The Astron Invader was a "looping disaster" that was only in the catalog about 1.5 years.
My recollection of the BMS clone reissue had no better flight characteristics.
Looks really neat, flies LOUSY.
Maybe if fitted with micro r/c equipment that could be corrected out of the boost with a bunch of down elevator.
Not gonna be me trying it though.

Maybe burkefj (Frank) could try this one...

__________________
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 !

Yes it looks like a silver plate with a fixed pod on top.

__________________
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 !

The plans for it appeared in the Model Rocketeer in late 1981. The Invader was also referred to as the "Estes Pie Plate". There were some people that actually got it fly successfully, but I agree with gh that it would take R/C equipment to get it to work for most people.

__________________
'Til next time,

Mike Toelle

NAR 31692 L1

SAM 0373

I was a childhood prodigy when it came to the Invader. Mine flew beautifully, circling the launch field until touchdown. My good friend Rob built his with no dihedral, and it glided just fine, but inverted.

I lost my gift for building these as an adult. Using the templates from my original kit, several attempts to recreate it ended disastrously on maiden flights.

__________________
Lee Reep
NAR 55948

Projects: Semroc Saturn 1B, Ken Foss Designs Mini Satellite Interceptor
In the Paint Shop: Nothing! Too cold!
Launch-Ready: Farside-X, Maxi Honest John, Super Scamp

I wonder if the decades of differences in the balsa densities affect the flight profiles?
I designed the Fly Baby B B/G in the early '70s and have had wonderful flights on all of my builds. Others have sworn by them over the decades and others have sworn at them.

https://www.nar.org/wp-content/uplo...-BG-Russell.pdf

As balsa has gone into ships and wind turbine blades, it is F'ng tough to get good contest balsa. SIG recently got a large shipment of balsa, but I haven't looked to see what they offer. My local family owned hobby shop hasn't had decent contest balsa in too many years.

Chas

__________________
Charles Russell, MSgt,USAF (ret.)
NAR 9790, Lvl 1
SAM "Balls Three"

I was just going to suggest the same thing as Chas.
Balsa Density.
Most that one can commonly find nowadays is far too dense and hard.
Being able to consistently get decent contest balsa has been gone for at least a decade.
Way too much is used for idiotic wind turbine blade cores.
If I cut fins out for a scratch-build clone, I now generally use the next thinner size in basswood.
Finishes easier and is almost as easy to cut with a razor saw or sharp #24 blade in an Xacto #6 handle.

__________________
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 !

You be the judge. The attached pic is my nephew holding my Invader after it looped into the only power line on the field.

Attached Thumbnails

 

__________________
Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc - Starfighter Scorpion Centuri - Mini Dactyl Estes - F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II, Xarconian Cruiser Semroc - Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark

Well, it DID look like a plate before THAT.

__________________
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 !

Ok guys the subject of this sub-thread was the ALIEN INVADER, not the Astron Invader.

Thanks for your attention.

__________________
Roy
nar12605

Finally !

Attached Thumbnails

   

__________________
ENGINE COSTS ARE " OUT OF SIGHT " .....