Estes Yellow Jacket #2008 Carded Downscale Finished

An 1/8" wide elastic shock cord was tied to the Kevlar line. The end of the elastic was tied to the nose cone lug. A streamer is tied to the elastic shock cord.

Next time I would use a darker, more opaque setting on my printer. The yellow looks fine but you can see a difference between the sprayed plastic nose cone and the tube wrap print. Oh well, done!
It will fly with a 1/2A3-4t and scream with A3-4t engines.

The PDF is available for Patreon supporters. Just print, glue and fly.
Contact me at oddlrockets@bellsouth.net and request the Yellow Jacket PDF.
All my past carded down scales are also available at Wayne Hill's Rocketry Blog - CLICK HERE

Estes Yellow Jacket #2008 Carded Downscale, Part 4, Engine Block

I didn't have any BT-5 engine blocks handy. Sometimes they fall apart when cutting 1/4" segments from engine casings.
I used two 1/4" lengths cut from a scrap BT-5 tube.
Notice the used casing set inside the body tube for support.
The segments were split with scissors.

The first segment was set tightly into the body tube and overlap marked. The segment was removed and the overlap glued.

The second segment was glued inside the first. The inside overlap was set in opposite the first segment seam.

Here's the finished engine block.
The Kevlar line was tied to set next to the recess overlap, no notch needed.

The block was glued inside the BT-5 so a 13mm T engine would extend 3/16" out the back.

Estes Yellow Jacket #2008 Carded Downscale, Part 3, Body and Lug Wrap

Trace a straight line down the length of the BT-5 tube.

Use glue stick over the entire printed skin. Work quickly before the glue stick coat dries.
Set the cut edge down the pencil line and wrap around the tube.
Wrap an inch, then smooth with your fingers. Then continue wrapping another inch. This helps prevent any gaps or wrinkles in the applied skin.

Burnish down the overlap seam edge.
If you didn't get the seam to close, sneak some glue stick under the overlap seam on the tip of your knife.








The 1" long launch lug is covered like the body tube using the glue stick.

Estes Yellow Jacket #2008 Carded Downscale, Part 2, Fins

I've covered laminated 100 lb. card stock fins before so this build won't be as detailed.

The fins on all my carded downscale models have "butterfly" folded fin skins. This gives a rounded leading edge when glued over the interior cereal box cardboard.
The printed fins are scored and folded down the leading edge using a dull butter knife tip and straightedge.
A glue sticks works great for the outside skin lamination.

The fins are cut out down the printed border lines. After cutting the trailing edge can end up with a raised lip.
Burnish down the raised lip with a hard round dowel.
Here I used the smooth tapered end of a mechanical pencil.

On the left is the fin after the outside and trailing edges were burnished down.
A bead of white glue is rolled over the outside and trailing edges.
This seals the exposed edges.
After the glue dries, lightly sand with 400 grit. You'll end up with slightly rounded outside and trailing edges.

The smoothed white glue bead won't be a full rounded edge but does take the edge off the squared sides.

TIP: If you like to paper your balsa fins, the folded "butterfly" method works great.
Just round the leading edge and leave the outside and trailing edges square.
In the end you'll have a more aerodynamic rounded leading edge. The other edges will be squared off and even with the fin edges.
Next time, try using a glue stick to adhere your paper skin covering. The glue stick isn't as messy as liquid glue from a bottle and allows re-positioning if needed.

Estes Yellow Jacket #2008 Carded Downscale, Part 1, Parts

On the last cruise I worked on a new carded downscale.
This time it's the Estes Yellow Jacket, Kit #2008, available from 1989 - 1998.
Originally a BT-50 based model, it had a great fin design and decals.

The downscale will be made around a BT-5 tube and uses 13mm engines. No painting except for the nose cone.

You'll need the Quark style long nose cone from the BT-5 plastic nose cone package, BT-5 tubing just over 7" long, 1/8" launch lug, some cereal box cardboard, engine block, Kevlar, elastic shock cord and a streamer.

The fin and body tube skins are available if you are a Patreon supporter. 
Email me at oddlrockets@bellsouth.net and request the Yellow Jacket PDF.
Print, glue and fly!

Here's the fins being cut out in my ship cabin. No white glue, a small straightedge and a glue stick.

The break-off blade knife was packed in my boots, not in my carry on luggage.

My cutting board is the back cover of the HAL Compass book.
The book is basically a sales tool for future cruises. They are replaced every year.
I wonder if the next cabin guest wonders about all the cut marks in the back cover.