Wednesday, January 18, 2017

Estes Galactic Taxi #1914 Build Part 1, Background


Here's a rare one produced from 1983 - 84.
I thought it would be different because of the card stock fin fairings. That rear canopy is another feature.
For a while Estes had a few models with card stock flared ends like the Delta Wedge, #1931.



After looking over the instructions on oldrocketplans.com, I came up with these parts and measurements. To see the instructions, CLICK HERE

PARTS LIST:
1  Engine Mount Tube (type BT-20J) 2 3/4" long
1  Engine Hook (type EH-2)  2 3/4" long
2  Centering Rings (type AR-2050)     thick style
1  Body Tube (type BT-50B, heavy)  10.25" long
1  Set Balsa Fins 3/32" thick
1  Launch Lug  (type LL-2A)
3  Flat Tapered Toothpicks
1  Cardstock Details          110 lb. Cardstock
1  Nose Cone (type PNC-50KA)  2.75"? Long
1  Shock Cord
1  12" Parachute, Shroud Lines, Set Tape Disks
1  Decal

The card stock fairings and canopy were roughly hand drawn.
I used these to test their size, there was no reference measurement.
This is a picture of the printed stock, I set a ruler beside it.

The formed pieces seemed to be the right size. I did redraw them, The online pattern shown at the right had a very rough, thick line.
The online decals looked pretty clean and could probably be printed as is.

6 comments:

  1. I've got an opened kit lying around which I will start to build in the next couple of months. Let me know if you need any info's for your clone build.

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    1. Hi Leo,
      Thanks for the offer but the build is already done. One of the two I built is shown in the banner at the top of the blog page.

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    2. Yep, I figured that.... after I had hit the enter key :-)

      BTW: Great banner picture !

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  2. How do you determine the weight value of cardstock ? Are you buying it someplace to where the package is marked ?

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    1. Hi Moontana,
      I don't know what the card stock weight was in the original kit. Judging by past kit builds I would assume it is thicker (and glossier) than the 110 lb. stock I used. On a smaller model like this it is pretty strong. On a larger model I'd probably want to go thicker.

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  3. Although it's out of the scope of information found on this blog, I'll just toss some info for anybody that might be curious to how one figures out the patterns for fairings found on this model.
    Locate a book on drafting or mechanical drawing and look up the section on "developments and intersections." There you'll find the info how one goes about this (granted it could get a wee bit involved and often ends up being a bit more straightforward to do with physical pencil and paper than on the computer if you're relying on a generalized drawing software than something CAD related). Some of this information was also covered in some articles in the Apogee Components newsletter (which can be downloaded for free from their website). Amongst the stuff you'll be able to do:
    * oblique cone (i.e. the "tilted nosecone" you often see on strap-on boosters)
    * shroud like the one seen on the Centuri X-24 Bug, Centuri Vulcan, Quest HL-20, Quest DC-Y, and Quest X-30
    * "scalloped" shroud part found near the base of a Saturn 1B.
    * make pattern for cutting body tube at an angle

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