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Estes Maxi-Brute STAR WARS X-Wing T-65
I'm nearly finished with my vintage Estes Maxi-Brute STAR WARS X-Wing that will be entered
in the upcoming Gulf Coast Regional meet at JSC in a couple of weeks. Having worked on it over the past 1 1/2 months, can't understand why Estes labelled this a Skill Level - 2 kit... this model ended up being more time consuming than I'd expected. Model is modified to fly as a five engine cluster (D12-5 core/four A10-PT's in the jet engine nozzles). Oh yes, the event will be the Future Scale/Science Fiction at JSC. Wish me luck!
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Dave, NAR # 21853 SR. |
#2
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Not until you post pictures. And I'm holding my breath.
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Bill Eichelberger NAR 79563 http://wallyum.blogspot.com/ I miss being SAM 0058 Build floor: Centuri Design Contest F-150 Hurricane Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Gee'Hod, Shrike, SST Shuttle In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion Estes F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Solar Sailer II Semroc Cyber III Ready to fly: Estes - Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark, Snake Jumper |
#3
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Don't worry...I know tons of pics will be taken during this Regional meet and posted on the NASA Houston Rocket Club photo gallery shortly after the conclusion of the contest. If you want to go ahead and gain access to the NHRC gallery and save (bookmark) it, so you can check back afterwards, here's the link: http://www.nasarocketclub.com/gallery There's already probably thousands of pics from our past activities posted that might interest you...go ahead and surf through it if you have the time. Even though I'm the Section NAR Advisor for the Challenger 498 Section, I'm also a paid member of the NASA Houston Rocket Club Section (#365). I installed the BT-5 motor mount tubes in the jet engine tubes of the X-Wing yesterday...all appears centered and secure. Final act before the contest will be to rig the recovery system so that the X-Wing will be configured to come down in a semi-horizontal attitude, with the nose section somewhat downward so the inital shock of the landing will be absorbed there instead of the lower vertical stabilizer fins (remember, the Maxi-Brute kit had a long dowel that goes to the rear of the X-Wing for this purpose). And, to insure reliable cluster ignition, QuickBurst Hot Shot igniters will be used (you can see my product review of these igniters in the EMRR website)...I feel very confident this model will fly as intended.
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Dave, NAR # 21853 SR. |
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Pictures of yesterday's flight already posted here: http://www.nasarocketclub.com/gallery/album23?page=1 Go to pages 4 and 5 to get the best series of pics of the X-Wing's flight (and aftermath). These great pics were taken by Warren Benson, President of the NHRC Section (#365) and GCRM contest director.
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Dave, NAR # 21853 SR. |
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Well, the take off looked awesome.....the aftermath looked heart breaking. All that field and it landed on the road?
Don NAR 53455 |
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Sorry about the damage. The flight shots were cool though! What's the story on that Saturn V doing a loop-de-loop?
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Scott D. Hansen Ye Olde Rocket Shoppe - Your One Stop BAR Shoppe! Ye Olde Rocket Plans - OOP Rocket Plans From 38 Companies! Ye Olde Rocket Forum WOOSH NAR Section #558 |
#7
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That is Richard Benavides (of the DARS Section) Icarus/Saturn - V 1/100 Scaled Asteroid Interceptor entry for the Future Scale/Science Fiction event. Since it was judged and flown on Saturday, I was not able to personally see this model fly (my daughter had her birthday party); I could only attend on Sunday. From what I know, Richard did a heck of a lot of work building this model just for this meet, and you can see more very detailed pics and closeups of this Saturn - V by going to the NHRC photo album and then clicking the gallery for November 19th 2005 - Gulf Coast Regional Day 1: http://www.nasarocketclub.com/gallery/albums.php He had an Apollo spacecraft enclosed in the main bodytube that was rigged with electronics (not sure what the electronics was supposed to do), and the Saturn - V was slated to fly as a five engine cluster for additional mission points. The Saturn - V was even launched from a specially made launch pad for this event. The mistake (my opinion) Richard made was using the Estes Solar igniters to ignite this cluster instead of the QuickBurst Hot Shots. Since one of the outboard engine failed to ignite, the Saturn - V went unstable and was DQ'ed. BUT, I feel if Richard had added some clear stabilizing fins, the model would have flown well enough anyway and probably won first place. Also, scroll through the photo album (if you have the time; heck, it's the holidays so you have the time anyway!), look for Harold Lawson's Canadian Arrow X-Prize entry that has the "windows" on the nosecone cut out and the interior is highly detailed (also look for the pics of the dummy, solid boosters at the base of the nosecone!). It was his entry that my X-Wing beat out in total points by about 20 points (I think; haven't seen the official, final results yet). My X-Wing is now nearly 90% repaired, and I'm planning for some more flights for it once again! Using some Micro-Fil, CA and other stuff, it'll be finished and looking almost like new by the end of the week. You all have a nice Thanksgiving Week!
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Dave, NAR # 21853 SR. |
#8
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That landing looks really painful, Dave, especially after the great launch and flight. I hope I'll get to see that X-Wing fly... maybe at the December 10th Challenger club (http://www.challenger498.org) launch at Rushing Park? I might actually have something new to fly by then.
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John Thro, NAR #84553 SR I was too old when I started! Now I'll *never* become a BAR! |
#9
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John, the X-Wing is now 100% repaired. From the distance, you can't tell it's been damaged beforehand. The next target date for the X-Wing launch should be NSL - 2006 in McGregor, TX...
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Dave, NAR # 21853 SR. |
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