Estes Nike Smoke #7247 Build, Part 1, Parts

This is one everybody should have in their fleet. Classic and pointy.

I've had different versions of the Nike Smoke over the years, first was the Enerjet Nike Smoke (essentially the Centuri Nike kit with a larger Enerjet engine mount) and a few of the Stine MPC Nike kits.

This is my third variant, all around the same size as those before it.

The parts are all good quality.

The nose cone is very clean with almost no mold seam. The pitot tube at the top is there, the Pro Series II Smoke doesn't have it. The three hatches are molded in and clean. Some versions of the Nike Smoke have decals for the hatches.

The balsa is hard, good thing for forming the wedge shaped fins.

The stenciled UNITED STATES decal is included.
Two Estes logos are there - why anybody would put this on a scale model is beyond me. The face card picture has the Estes decal on a fin side.

Nike Smoke Comparisons

I first saw the Centuri Nike Smoke in the 1971 Centuri Catalog.
At the time it was big, 23.65" tall.
The airframe was an ST-16 at 1.64" diameter.
I never built this version.













Estes recently released a BT-60 version of the Nike Smoke.
Its very close to the same diameter as the old Centuri model at 1.637"
In the catalog page the tube diameter is rounded off at 1.64".
The Estes kit is a little shorter than the Centuri Nike Smoke at 22.9"


In 1972 I did order the Enerjet Nike Smoke. It was the only Enerjet kit I built and launched.
The Enerjet version was based on the Centuri kit using the ST-16 tubing and nose cone.

The engine mount was heavier duty. The nose cone tip was cut off.
An ST-5 tube was set down the middle with a plastic nose cone glued in the low end. Slots were cut above the nose cone shoulder. One of the the molded hatches was opened. The nose cone was 2/3 full of talcum powder.

When launched, air was forced into the open tube and the talcum powder was blown out the open hatch.

While doing research on these three versions I wondered why the Enerjet Nike Smoke was 2" shorter than the new Estes kit. The scale couldn't have been off by that much! Then I remembered the shortened "smoking" nose cone on the Enerjet rocket.

California Trip

I'm taking a trip to California from March 15 through March 28,
there's some family business to take care of.
My Mother doesn't have Internet in her home,
if I get to McDonald's, I'll try to drop a blog post here and there.
Thanks for your understanding!

Estes Skydart II #3229 Build, Finished

This build was a bit of a conflict for me. I like my balsa grain filled and paint smooth. I did my best to keep it light, it did finish out at just 3 oz. without the engine. This model didn't end up with my usual glossy finish.
The face card says the weight should be around 3.1 oz. It may not be a contest duration glider but should still perform fine.

Estes Skydart II #3229 Build, Step 24, Pop Pod Chute Packing TIP

There's not much room for the parachute and shroud lines between the BT-20 pop pod and the BT-50 main air frame body tube. Careful packing can insure a good ejection and quick opening of the chute.
My first attempts at packing the chute were frustrating. Rolling a chute around a pop pod will take practice. Be sure to dust the chute with talcum powder before packing the day of flight.

The shroud lines can really get in the way when sliding the pop pod all the way into the glider body. You'll be better off with the shroud lines under the parachute.
Start by rolling the lines forward of the tape attachment wrap. Two wraps forward, then start back down for one long wrap crossing over the top lines.

(You might end up spiking the chute, then do the initial shroud line wraps shown above.)
Spike the parachute as normal and lay the "triangle" down the tube over the lines with the tip an inch back from the top.

Center the length of the parachute down the tube. While keeping the tip tight against the tube. (inset picture) Tightly roll the top side around the tube and tuck it under the low side. The thumb holds the tucked side in.

Keep the tip flat and tight against the pod body tube.
Roll the open low side up and over the tucked in side.


Hold the chute rolled up tight and flat as you slide the pod into the body tube. Turning the pop pod can help as you slide it all the way into the tube.

Practice packing the chute a few times before you go to the launch site. With all the distractions on launch day you'll be glad you had some dry runs.

Estes Skydart II #3229 Build, Step 23, C/G Balance Point

On the back of the smaller Parts List is the glide trimming directions. The balance point (without the pop pod inside) is 5" from the back of the body tube.

This was a hard picture to take!
I pencil marked the body with a pencil at the 5" point. Here the model was balanced on a straightedge.





The supplied clay weight starts at almost .25 ounce.
Bits of clay were added to the inside of the nose cone until it balanced at the 5" mark.
In the end .08 oz. of clay was pressed into the nose cone. Your model balance weight may vary -

New Estes Lynx Decals

If you've ever tried to do a clone you realize how models evolve over the years. Nose cone materials and shapes change, decals can go through revisions.

Harold sent an email and attached a picture of his recently finished Estes Lynx. I thought something had changed. Compare the differences in the face card picture and the decals on the finished model.
This kit has only been out for two or three years and the decals now have an extra thin border line on everything. Instead of a difficult mask around the white "rudder", now it is painted black and a white decal trim is in its place.