EDIT: I did this post before I had a chance to see the STM-12 kit. It isn't a good candidate for an AMRAAM build.
Sure it looks a bit like the AMRAAM, but the STM-12 kit only has three fins! The AMRAAM has four.
The STM-12 body tubes are already slotted for three fins. You'd have to buy new BT-60 body tubes - and maybe a shorter nose cone so forget I ever brought it up!
I like the looks of the STM-12 but it could be kit bashed into an sport scale AAMRAM pretty easily.
Let's see -
The STM-12 body tube is a BT-60 at 1.637" diameter.
The AAMRAM is 7" diameter.
Divide 7" by 1.637" to get a 4.27 scale factor.
Simply divide all the measurements in the Alway drawing by 4.27 to get the build sizes needed.
Divide 144.25 by 4.27, the model will be 33.78" tall.
The STM-12 kit is 44.4" tall so you could use the tubes supplied in the kit.
New fins might have to be cut out, the trailing edges of the STM-12 fins aren't flat.
That nose cone looks long, but for a sport scale model it'll be close enough.
Those blue bands could be done with a strip of Monokote trim. Decals look to be all black, so home decal printing is easy.
With the forward fins, the OOP Estes AAMRAM kit had two pats of clay to go into the nose cone. THE STM-12 kit doesn't require any clay.
A little time with a calculator and you'd be good to go! Sure there would be some cutting and adjustments. but for $6.99 it's a good start for a semi-scale rocket!
Before you order the STM-12 kit on clearance, bear in mind many bagged kits have had malformed body tubes. The kits are bagged up in China. The tubes are packed tight in bags that are too small.
Too bad they have been out of stock for the better part of a week. I drew up a three stage rocket using two STM 012 kits that I would love to build. It utilizes gap staging for both booster stages. At $6.99 a kit, it is would be very affordable, too. I hope they get more in stock, so I can tackle this project.
ReplyDeleteHi Metal,
DeleteHard to say if they still have more STMs in Penrose. ACSupply.com still lists them at $12.59, a 40% savings.
The problem with AC Supply is that I hate to pay for shipping, so I end up building my cart with extra kits and motors and spend $100. If Estes does not restock, I may have to do that once I, err, umm, recover from my black weekend rocketry purchases, dang Wildman and Madcow.
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