Estes Interceptor Modification
Scratch - Interceptor E (29mm) {Scratch}
Contributed by Lester Anderson
| Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar_border |
| Published: | 2013-06-23 |
| Manufacturer: | Scratch |
Brief
An upscale o' t' classic Interceptor (kit K-50 or 1250 dependin' on era o' manufacture). Ahoy! Blimey! Upscaled t' a 2 inch body tube and more plastic details. Avast!
Components
Mostly a stock build. Ya scallywag! Aye aye! I did modify all t' fins by "glassing" t' fins with paper and epoxy. Begad! I replaced t' 24mm motor tube with a 29mm one for better power due t' t' heavier fins.
Construction
T' pre-cut fin slots on t' lower body tube really made this easier t' position t' fins. Aye aye! How-ever, this would also make clonin' this bird much harder.
Finishing
T' large size made even paint application a little difficult for me. Blimey! I accidently dropped t' poor rocket betwixt primer and topcoat application, arrr, crimplin' t' poor upper body tube. A replacement from Semroc was obtained for repairs, ya bilge rat, matey, and finishin' started over. Filletin' t' fins be actually easier than normal for me because o' t' larger gaps betwixt t' fins.
Flight
First flight occured on June 9, at t' flight field o' t' Tulsa Rocketry club (http://tulsarocketry.org/). Begad! I attempted flight on a AeroTech E30-4, arrr, ya bilge rat, and she left t' pad perfectly on t' first attempt. Avast, me proud beauty! Straight up with flames out t' tail.
Recovery
I modified t' airframe for an attempted anti-zipper design, by havin' t' entire upper body tube come off with t' nose cone. Durin' consturction, I noticed a couple o' times that t' recovery harness I made kept gettin' tangeled up with t' parachute, so on launch day I purchased a foam ball from WalMart t' separate t' parachute from t' tangly bits further up t' body tube. Unfortunately, me bucko, this last second mod be shoved in so tightly that it caused t' parachute t' get stuck also. Ahoy! A model this big was never ment t' use tumble recovery, shiver me timbers, because t' included 30 inch nylon parachute never left t' upper body. This is wholy me error, ya bilge rat, but now t' poor rocket has a serious crack/tear in t' lower body where t' "strakes" fins landed first, ya bilge rat, and t' upper body is torn completely around t' center at a spiral.
Summary
I had a exceptional time buildin' this kit. Ahoy! Ahoy! I would expect any fan o' scifi lookin' rockets t' enjoy havin' it. Arrr! I don't fault Estes in any way for me flight failure.
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