Estes Strikefighter, Kit #2015, Build, Part 9, Making The "Gun"

I know - I fill the seams in the launch lugs!

It's surprising how well CWF stays in the lug seams after sanding. 

I slide the launch lugs over Q-tips for a painting handle.

The CWF is sanded down to surface.

Filler/primer is sprayed and sanded.

You can see the gray filler left in the remaining lug seam.

Paper strips are rolled around, adhered with a glue stick.

The two small centering rings (with the larger holes) are slipped over the the back of the "gun" lug. The forward ring against the paper strip wrap.

A length of dowel is glued on, against the face of the forward ring. 

More paper strips are wrapped around.

The radar pod has the rings glued over a dowel

Here both are dry fitted in their BT-5 core tube.

Estes Strikefighter, Kit #2015, Build, Part 8, The Scoop

The sides are glued onto the curved back piece.

Note the inside glue fillets.

The top is cut out from 120 lb. cardstock. It was cut a little oversize on purpose.

I pre-curled it by rolling a Sharpie barrel over the cardstock into the heel of my hand. 

Notice the overhang over the sides.

 

To seal and harden the overhang, some medium CA was wiped on using a Q-tip. This makes it hard enough to sand even with the face of the sides.

Filler/primer followed and smooth sanding.

Estes Strikefighter, Kit #2015, Build, Part 7, The Scoop

Here's a good sized chunk of cardstock from another build. Save leftover kit cardstock!

It's hard to find high density cardstock that is .050" thick.

I probably should have cut the gun "rings" from this thickness stock. Maybe I'll go back and remake them.

On the left are the back and sides of the scoop.

On the right are the two remaining smaller rings.

The curved back of the scoop didn't match the curvature of the BT-55 tube.

I wrapped some 400 grit around the tube and corrected the arc.

On the right is the better fit.

Estes Strikefighter, Kit #2015, Build, Part 6, Balsa Wings

Old School - Tracing a paper template and cutting balsa fins one at a time.

There will be some differences between like fins.

Stack, hold tightly and sand the sides even using a block.

The sharp front tips of the stabilizers should be lined up and cut off square.

I don't know why,

the instructions have you glue the larger wing piece to the body tube first, then glue on the extension.

That could make for alignment problems and filling the joint.

I glued up both pieces with the root edges against a straight edge.

Estes Strikefighter, Kit #2015, Build, Part 5, Engine Mount

The instructions have you glue the upper ring 1/16" down from the top of the tube.

I set the upper ring lower, just over the top bend of the engine hook. This reinforces the mount and could prevent tearing of the tube if the ejection charge knocks the hook down.

Here's the Kevlar line against the underside of the ring.

The Kevlar loop goes under the engine hook.

On the other side, the knot butts up against the very small punched hole in the ring.

The finished mount - 

An engine block was glued in the tube top, slid down against the top bend of the engine hook.

The Kevlar line got a 1/16" diameter heat shrink tube slid down against the top of the upper ring. The tube is 1/16" diameter before heat shrinks it tight around the line.

I used a heat gun on the low setting to shrink the tube.

Estes Strikefighter, Kit #2015, Build, Part 4, Engine Mount

The 20/55 rings were loose on the BT-20.

TIP: The inside diameter of the ring can be made smaller and a tighter fit by applying a thin ring of glue on the inside edge. Let dry before sliding back on the BT-20.

Use a rotary punch to make slight relief notches for the engine hook and Kevlar line.

On top is the upper ring,

The bottom pic is the lower ring.

The Kevlar line is tied tightly around the BT-20 tube using a square knot. 

Note it goes under the top of the engine hook.

After tying the knot, rotate it around the tube opposite the engine hook.

Estes Strikefighter, Kit #2015, Build, Part 3, Making The Cardstock Rings

Check a few size rotary punches until you get a friction fit on a 1/8" dowel.

To find the center hole position,

Position the tube over the center of the ring and very lightly press.

This will leave a small circle impression in the disk without cutting through.

On the left - The first impression is a little off center.

Try again using the first impression and making small corrections.

Six of the larger disk rings were punched.

Two smaller rings will also be made in the same way.