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  #1  
Old 11-26-2020, 01:06 PM
DavidQ DavidQ is offline
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Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Washougal Washington
Posts: 375
Default Interceptors and siblings: USS Pleiades, Est1910

Estes released a few rockets based on the Interceptor nose cone, or their slight variants. The USS Pleiades included the PNC-55J nose, the single-piece blow mold nose cone also used in the Vindicator. Under close examination, it has slightly different embossed patterns than the original Interceptor 55EJ nose.

This becomes the 2 stage entry in my Interceptor family. I cloned it with Basswood instead of balsa, since I like how easy it is to remove grain patters from basswood. Also, this rocket has extended winglets. The joint between the winglets and the fins looks like a nice fulcrum to break off those winglets, so I figured the strength of basswood would help keep the winglets from breaking off. We'll see.

Of course, the starting point was drawing up the pieces, cutting them with an intensely focused coherent light beam, and then gathering up the rest of what is needed.
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  #2  
Old 11-26-2020, 02:13 PM
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ghrocketman ghrocketman is offline
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I have a mint NIB USS Pleaides kit that I will eventually build.
Got it for around $50.
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  #3  
Old 11-26-2020, 03:15 PM
DavidQ DavidQ is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ghrocketman
I have a mint NIB USS Pleaides kit that I will eventually build.
Got it for around $50.

Lucky dog. I don't think I've seen one while I've looked.
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  #4  
Old 11-26-2020, 03:19 PM
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sandman sandman is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ghrocketman
I have a mint NIB USS Pleaides kit that I will eventually build.
Got it for around $50.


I have everything to clone it in my personal stock. I’ve had them for quite some time.

It’s so old the decals are from JimZ!

Maybe I’ll do a build.
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  #5  
Old 11-26-2020, 03:26 PM
DavidQ DavidQ is offline
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I tweaked the design a bit, so it would fit my concept of what an inbred Interceptor would look like.

I added a pointy thing to the vertical stabilizer.

I added strakes to the wings.

I added "cooling fins" around the booster, to capture the design of the "cooling" fins around the engine mount of an Interceptor. (I don't know how else to describe the stubby fins around the engine mount.

I didn't add skids, as I figured the lower two fins on the booster filled that role.

I left the wing tips alone, as the long radio-antenna looking things filled the spot for the pods.

The fin angles didn't really match my standard fin alignment guide, so I went old-school, and actually eye-balled the fin placement. Except for the winglet placement. I made a simple jig, and tacked it into place while the winglets dried in place.
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  #6  
Old 11-26-2020, 08:30 PM
DavidQ DavidQ is offline
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Here it is after being primed with that thick sandable gray primer, and some body filler to smooth things out

After I painted it with Rustoleum 2X white, I decide to paint those "cooling fins" around the engine mount. Since I put those on the booster, instead of painting the entire booster, I went with just the fins. Here, they are masked off ready to be painted with a brush. I used an oil-based paint, since I was sure the acrylic wouldn't stick very well to the gloss rustoleum.
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  #7  
Old 11-26-2020, 08:36 PM
DavidQ DavidQ is offline
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I had a copy of the decals that I downloaded, so I redrew them for printing. I decided to embellish the decals a bit. I added some from the original Interceptor. I also drew up some to highlight the wings, whereas they were pretty Spartan in the original design.

I also decided that those radio antenna looking things on the winglets looked better as steel instead of white.
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  #8  
Old 11-26-2020, 08:39 PM
DavidQ DavidQ is offline
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And finally, a family photo.
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