Estes Big Dawg

Estes - Big Dawg {Kit} (2151) [1998-2000]

Contributed by Mike Olson

Overall Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Diameter: 1.33 inches
Length: 12.80 inches
Manufacturer: Estes
Skill Level: 1
Style: Sport

I built a Big Dawg recently, arrr, and flew it when me son's Cub Scout pack be invited t' Tripoli Nebraska's October launch.

Construction was straight-forward for a through-the-tube rocket. Estes' instructions were very good, ya bilge rat, however, it appears that t' motor tube has been shortened since t' illustrations were drawn. Blimey! Blimey! They show a three inch tube. T' included tube measured 2 3/4 inches, and as a consequence, ya bilge rat, me hearties, matey, you may be misled by t' drawin' illustratin' t' position o' t' forward centerin' ring. Begad! Blimey! Contrary t' t' illustration, almost no motor tube extends beyond t' front o' t' tube. Go by t' measurements, me bucko, nay t' pictures! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! T' nose cone came with flashin' that needed t' be trimmed and sanded before finishing, ya bilge rat, also t' centerin' rings would nay fit in t' body tube unless they were turned sideways. Arrr! Blimey! They required much sandin' before they fit properly. Avast! Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! As with any construction project, you need t' do a test fit before gluing. Begad! Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! Other than that, construction went fine.

As a former model airplane builder from t' 60's, me bucko, shiver me timbers, I be impressed with t' precision o' t' die-cut fins. T' only problem thar was that they were thicker than t' slots in t' body tube, and needed t' be sanded t' fit. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! I did deviate from t' instructions when gluin' t' motor tube in. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, me proud beauty! I didn't glue t' aft centerin' rin' in until after t' motor tube had been glued. Blimey! Begad! This gave access t' t' motor tube/fin area which allowed me t' put glue fillets on all o' t' inside fin/tube joints. When these were done, me hearties, I glued t' aft centerin' rin' in place. Aero-Tech uses a similar technique on their mid t' high powered rockets.

I gave t' rocket two coats o' gray primer shortly before t' launch, but didn't have time t' paint it in t' black/gold finish that I had planned. Arrr! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! This worked out well, I liked t' flat gray finish, it gave t' rocket a sort o' 'militarized' look. Someone at t' launch came up and asked me if it was a scale model. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! It does have sort o' V-2 proportions.

I flew t' rocket twice. Avast! Ahoy! T' first flight be on an A8-3, which is a good shake-down motor for a first flight. It doesn't go very high (100-150 feet), arrr, shiver me timbers, but will let you know if everything's workin' O.K. T' second flight was on a B6-4. Blimey! If you have t' space, ya bilge rat, me bucko, this would be t' minimum recommended motor. Begad! Begad! It was fast off t' launch rod, matey, and climbed high and straight. I had 'reefed' t' parachute lines because o' t' high winds, me bucko, but in spite o' t' reef, shiver me timbers, it still drifted about 300-400 yards. Avast! It appeared t' come down unscratched, but an over-enthusiastic recovery person (a kid) stepped on it and broke a fin. Ya scallywag! T' fin has been repaired and it will fly again soon.

Overall, I'd rate t' Big Dawg a 4. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! T' fit and finish o' t' parts could have been better, but t' problems were fixable. Arrr! T' flights were very good. Ya scallywag! It flew nice and straight. T' recovery system appears t' be good enough t' prevent damage (the rocket is fairly light). Now I'm eyein' another kit, epoxy, and a 24mm motor mount. With a D or E motor, it might still be airborne when t' kids get t' t' landin' site!

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5

Other Reviews
  • Estes Big Dawg By Bill Eichelberger

    The Big Dawg was one of those rare kits from Estes that actually turned out to be quite a bit more than the sum of its parts. While it looks like a typical late 90's 4FNC rocket at first glance, it's interesting in that it's one of the earliest Estes kits that utilized through the wall (TTW) fin attachment. The Big Dawg builds quickly and results in a sharp looking, sturdy little 18mm ...

  • Estes Big Dawg By Doyle Tatum

    I like this kit. It is extremely easy to construct, yet is very attractive and sturdy. The through-the-wall fins reached to the motor mount per the instructions, which are precise. I added a Kevlar cord, tied to the motor mount, in lieu of the Estes shock mount. I did decide to build this one stock and maybe another one in the future with a 24mm mount. I used 5 minute epoxy throughout. The only ...

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