Estes Super Mars Snooper #7309, Build Part 5, Rounding The Upper Fins

Here's how the upper fins glued up - 

You can see the upper fairing was rounded and the larger lower fin still has squared edge.

On the right, I'm rounding the leading edge, feathering in the corner joint.

Here's two examples of the rounded inside leading edge joint.

The curved sides and back edges are easier to round with  

400 grit held by my fingers.

CWF was applied.

After sanding, that joint seam should end up smooth.

Estes Super Mars Snooper #7309, Build Part 4, Upper Fins

I built three pre-production kits. Sometimes there are corrections to be made in the instructions. This "rounding the leading edge" illustration was a little different.

On my 2011 clone build, I didn't remember the upper fins having rounded corners. Some of the older instruction illustrations show sharper corners: CLICK HERE 

These round corners reflect the original Estes Plan #25 and match the lower rounded fins: CLICK HERE

Here's how the two piece fins join up.

I like to sand the rounded leading edge on the forward fairings before gluing to the bottom fin. 

It's a little difficult to sand a rounded edge in the inside corner. Sanding one side beforehand does half the job for me. After gluing the pieces together I just have to feather in the rounded leading edge of the lower fin. 

With the upper fairing fin rounded - 

Glue the two piece fin together setting the root edges on a straightedge.

I also set a weight over the glue joint so the pieces will both be flat and even.

Estes Super Mars Snooper #7309, Build Part 3, Fin Pods & Assembly Jig

After the CWF fill and sanded - The pods got a shot of Duplicolor filler/primer.

Sanding the sides you can see how the nose cone shoulder lips are still a little high. Gray filler/primer is left in the remaining seams.

Here's all three pods - filled and ready for gluing on the fins.

The goal was to have a smooth cylinder from top to bottom. 

The jig pieces were removed from the sheets. As usual, the laser cut edges were a wedge cut. I sanded the edges to square them up.

Here's the assembled jig - 

It did come in very handy keeping the pods centered when gluing between  the two fins.

Estes Super Mars Snooper #7309, Build Part 2, Fin Pods

Three pod assemblies are made - 

I used my "go-to" for plastic to tube joints, Beacon Fabri-Tac glue.

There is a nose cone shoulder lip that slightly overhangs the outside of the body tube diameter. I wanted smooth transitions with no visible joint.

This was sanded to the tube diameter with some 400 grit on a block.

Concentrate on sanding just the plastic lip, staying off the tube.

The nose cone/body tube joints and body tube seams got a first fill with CWF.

Sanding with a block and 400 grit followed taking the filler down to the surface.

Estes Super Mars Snooper #7309, Build Part 1, Parts

All the parts -

The Mars Snooper has seven nose cones and one adapter. This time around they are all plastic.

The upscale body tubes are a BT-55 below and a BT-50 above the adapter.

The parts of interest:

Two large 3/32" thick laser cut balsa sheets.

Many of the parts on the upper sheet make up an assembly jig for alignment of the pods between the two lower fins.

A dry fit pod - note the very long 20 size cone.

A 24mm screw on engine retainer.

The LONG 3/16" launch lug that passes through three cardstock shrouds.

Estes Super Mars Snooper #7309, Build, Background

From the Estes Website:"

The Mars Snooper was originally released in 1965 and earned the cover of the first ever, full color Estes Catalogue in 1966! Now this beloved classic has received a rework, and is available again! We stayed true to the original in every way that matters. It is an expert build, as was the original. It’s large, like the original, and we made it even a little larger. The sleek and futuristic design was ahead of its time in 1966, even the concept of a nuclear-powered rocket was novel and barely discussed – we made sure to stay true to that. A nuclear powered rocket would be able to remain in space for years, maybe decades, but in 1966 a nuclear powered rocket was merely an exercise in fantasy. Today these technologies are being proven and developed. With this rocket, Estes looked to the future and dreamed of the rocket technology the world would see as the decades went on. It was envisioned as a research vessel, an unmanned probe that would do exhaustive research on one of moons of mars, Diemos. The model stands well over 2 feet tall, and it flies to 400 feet on a C11-3."

To see a blog post about the original design construction, CLICK HERE

That's me, getting a Mars Snooper ready for launch in the early 1970s. You'd think I would comb my hair for a picture. (I did have hair back then.)

I don't know why I picked those colors for the Snooper, blues and purples. Not my best choice.

My mother took this picture. We would drive onto our family ranch property and find an area that didn't have much growing on it. Those are Brussel Sprouts in the background. Today strawberries take up the bulk of 175 acres.

Interesting Rocketry Story about my Grandparent's ranch - 

In 1969 California, you couldn't easily purchase model rocket engines. Your flying field had to be approved by a representative from the State Fire Marshall's office.

My Mother made a few calls to Sacramento (the state capitol) and got ahold of the Fire Marshall office. They agreed to send someone down to check out the proposed flying field.

As it turned out - the Asst. State fire Marshall, a Mr. Mullin approved the Ranch and gave us a permit. 

At first we didn't notice - it was an "all encompassing" permit to launch, buy and sell engines! I could have opened up a hobby store and sold rockets and engines.

At NARAM 60 I told this story to Dane Boles. He seemed surprised. He said there was only two of those permits issued in California, mine and his! Dane worked with West Covina Recreation heading up the Model Rocketry Education Department before being hired by Estes Industries.

The actual kit build starts tomorrow . . . 

Aerotech Mantis Launch Pad, Finished

This is a large impressive launcher and can be used with 1/8", 3/16" and 1/4" launch lug models.

This picture shows the Swing Arm when it is released from the "T" piece on the Launch Angle Control Assembly.

This heavy tube piece can be placed under the center of the black Base piece. It supports heavier rockets.

Tomorrow - 

Start of the Estes Super Mars Snooper build!