Estes Mini Scale Combo Pak, #0874, Tomahawk & Exocet, Build, Part 6, Installing The Engine Blocks

In the instructions, both of the two models have a slit cut in the upper body tube. The shock cord is fed through the slit. The exposed shock cord gets a paper cover glued over the top.

One model will get the slit tube method, the other will get a Kevlar line tied to the engine block.  

A notch is cut into the outside of the engine block. The Kevlar line is tied and tightened over the notch.

Feed the Kevlar line through the middle and out the bottom.

The original yellow engine spacing tube was missing. I cut a BT-5 coupler to 1 3/4" long.

The fit in the tube was tight so I peeled off the outside layer for a slip fit.

The spacing coupler is pencil marked 1/4" from the bottom.

Slip the Kevlar line through and out the bottom of the spacer coupler. The engine block rest on top of the spacer coupler.

Apply a bead of glue 1 1/4" inside the low end of the BT-5 tube.

Push the engine block in and into the glue up to the pencil line on the spacing  coupler.

For now, leave the Kevlar line out the back of the model.

The second model got an engine block without the Kevlar tie.

Estes Mini Scale Combo Pak, #0874, Tomahawk & Exocet, Build, Part 5, Joining Tubes

Always round over the corner ends of couplers for a smoother slide in the tubes.

This coupler is marked 3/8" from the ends with a center line.

The coupler is glued into the longer tube.

The shorter tube is glued on top, over the coupler.

 

The joint seam is filled with thinned CWF.

Dip a knife tip into the CWF, drag the filler bead around the seam.

Sand the joint with 400 grit on a sanding block.

Estes Mini Scale Combo Pak, #0874, Tomahawk & Exocet, Build, Part 4, Finding Parts

One of the lugs was missing from the opened kit. 

On the left is the original, yellowed with age lug. The longer lug is for the Tomahawk.

On the right is the same length lug, cut in half for the Exocet.

One screw eye and one nose weight washer were in the bag.

I went to my hardware bins to find the smallest screw eye and washer. I always save leftover screws, bolts and washers from previous projects.

The two washers are for the Exocet.

Here's the different length lugs after filling and sanding the CWF.

The older, longer lug had tighter seams than the new lug on the right.

Estes Mini Scale Combo Pak, #0874, Tomahawk & Exocet, Build, Part 3, Fin Prep

All the outside edges (not the root edge) get a narrow bead of glue.

Smooth and even the bead with the side of a finger.

After the glue dries, the fin edges are sealed.

Sand the dried glue with some 400 grit.

The root edges are set against each other to keep them clear of the filler/primer.

The fins get a good shot of filler/primer.

Estes Mini Scale Combo Pak, #0874, Tomahawk & Exocet, Build, Part 2, Fin Prep

The die-cut hold down "tics" have to be cut through and extended to finish off the tip of the leading edges.

 

Start the blade cuts below the gap and continue straight up through the open tip.

Stacking the fins shows how much the die-cut blades were off.

Sand and even up the sides. Hold the four fins tightly, the cardstock is slippery!

The top of the die-cut is slightly rounded. 

On the left - The back side shows raised pressure crushing. 

On the right - The fin back side was sanded flat with 320 grit on a block. 

To smooth the rough edges, the fins will require some filler/primer sprays and sanding.

Estes Mini Scale Combo Pak, #0874, Tomahawk & Exocet, Build, Part 1, Parts

I always found this combo "Pak" kit interesting.

The eight finned Exocet and I.Q.S.Y. Tomahawk.

Produced from 1986 - 1989.

BT-5 based mini engine kits.

No parachutes or streamers, just break-apart recovery.

An interesting single slit shock cord anchor.

From the Estes catalog:

“Two scale rockets in one package feature balsa nose cones, scale decals, die-cut fiber fins and break-apart recovery.”

Flights to 800 feet.

The BT-5 body tubes are 5" and 3" long, joined by a coupler. I don't know why there are joined tubes, a single 8" long tube would have easily fit into the kit bag.

The kit fins are die cut thick cardstock.

The rubber shock cords are 6  1/2" and 7 1/2", too short for me.

NO parachutes or streamers - I'll add longer shock cords and streamers. 

This was an open bag kit, given to me by Roger at Jonrocket.com.

There were some missing parts: 

Two washers are needed for the Exocet nose weight, only one was in the bag.

Only one launch lug was found, a second one will come from my spare parts stash.

Only one small screw eye, I know I have a second one upstairs.

Sorry, no posts for a few days -

 I've got more Odd'l Rockets kit orders than I can handle right now -