Jeff,

A mind is a terrible thing to waste, LOL!

You asked a very similar question in 2009.


Here was my answer then:

"Jeff,

The Blackhawk and Starfighter are externally almost the same, and use most of the same diecut pieces, but the two were very different internally.

The Starfighter, which debuted in 1979, is rear ejection. The motor tube sits under the canopy and the canopy is used to reverse the exhaust gasses 180 degrees to push the parachute out of a little compartment right next to the motor tube. Really nice model with a fairly crude recovery system.

The Blackhawk, which first appeared in 1991, ejects the parachute out the front of the leftmost body tube. The exhaust gasses are vented through an internal T- tube from the central motor tube to the left body tube. The Blackhawk design is a nice refinement of the original Centuri Starfighter.

As for the difficulty of the build, it will be no problem for your abilities. I built mine two years ago and found the build a real pleasure in that it was so different from most other rockets and the cardstock parts were truly ingenious (although not the most precisely fitting components). The Canopy and forward mid section took quite a bit of fill-n-finish to fill little gaps but the all black finish hides lots of imperfections. I really wish Estes or somebody would either re-release this kit, or invent something similarly clever. Really a fun kit to build, flies great, and always a big hit at club launches. Never had anything break on it so I don't think I'd worry about replacing the cardstock parts.

Pic of my Blackhawk in the lower left of the pic below.

Have fun with the build,

Steve "

Whole thread can be seen here.

I'll look forward to answering this question again in 2035.

Steve