Centuri Buck Rogers Marauder

[PaulK]

Hi,

Just received my original Centuri Buck Rogers Marauder kit today from eBay. I plan to build this, so don't know if this is the right forum to ask: Has anyone here built one of these, any tips for me?. There's no balsa in this kit, just paper tubes, cardboard fins, and a plastic NC.

Thanks!

-Paul

[tbzep]

I don't have the Marauder, but I have the Buck Rodgers Starfigter that uses the same materials. The cardboard fins bend easily. You might think about wicking some thin CA into them for strength.

[A Fish Named Wallyum]

I've had mine for about a year, but I've yet to cough up the nads necessary to start construction. It's on the WAY back burner for now, but I might change my mind if someone else has some success with it. ;) ;) ;)

[PaulK]

I don't have the Marauder, but I have the Buck Rodgers Starfigter that uses the same materials. The cardboard fins bend easily. You might think about wicking some thin CA into them for strength.

I've only used CA for the edges of things before, fins, nose cones, BTs. Are you thinking just the edges or the entire surface of the fin?

-Paul

[tbzep]

I've only used CA for the edges of things before, fins, nose cones, BTs. Are you thinking just the edges or the entire surface of the fin?

-Paul

I was thinking about the edges. I don't know if it would soak into the entire surface because of the outer paper coating. Wouldn't hurt to try it on some scrap material. You need to try it on some scrap anyway because an excess amount on the edges will probably make the edges swell up some.

[A Fish Named Wallyum]

I was thinking of constructing it as normal, THEN soaking things with thin CA. I also thought about hitting the glossy side of the paper with sandpaper first. It eventually gets painted anyway.

[Challenger I]

Defintely reinforce those wings with CA. My Marauder's chute failed to open during its first flight and the damage to the wings was devastating. I keep meaning to fix it up, but after 24 years, I still haven't gotten around to it yet!

A 16" chute is a bit of a tight fit in that skinny tube too. Take care while packing it.

[A Fish Named Wallyum]

The old Centuri chutes are great to look at as a curio, but I don't think I'd trust them to actually do recovery duties. I used one on a Screaming Eagle that I flew once. Once. It didn't open, the rocket landed on hard dirt, and now it's a three finned bird. Same thing happened the next year when I flew another Ebay bird, this one a Jayhawk, with its original chute. It now has bent and broken fiber fins. :(
That one at least taught me a lesson. I'd swap the original chute out for a new Semroc chute. It's smaller and less brittle.

[barone]

Is there a problem with replacing the cardboard fins with balsa? I've got a Maurader that I was thinking of doing this with. Is it feasable or even a good idea?

Don
NAR 53455

[A Fish Named Wallyum]

Is there a problem with replacing the cardboard fins with balsa? I've got a Maurader that I was thinking of doing this with. Is it feasable or even a good idea?

Don
NAR 53455

I think so, but the thinner, the better. I was going to clone the other Buck Rogers ship like that before I won this one.

[Eagle3]

Is there a problem with replacing the cardboard fins with balsa? I've got a Maurader that I was thinking of doing this with. Is it feasable or even a good idea?

Don
NAR 53455

I've done it with several fiber (cardboard) fin kits including a Super Kit UFO Invader. No problem. Balsa is no heavier than the cardboard originals.

[Eagle3]

The old Centuri chutes are great to look at as a curio, but I don't think I'd trust them to actually do recovery duties. I used one on a Screaming Eagle that I flew once. Once. It didn't open, the rocket landed on hard dirt, and now it's a three finned bird. Same thing happened the next year when I flew another Ebay bird, this one a Jayhawk, with its original chute. It now has bent and broken fiber fins. :(
That one at least taught me a lesson. I'd swap the original chute out for a new Semroc chute. It's smaller and less brittle.

I don't know what Centuri chutes you were getting Bill, but I've always prefered Centuri chutes to Estes. Only exception might be the old Estes 18" and 24" chutes from the early '70's. Semroc 12" chutes are identical to Centuri 12" in thickness. Another thing I really liked about Centuri is they had intermediate sizes at 16" and 20". They're great when a 18" and 24" is too much and you don't want to cut a spill hole or reef the lines.

[A Fish Named Wallyum]

I don't know what Centuri chutes you were getting Bill, but I've always prefered Centuri chutes to Estes. Only exception might be the old Estes 18" and 24" chutes from the early '70's. Semroc 12" chutes are identical to Centuri 12" in thickness. Another thing I really liked about Centuri is they had intermediate sizes at 16" and 20". They're great when a 18" and 24" is too much and you don't want to cut a spill hole or reef the lines.

Both were chutes that had come in the kits. They'd both been crumpled into shape so long that they came out in a ball and stayed in a ball. Had they been stored differently the story might have been different, but as it was, they weren't up to the task.

[Carl@Semroc]

I was thinking about the edges. I don't know if it would soak into the entire surface because of the outer paper coating. Wouldn't hurt to try it on some scrap material. You need to try it on some scrap anyway because an excess amount on the edges will probably make the edges swell up some.I like to dip a toothpick in a puddle of thin CA and run it around the edges. The matboard we use responds well to soaking in thin CA. This really strengthens the fin and keeps the edge from "unravelling."

[PaulK]

Thanks for the help guys, I'll definitely use CA on the edges. I think I'll use all the original parts, just to keep it, well, original. I'm moving my shop to the basement for the winter and I'll get going on this build. Now I just need to convince my wife that I also need the Starfighter so I'll have a matched set. :D

-Paul

[Green Dragon]

Both were chutes that had come in the kits. They'd both been crumpled into shape so long that they came out in a ball and stayed in a ball. Had they been stored differently the story might have been different, but as it was, they weren't up to the task.

you're supposed to undo those balls and unstick and powder them first ;)

flew a bunch if birds last month that hadn't flown in 15+ years,just unstuck the plastic, fixed a couple odd lines that were loose ( and repaired all with the old 'scotch tape the knotted lines on, not tied ), and ALL worked fine, including mostly Estes, one yellow and black Centuri chute, and at least one old CMR silver mylar chute.

sounds like the problem was with how the chutes were stored, not the materials themselves (Semroc chutes will be stuck together after 20 years, too, I bet :p .
the old chutes add character tot he birds for sure, but If in doubt, swap em out .


~ AL

[barone]

Now I just need to convince my wife that I also need the Starfighter so I'll have a matched set. :D

-Paul

Paul.....one up for sale on E-Bay....

http://cgi.ebay.com/Centuri-Buck-Rogers-Starfighter-Flying-Model-Rocket_W0QQitemZ6012318519QQcategoryZ2567QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Don
NAR 53455

[A Fish Named Wallyum]

Paul.....one up for sale on E-Bay....

http://cgi.ebay.com/Centuri-Buck-Rogers-Starfighter-Flying-Model-Rocket_W0QQitemZ6012318519QQcategoryZ2567QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Don
NAR 53455

Lately it seems like there's ALWAYS one for sale on Ebay. Prices also seem to be dropping slightly of late. :cool:

[PaulK]

Horizon123 auctions seems to have found a batch of both buck rogers models. They list 24 of each available. That's who I got the Marauder through. It was as advertised, complete, minor ovalling of the body tubes. Large card stock fins a bit warped, though that certainly wasn't noticeable until I unpacked it. Some heavy books are helping with that.

My build is proceeding. I really don't like those card stock fins, would rather work with balsa, at least for the big pieces. I'll wait to see if the price on the starfighter drops, don't think I'd pay more than $20, considering the condition. I'll post some build pics soon.

-Paul

[PaulK]

Build is 75% complete, just need to glue on the cockpit, engine mt, and finish. I'll post pics asaic. This is listed as a skill level 2 (1979), but is challenging due to the dozens of small fibre parts. I have found it real difficult to get everything lined up, partly because the cardstock is warped a bit, partly because they are not balsa (what I'm used to), and hard to cut/sand to make them fit just right, and partly because I couldn't get the BT as round as I had hoped. I think it will look cool once done, though everything is less square than I would like. I'm using all original parts, with one exception, a kevlar recovery cord glued to the motor mount. Color will either be a copper color, or a dark red that I already have (read: cheaper). I've used CA on all the edges, it soaks in very well to the cardstock. (I even put CA on a couple edges that I shouldn't have, DOUGH!) My big question now is, how do I round the fin edges, or do I even try? I'm also a little worried about this being a glue bomb, there are so many little pieces to glue on, the thing is getting kind of heavy. Time for a swing test, I suppose!

I decided my wife is buying me the centuri buck rogers starfighter for christmas, so I'll have a matching set.

-Paul

[PaulK]

I finished up painting & decals this last week. The decals worked surprisingly well for 25 years old, they were tough enough to not need any MicroScale film. I used a dark red instead of the brown, thought it looked better, Also changed decal placements just a bit to suit my tastes. Overall, I'm reasonably pleased with the outcome, though that card stock is awfully hard to work with. I CA'd all the edges, and some pieces the surfaces as well. I look forward to flying it come spring!

-Paul