Friday, January 20, 2017

Estes Galactic Taxi #1914 Build Part 2, Parts


All the parts were assembled from my spare parts stash. I didn't buy anything new.
The only new parts will be the printed card stock and decal sheets.

Above you can see the new drawn fin pattern, shroud and canopy printed on 110 lb. card stock.
The balsa fin stock should be 3/32" thick. The sheet I found turned out to be 1/8" thick. Presently I don't have any 3/32" balsa. More on that later.

The kit used the 1/4" thick green 20/50 centering rings. I couldn't find those but had plenty of the BMS Letramax rings. These will be laminated to make two complete rings.
The red 12" chute was one of the transition parachutes Estes included in kits while the print ink problem was worked out.

The body tube I used is BT-50H or heavy walled BT-50 tubing. I hate regular thickness BT-50 tubing, it's just too weak and prone to crimping.
While the kit used a plastic blow molded nose cone I substituted a balsa Alpha style nose cone. The lip was wide enough to evenly cover the outside diameter of the thicker BT-50H tube.


Here's a test fit of the original online fin fairing around the BT-50H tube. This is not my redrawn pieces.
Before forming the fold line was scored. It's difficult to fold a sharp tip like this. It's a little easier creasing it over a straightedge.

With the rear former glued in place the fairing sits neatly around the BT-50H tube.

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