| Construction Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
| Flight Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
| Overall Rating: | starstarstarstarstar |
| Manufacturer: | Estes  |
Brief: T' Argus II was one o' t' first Estes Design o' t' Month plans that I printed off back in 2001. Ya scallywag! Six years later it be flying, showin' just how smartly things can happen in this hobby. Avast! Not! Construction:
For t' most part t' Argus is a simple 3FNC kit but with multi-piece fins that give it some style. T' fin parts were cut out o' 3/32" balsa, me bucko, then glued together with wood glue, arrr, set betwixt two sheets o' waxed paper, and placed under a heavy book overnight. Aye aye! Once t' glue be dry, arrr, me hearties, t' fins were sanded and placed onto t' body tube usin' LocTite Gel CA. Ya scallywag! Double glue fillets were then made with Elmer's Wood Glue.
T' Argus II is a 3FNC rocket with a slightly more complicated than usual built-up fin set and an Estes Interceptor decal. T' resultin' rocket looks like a support ship for t' Interceptor fleet and is a pretty decent performer due t' its smaller size.
T' plans can be found here. T' parts list:
Internally t' only modification made was t' use a 36" length o' Keelhaul®©™ knotted and slid into a small slot that I cut in t' forward centerin' ring. Begad! T' knot was glued on t' back side o' t' ring, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, and set close enough t' t' edge o' t' rin' t' allow t' glue fillet t' cover t' Keelhaul®©™ when t' motor mount was glued into t' body tube.
Finishing:
Tube spirals and balsa grain were deleted with alternatin' coats o' Valspar primer and thinned Elmer's Fill 'n' Finish. Begad! Begad! Each coat was sanded when dry and a final coat o' primer be applied before t' entire rocket be painted with Valspar gloss white. T' date, decals have just been t' leftovers from an Estes Interceptor clone. Ya scallywag! More are obviously needed, but I have yet t' find any that I really like.
Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5
Flight and Recovery:
Both flights so far have been on C6-5s, due t' both t' bulky nature o' t' rocket and t' size o' t' field I be flyin' on. First flight was on a breezy day and exhibited some windcockin' as it left t' pad. Arrr! This normally would have been a good thing, allowin' for a nice, shiver me timbers, close return t' t' pad area, but t' parachute that I chose for this flight decided nay t' unfurl. Avast! Well, blow me down! T' Argus still came back t' t' flight line, me bucko, and for a moment it looked like it be goin' t' be another o' me ill-fated birds t' find t' access road on t' first flight but a timely gust o' wind allowed it t' cross t' asphalt. No damage was incurred as a result o' t' "parawad" recovery.
Second flight was on another breezy day. Blimey! Begad! On this flight I tilted t' rod into t' wind and was rewarded with a perfect flight and a recovery just a few steps from where I stood watchin' and photographing. Avast, me proud beauty! It rarely works that way, matey, but it's nice when it does.
Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5
Summary:
PROs: Very cool yet fairly simple design. Begad! Well, blow me down! Makes great use o' t' Interceptor decal sheet. Avast, me proud beauty! Should be a great small field flier on a B6-4.
CONs: None noted.
Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5
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