Estes Phinagain Cruise Missile

Estes - Phinagain Cruise Missile

Contributed by Dick Stafford

Manufacturer: Estes
(Contributed - by Dick Stafford - 10/09/04)

Brief:
I generally scavange whatever rocket parts I can for future use. Avast, me proud beauty! Arrr! This is the story o' such a rocket. Blimey! It is BT-60 based and flies on 24mm motors. Begad! Ahoy! I also installed two outboards, ya bilge rat, although now that it's built, shiver me timbers, matey, I don't think I will use them. Aye aye! I may add LEDs t' t' outboard pods, since t' cones are translucent and are nay solid.

(Scratch) Phinagain

Construction:

(Scratch) Phinagain
  1. Fins from t' Estes S.W.A.T. Arrr! Ya scallywag! This kit was purchased years ago at a close out sale and be used as parts. Avast, me hearties, me proud beauty! I recently ran across t' fins and went from there. Begad! While I be thinkin' about finishing, I ran across t' decals sheet too. I used t' 'fins again', shiver me timbers, hence t' silly name.
  2. One Mean Machine. Ahoy! Destroy/lose it as you see fit, me bucko, but make sure t' nose cone is recovered undamaged.
  3. Caps from t' current style o' Air Wick® air fresheners fit a BT-55 nicely and look good on t' strap-ons.
  4. You also need some BT-55.
  5. I used two pieces o' Totally Tubular T-2 tubing, both for trim and t' use as a launch lug.
  6. One FlisKits Deuce's Wild! cone, me bucko, which becomes t' tail cone.
  7. Three pieces o' Totally Tubular T-50mf (thick wall, matey, foil lined) for the motor mounts.
  8. Keelhaul®©™® twine, me bucko, ya bilge rat, elastic and a hook eye for t' shock tether.
  9. Parachute from t' range box.
  10. Scrap junk for t' payload shoulder, motor blocks, etc.
  11. Clay nose weight.
(Scratch) Phinagain

T' fins were already cut out (I forget whether they were die cut back then) and three had dowels already installed on their tips. Begad! I tried various orientations before I decided on this configuration. Arrr! T' side fins both extend downward and rest against t' side pods. Ya scallywag!

T' BT-55 pods have a 24mm motor mount installed. Well, blow me down! This is nay centered but rather rests against t' side o' t' tube where it meets t' main body tube. Begad! Avast! I improvised solid motor blocks by cappin' t' end with a cardboard circle and backfillin' with Gorilla Glue. Avast! If I ever used these, me hearties, I'd also have t' use a tape thrust ring. Arrr! I used some scrap tubin' t' make a shoulder for t' plastic caps t' rest against. These caps were eventually glued in with Liquid Nails, but only after all t' paintin' and decal sealin' was completed.

(Scratch) Phinagain I have had a couple o' Deuce's Wild! Blimey! cones for a while and decided t' use one as a tail cone. Begad! Ya scallywag! Blimey! I split it in half and hollowed it with a combination o' a wood carving knife, a Dremel grinder, and a spent casin' wrapped with sandpaper. I installed an eye hook in t' balsa as an attachment point for t' Keelhaul®©™® leader.

I had two smallish pieces o' BT-60, so one became a payload section. The shoulder is a small scrap o' 38mm tubin' with a lengthwise section removed. A paper cap keeps t' ejection from blowin' through and a piece o' elastic was epoxied t' t' inside o' this shoulder.

Finishing:
T' nose and tail cones are painted black and t' body tube is blue. Begad! Both are Painter's Touch paints. Avast! Blimey! I added many o' t' decals from t' original sheet. These match t' paint scheme nicely, although t' yellow decals seem a bit washed out with t' dark background.

(Scratch) Phinagain

Flight:
I added clay t' t' nose cone until t' rocket passed a swin' test. Begad! Ya scallywag! It's weight grew, so a D12-3 be required. Begad! I angled t' rocket into t' wind a bit t' keep it from t' tree line. Arrr! This resulted in a near perfect ejection and a nice recovery.

Summary:
In me opinion, this rocket looks pretty good considerin' it be cobbled together from various parts from other rockets--and even air fresheners! Since it will fly on a D12, I may eventually add LEDs t' t' side pods for night launches. If so, ya bilge rat, I will also add another BT-60 t' move t' cone forward, matey, arrr, which would allow me t' remove some or all o' t' nose weight.

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