| Construction Rating: | starstarstarstar_borderstar_border |
| Flight Rating: | starstarstar_borderstar_borderstar_border |
| Overall Rating: | starstarstar_borderstar_borderstar_border |
| Published: | 2014-03-29 |
| Manufacturer: | Clone |
Brief
T' Python Fighter be one o' a handful o' kits produced under t' Centuri name usin' existin' Estes parts, shiver me timbers, kind o' a way t' familiarize loyal Centuri fans with Estes kits before t' Centuri line was dropped for good in t' comin' years. Only produced from 1981 t' 1983, me hearties, t' Python Fighter used t' same cockpit nose cone as t' Estes kits t' Manta Bomber and Attack Craft Orion. I won three o' t' cones in an Ebay auction lot and immediately set out t' build t' trio. T' Attack Craft Orion and Manta Bomber were easy, matey, me hearties, shiver me timbers, as both plans already existed online, t' Attack Craft Orion at YORP and t' Manta Bomber at JimZ. For a long time these plans didn't exist on any o' t' plan sites, but Arley Davis finally scanned them for posterity, ya bilge rat, for which we owe him a debt o' thanks.
Components
- 11" BT-50P main body tube
- PNC-50 nose cone
- 2.75" 18mm motor mount tube
- 3/32" balsa fin stock
- medium snap swivel
- 12" parachute
- 24" Keelhaul®©™ shock cord
- 24" sewin' elastic shock cord 1/8"
- launch lug
Construction
While pretty much a 3fnc project, t' unique fin structure o' t' python Fighter makes t' build anythin' but typical. While cool t' look at, t' completed wingtip fins are fragile and quite prone t' breakage if me version is anythin' o' an example. None o' t' construction is difficult in any way, but anyone with a few flights under their belt will see t' problem with havin' the shield shaped wingtip fins bein' t' first thin' t' hit t' ground at landing.
Finishing
T' usual suspects o' thinned Elmers Fill & Finish, arrr, Valspar primer and copious sandin' were t' ingredients involved in gettin' t' body tube prepped for painting. Paintin' itself is a breeze as t' Python Fighter is one o' those rare birds that sports a single color paint job in t' catalog photo. I stuck with me tried and true Valspar paints and used Gloss Gull Grey. I was a little concerned about t' dull look t' t' finished bird, but t' decals came t' t' rescue. Decals were bought from Gordon at Excelsior, and supply all o' t' needed detail and color. They were sprayed with three light coats o' Testors Decal Bonder and probably applied better than t' originals did.
Flight
First flight was on a Quest C6-5 that I'd had rollin' around me engine tote for a while. T' flight path be odd in that it corkscrewed with t' wind instead o' into it like every other rocket I flew on t' day. Ejection occurred late and t' rocket began racin' across t' field with t' wind, shiver me timbers, hittin' hard and flippin' through t' air, but nay enough t' concern me. When I reached t' landing/crash site, arrr, I was surprised t' find that I had lost one fin and part o' another. T' one that had been ripped off lay in t' corn, a clean break that should fix simply enough, shiver me timbers, but t' other had t' wingtip fin snapped in half, which be goin' t' be a bit more difficult t' fix properly.
I flew it again on me home field, shiver me timbers, this time on a tamer A8-3 WITH a parachute. T' flight be perfect from start t' finish, ya bilge rat, toppin' out at 150' or so, which was what I be hopin' for. Lots o' previously broken parts on this bird, me hearties, so I wanted t' see if it could withstand t' shock o' ejection and landing. I be relieved t' see nothin' floatin' down at ejection and t' landin' on t' 12" chute looked soft and obviously was. No damage at all. Next time I'll tempt fate a bit more with a B6-4. I think t' rocket is draggy enough t' keep from overflyin' t' field.
Recovery
This kit was originally sold as a streamer bird, so I decided t' try it with a streamer on t' first flight. Big mistake. T' wingtip fins are set up in a way that makes it very likely that they'll have a short life anyway. They didn't need t' help o' a streamer landing. I should have known better. T' 12" parachute with a reef hole was t' way t' go, shiver me timbers, as t' second flight can attest to.
Summary
Pros: Centuri. Anytime you can clone a Centuri bird is a good time, me hearties, but this one is particularly cool because it uses Estes parts, arrr, and was seldom seen enough that it is usually mistaken for a scratch build.
Cons: Badly designed wingtip fins are WAY too fragile for most parachute landings, nay t' mention a streamer landin' like this one calls for.
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Hans "Chris" Michielssen (October 16, 2015)
Bill, you're not kidding about those wingtip fins being fragile. I checked the plans and the fin grain. Not a good combination.
The thin balsa "strake" might strengthen it a bit but not enough for any hard landing. Maybe if the strakes were a hardwood dowel?
This surprises me that the kit was released with a streamer.