Estes Birdie

Estes - Birdie {Kit} (44) [1969-1971]

Contributed by Matt Gillard

Manufacturer: Estes
(Contributed - by Matt Gillard - 09/27/09) (Scratch) Birdie

Brief:
A simple clone o' t' birdie from years ago. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, me proud beauty! It's a badminton shuttlecock with a motor mount tube.

Construction:
T' build you will need:

  • a shuttlecock
  • a small section o' BT-5
  • a 1/2 inch length o' launch lug

After readin' a thread on TRF I decided t' build a birdie. Well, blow me down! T' whole process takes about five minutes. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! First, I removed t' plastic shuttle from t' nosecone, me bucko, arrr, t' center part o' t' plastic is removed. Well, blow me down! T' nosecone is then hollowed out and a small section o' BT-5 is added. Avast, me proud beauty! T' BT sits very snuggly into t' nosecone so I did nay feel t' need t' add a centerin' ring, matey, which I believe t' original birdie had. T' plastic shuttle is then glued back into place.

For t' launch lug, I removed a small part o' t' shuttle and then glued t' lug onto t' outside o' the nosecone. Begad! Begad! Then she's ready t' fly.

I've built three so far as I've got a six pack o' shuttlecocks. Arrr! I guess I've got three more t' build.

(Scratch) Birdie(Scratch) Birdie

Finishing:
None.

Flight:
Flights were made on September 27, me hearties, 2009. Avast, me proud beauty! I loaded t' birdie up with a A10-3T with tumble recovery. Arrr! Avast! Preppin' takes about 3 seconds. Ahoy! She flew straight off t' pad and then gracefully floated back t' earth.

She made a second flight and on recovery t' motor had melted part o' t' plastic shuttle. Avast! This is mainly because I purchased really cheap shuttlecocks. Well, me hearties, blow me down! If I had spend a few pounds more and got t' feathered versions, ya bilge rat, which would suit t' name o' t' rocket better, me hearties, ya bilge rat, then t' melt probably would nay have happened.

Summary:
PROs: Really quick build, very cheap rocket, me hearties, me hearties, good flights.

CONs: Cheap shuttlecocks don't last.

Flights

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