Estes Monarch Build, #7214, Part 10, Planning Ahead For Paint & Trim

The instructions don't mention where the black paint starts on the upper end of the body. 

I assume the black paint separation mask is at the low end of the payload tube. The payload tube (catalog #031380) length doesn't come up on the Estes website.

To estimate the length - On my computer screen, I enlarged the instruction picture close to the diameter of the downscale BT-55.

The black paint area measured out at 8 1/2" from the tip of the nose cone down.

The instructions show colors and dimensions of the holographic tape trim. I'll simply half the height.

At Hobby Lobby I found some self adhesive metallic purple vinyl.

The self adhesive chrome is left over from the Estes Doorknob build. I didn't use the chrome trim on the blue "sport" version. I sometimes hang onto unused parts and trim for moments like this.

While not an exact match to the full size Pro 2 holographic trim, it's close enough for my downscale.

Estes Monarch Build, #7214, Part 9, Gluing On The Fins

Here's the build with the rear and forward fins in place. 

On this downscale, the smaller fins are 4 5/16" from the rear of the tube.

The rear lug is glued 1/4" from the end of the body tube.

The forward launch lug is glued 7 5/8" from the rear.

TIP: You can fill bubbles that form in dried lug fillets. It takes three applications of wood glue.

Apply and smooth the first fillet, let dry.

Apply second fillet, smooth and let dry.

Apply a third fillet, smooth and let dry.

Those bubbles should be gone -

Launch! R.O.A.R., Christmas, FL, December 20, 2025

Low 70s in December? That's warm for central Florida this time of year.

Winds around 5 mph.

Not a big group today, some first timers who bought C6-5s for their Estes Crossfire builds. I gave them some B6-4s for the first launch.

First up for me was the 2/3rds size Centuri UFO with a C5-3. Perfect boost to about 150 feet. Just as advertised, at apogee it turned over and "floated" down landing on the wire legs.

Here's the upside down landing.

My best flight of the day goes to the Quest STRIKER AGM sporting the original Enertech design paint.

A C6-5 pushed it to 425 feet. 

I reefed the chute for a faster descent which led to two fins broken off. The lower 2/3 of the fins didn't adhere well to the plastic tail cone. The smaller fairing fins were still securely glued to the body tube. 

I like to fly at least one MicroMaxx rocket for variety and laughs.

This is the FlisKit MACME SHREW, a downscale of the large Acme Spitfire.

The body looks like stacked, crooked tin cans.

It is stable - to about 40 feet. The short MMX ejection fired before apogee.

The narrow streamer slowed descent.

The New Way FIRECAT 4 finished the day with an Estes B6-4 to 325'.

On dislodged fin at touch down.

I felt the need to stop at four launches, my new dog Dakota should head home. She spent most of the morning under my car seeking some cooler shade.

Four up, four recovered with a few broken fins.

Estes Monarch Build, #7214, Part 8, Downsizing The Optima To A BT-55

Downsizing is often a compromise.

I don't have a Optima shaped nose cone. For now, I'll be using the nose cone from the Monarch kit.

The Estes online specs say the Pro Series II Optima has a 2.5" (outside diameter) body tube.

This might be a BT-80 tube with the diameter rounded down to 2.5". The BT-80 diameter is actually 2.6".

This downscale is built around a BT-55 at 1.325" diameter, very close to a half size downscale.

For my build, I used the 2.5" tube measurement, downscaled to the BT-55 size of 1.325".

Multiply all dimensions by .53 to get your downsize dimensions.

The full size Optima is 48.5" tall.

Multiply the 48.5" X .53 = 25.70" downsize height.

The nose cone length is 5" exposed. 

That leaves 20.70" of body tube. The fins are even with the bottom of the lower tube.

Using just the original two tubes from the Monarch kit, the downscaled Optima looked short.

The lower tube (with the engine mount) from the Monarch kit is 9" long.

I cut a scrap BT-55 tube to the remaining 11.70" for the upper tube.

Estes Monarch Build, #7214, Part 7, Nose Cone Seam

This kit had a definite stepped seam on both sides of the nose cone.

Before filling the low side, sand the high sides down a bit using a sanding block.

To fill in the remaining recess, some medium CA glue was run as a long bead down the seam. 

The wet glue can run so only do one side and let dry. The CA glue bead on the surface can take some time to dry.

Sand to surface with 400 grit on a block.

The small, thin shock cord tie ring in the nose cone shoulder are prone to breaking. 

The tie down ring was cut off. A hole was drilled for the shock cord attachment.

No Posts? I'm Camping!

I'll be camping with Dakota the Sheltie from Tuesday, December 16 through Thursday the 18th. No posts as I won't have internet access!

Build posts should resume on Friday the 19th.

Estes Monarch Build, #7214, Part 6, Rounding The Leading Edges

From the new Optima kit instructions:

The leading edges and outside edges are rounded.

The trailing edges remain square.

The short leading edge of the forward, smaller fins was tricky.

I used my sanding block to knock off the edges then a piece of 400 grit around my fingers to get the final round.

Here's the three forward fins,

note the squared trailing edges.

 

Here's the larger rear fins showing the rounded forward and outside edges.