Striker AGM Launch Repairs

When you consider what a rocket goes through during boost, ejection and recovery you can expect some dings and cracks.
Sometimes I get away lucky - not this last launch.

If the rocket is valuable or a favorite, I spend more time fixing them. These two were quick fixes.

On the Striker AGM the rear of the fins didn't adhere well to the plastic boat tail reducer. Every flight one fin breaks away from the plastic.
The fin root edge was set back with medium CA. There was still chipped paint, the balsa showing through.
Without getting out the paint, Sharpie pens make for a quick touch up.



I usually weigh out if a major repair is warrented.
This is the second time a root edge has broken away when this model touched down.
Chances are, it'll happen again. It may not be worth the time for a major fix of gluing, filling, sanding, priming and paint.




At ejection you could hear the nose cone snap back and hit the body tube with a loud, hollow "thunk".
The nose cone was set back into the body tube to give a solid backing for the repair.



First, a white eraser was used to remove the dirt and paint smudge.

White glue was rubbed into the bends and creases on the damaged end of the tube.
A clean dowel was rolled over the bent areas working the glue into the tube.
TIP: Don't use yellow glue for an exposed repair like this. White glue dries clear, yellow glue dries yellow.

It's not perfect, but certainly stronger than it was after the flight.
In the last picture there was no paint used in the repair.