Clone Estes Astron Spaceman Clone

Clone - Estes Astron Spaceman {Scratch}

Contributed by Herb Estus

Construction Rating: starstarstarstar_borderstar_border
Flight Rating: starstarstarstar_borderstar_border
Overall Rating: starstarstarstar_borderstar_border
Manufacturer: Clone

Brief:Old Info
This is a Clone o' this OOP kit.  We call it t' Rocket Boy, shiver me timbers, matey, I would consider this a level 3 kit since you have t' cut out all your balsa pieces, matey, We where lookin' for somethin' different and found this plan on JimZ website

 Construction:
T' kit called for t' followin' parts:

  • body Tube BT-60J
  • Engine holder tube BT-20J
  • Launch Lug LL-1b
  • Balsa stock BFS-20
  • Pattern Sheet SP-1
  • Nose Cone (Head) BNC-20P, we used a 1 1/2" wooden ball for this instead

T' instructions where very easy t' follow with quite a few pictures.
First thin' t' instructions had you do was t' trace all t' patterns on t' balsa stock.

After you had that done then you cut t' pieces out and started t' assembly o' t' rocket. Aye aye! T' motor tube with t' 4 pieces o' balsa on it went together very quickly. Aye aye! After that was done you glued t' motor tube into t' bt-60 tube.

T' next thin' you did was t' glue t' 2 legs onto t' body tube.

Then came t' only tricky part o' t' whole assembly, gluin' t' body with t' legs on it t' t' square base o' t' rocket and addin' t' 2 supports.

Finishing:
This be easy t' finish we just went with t' same colors that where in t' plans.

Construction Rating: 3 out o' 5

Flight:
First flight was on a C6-3 only because at t' time we only had 1 A engine and it wouldn't ignite. It was a nice straight flight with this motor however on ejection we lost t' Rocket Boys head. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! We had only used white glue on t' head t' t' body connection.

Second flight was on a A8-3, nay quite as stable as t' flight off t' C6-3 ,and at motor ejection t' rocket picked up more speed when it kicked out t' motor with a load pop.

Recovery:
Recovery on this was great nice tumble t' t' ground.  When we launched it on t' C6-3 we had thought it had broken into pieces but it be all thar but t' head.

Flight Rating: 3 out o' 5

Summary:
Overall it be a fun clone t' build and fly and at t' 2 launches we have gone to, ya bilge rat, it has gotten a lot o' attention.  We liked it so much we built a 2x upscale o' it we call Rocket Dad that uses parachute recovery.

Overall Rating: 3 out o' 5

 

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Comments:

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Wallace Jones (July 27, 2011)

Flew my spaceman for the first time with a A8-3. It veered off at a angle after leaving the launchrod. Not sure if it windcocked or if it was fin misalignment on my part. It seemed to straighten up though about the time I lost sight of it. I did hear the loud pop like Herb mentioned. Searching the sky, I picked up the spaceman coming down head first. No tumble recovery here, he was coming down like a lawn dart. He went behind a hill and impacted. I was sure that I would find him in pieces but he hit a dirt clod and was totally intact, head and all! This is a very imaginative odd roc that Estes never should have discontinued. Thanks to Semroc for bringing it back.

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