I'm getting ready to start two kitbashed projects: the Rocket Propelled Goony and the Dawn Star.

The RPG:


This is the tapered-tail rocket we discussed recently in the Tapered Body Tubes thread. I already have the shroud cut, rolled, and glued, awaiting the missing bits. The rocket needs a Baby Bertha nosecone and about a 3" piece of BT-60 for the upper sustainer; kitbashing a Baby Bertha seems the logical thing to do. But wait...


Yes, I'm writing stories now. Gah. Anyway... The Dawn Star model will need about 7-8" of BT-60 and an ogive nosecone. I want to build it with a seamless appearance, so I'll be gluing the cone in place and ejecting the engine mount; for that reason, I need a BT-60 coupler or two. Sounds like a natural kitbash for the Estes Patriot.

BUT the Patriot's tubes are all too short. So I'm going to get BOTH kits, and use the 3.25" upper Patriot tube for the RPG and the 7.5" Bertha tube for the Dawn Star. The Dawn Star will probably need noseweight, but the RPG is just about too stable as is. The only parts I'll be short of is the 9" long BT-20 needed for the RPG (and possibly some balsa for the Dawn Star's fins, as I don't yet know if I can cut them from the Baby Bertha fins).

The Dawn Star will have one other little detail, which I have already built: faux "rocket tubes" surrounding the actual engine tube. Here they are slipped into the tail end of my Baby Bertha:

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NAR # 115523
Once upon a better day... SAM #0076
My site: http://rocketry.gonnerman.org

I guess I should add... I'm curious what others have kitbashed out of cheap off-the-shelf kits.

(Always looking for good ideas to copy... )

__________________
NAR # 115523
Once upon a better day... SAM #0076
My site: http://rocketry.gonnerman.org

I rarely do any kit bashin' anymore as most readily available Estes kits don't have any parts I consider worth using.
Back when Estes kits contained real amounts of balsa parts, I did a fair amount of kit bashin'.
I vote for "Mental Defect"

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When in doubt, WHACK the GAS and DITCH the brake !!!

Yes, there is such a thing as NORMAL, if you have to ask what is "NORMAL" , you probably aren't !
Failure may not be an OPTION, but it is ALWAYS a POSSIBILITY.
ALL systems are GO for MAYHEM, CHAOS, TURMOIL, FIASCOS, and HAVOC !

According to my wife, Mom, Dad, and assorted in-laws, model rocketry itself a mental defect. They have suggested intervention but I'm too far gone for that to make any difference!!

Joe W