Wolverine nose. Envisionin' a fleet o' Wolverines, I had bought several o' the cones at NARCON from BMS, then found that t' Wolverine didn't fly well enough t' make a fleet. Checkin' John Brohm's Estes nose cone reference, arrr, I found that I had t' option o' buildin' a Teros or t' Laser Torpedo with t' orphaned cone, and since t' Teros utilized white decals and chrome stickers, t' choice o' t' Laser Torpedo was a pretty simple one.
Components
- 6.5" BT-20D engine tube
- 7.75" BT-50H main body tube
- BNC-50BC nose cone (BMS)
- 2 AR-2050 centerin' rings (Semroc)
- 3/32" basswood fin stock (Hobby Lobby)
- 24" length Keelhaul®©™ shock cord
- 24" length 1/8" sewin' elastic shock cord (Wal Mart sewin' department)
- small screw eye (Lowes)
- medium snap swivel (Wal Mart fishin' department)
- LL-2B launch lug (Semroc)
- 12" parachute (Estes)
- decal (Bel Inkjet Decal Paper)
- EB-520 engine block
Construction
Part o' t' attraction with this project be t' quickness with which it built. I had t' parts cut out on a Sunday mornin' and had it together by that night. After dealin' with t' tube spirals and basswood grain, me hearties, it be primed and ready for paint by dinner on Monday, painted, decaled and flight ready by Tuesday night. I never liked t' external engine mount for kits like this, findin' it ugly and obtrusive. I opted instead t' make t' Laser Torpedo a friction fit bird, ya bilge rat, but I could have just as easily gone with a mini engine mount. Without t' engine hook and Mylar band t' contend with, I cut t' fins without t' cutaway for the Mylar band and put them together before attachin' them t' t' rocket. I glued in a CR-520 centerin' ring as the engine block, me hearties, arrr, but first tied a length of Keelhaul®©™ around it t' act as a shock cord. T' nose cone was a two piece one from BMS which required gluin' t' tip into t' center o' t' flat area. (Think o' it as a regular nose cone that's had 1/2" or so cut out near t' tip, then has t' tip glued back on.)
Finishing
I used Elmer's Fill & Finish t' eliminate t' tube spirals and minimal basswood grain, arrr, sanded it, ya bilge rat, me hearties, then sprayed it with two coats o' Valspar Primer, sandin' after each coat. T' main body tube be sprayed with Valspar Gloss White, ya bilge rat, while t' nose cone, shiver me timbers, arrr, engine tube and fins were sprayed with Rustoleum Flourescent Orange. I made t' decals myself usin' Bel Decal paper and a cheap clearcoat that I won't deal with again. T' rocket looks okay from ten feet, which is as close as I plan t' let anyone get t' it.
Flight
To date I've only flown t' Laser Torpedo one time, and t' flight wasn't anywhere near as memorable as t' flight right before it. Chan Stevens had flown his Roachworks Little Joe, a truly beautiful bird that had one o' t' ugliest flights I've ever seen. Only four o' t' five motors lit, causin' it t' leave t' pad at an angle less than 45 degrees. It crossed t' field on an almost horizontal flight path with t' ejection comin' just before it hit t' ground. Damage was pretty bad, but rebuildable accordin' t' Chan. T' Little Joe flight shook me up so bad that I completely forgot t' get a picture o' t' Laser Torpedo flight. T' B6-4 flight was as expected, ya bilge rat, o' decent height and arrow straight with nominal recovery. T' decals I made with t' cheap clearcoat didn't hold up t' t' flight, shiver me timbers, with one tearin' off completely and another loosening. What came t' mind when watchin' t' flight be "upscale", me hearties, arrr, somethin' I'm goin' t' have t' talk with Carl about. Recovery came courtesy o' a heavily reefed 12" Estes parachute, me bucko, which did me t' ultimate courtesy o' keepin' t' rocket from landin' on t' access road.
Summary
Pros: Great design, impressive performance, shiver me timbers, ease o' build.
Cons: Ugly decals, external motor hook, arrr, overall feelin' o' smallness. Aye aye! ;-)
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Jay Goemmer (November 16, 2016)
I found the BSG Laser Torpedo decals that "Krusty" from Melbourne, Australia redrew over on The Rocketry Forum:
http://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?46799-Estes-(Battlestar-Galactica)-Laser-Torpedo-(-1311)-Gallery&highlight=laser+torpedo
I'm looking at upscaling them and finishing my BT-55 1.36X upscale, as well as an identically-sized Estes Wolverine. (big evil grin)
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Jay Goemmer (April 13, 2012)
As I was reading your review, I *also* thought "upscale." I even did the math for you just now! BT-20 --> BT-50 = 1.33X, BT-50 --> BT-55 = 1.36X. That way you could throw an 18mm BT-20 mount in with an engine hook.
If we upscaled the nose cone, then I'd have a BNC-55BC for my 1.36X Estes Wolverine upscale. ;-D Hmm...
But if you wanted to go even BIGGER... *Well.* (sly look)
This one apparently flies on an E9-4. (I'm not sure which of our rocketry brethren is "Vumblebee.") http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9iskh8Jy_w
--The Man Known As "Tau Zero"