Estes Aries SST, #1927, Build, Part 3, Larger Wing Fins

The straight cuts were made with my break off blade knife.

Save your curved lines for an X-Acto style #11 blade.

That rear curved cut can be sanded by wrapping some 400 grit around an engine casing.

The Estes instructions suggest rounding the trailing edges of the wing. Pay attention to the single rounded leading edge of the engine rib.

I only rounded the flat side of the trailing edge near the root edge. Rounding an inside curve is difficult and unnecessary.

Estes Aries SST, #1927, Build, Part 2, Engine Mount

The engine hook and Kevlar line relief notches are initially cut with a knife. 

Instead of picking out peeling out the wrap layer between the cut lines, I use diamond files to remove the recess. This makes a cleaner notch, especially on the Kevlar side. 

I don't apply a ring of glue then slide the centering ring onto it. Instead, I slide the rings on dry, apply spot glue at the joint and then smooth them. After the spot glue dries, it allows me to tighten the Kevlar wraps without the rings sliding around. Then apply full glue fillets

Note the upper ring is centered over and on top the upper bend of the engine hook. This makes a stronger mount - instead of the upper ring positioned above the upper bend of the hook.

Tighten the Kevlar wrap, then apply the glue fillet over the the Kevlar wrapped line.

An engine block wasn't included in the original kit, I added one, even with the tube top when slid against the top bend of the engine hook.

A 1/16" diameter heat shrink tube was slid down the Kevlar line and hit using the low setting from a heat gun.

Hold the heat shrink end down against the top of the upper centering ring. The after pics shows the tubing hugging tight over the Kevlar line.

Note the shrink wrap starts below the top of the engine mount tube. This protects the the low end of the Kevlar line.

Estes Aries SST, #1927, Build, Part 1, Parts

 

The Estes Aries SST kit had a short run, from 1984 - 1985. It was described as a "futuristic transport".

It used the PNC-50S nose cone with the Sandpiper "finlets". I have a second nose cone 3D printed by Augendoc. I'll put it to use on the only other kit to use it.

The model is BT-50 based, the length is 13.5 inches tall.

Another spare parts drawer build, other than the 3D printed nose cone.

Note: Nose Cone is same as BNC-50Y with added finlets.

1  Engine Tube            BT-20J    2.75"                     30326

1  Engine Hook           EH-2                                     35025

2  Centering Rings      AR-2050                               30164

1  Marking Guide                                                     83702

1  Body Tube               BT-50H   7.75"                    30360

1  Shock Cord             SC-1        1/8" x 21"             85730

    1  Balsa Stock             BF-1927   3" x 12" x 3/32"   32627    

1  Pattern Sheet           SP-1927   2.7" x 8.5" card    83703

 1  Launch Lug             LL-2B      2 3/8" Length       38178 

1  Plastic Nose Cone   PNC-50S 4 3/8" Length       72045

1  Parachute                PK-12A  12"                         85564

1  Shroud Line            SLT-72   72"                         38237

            6  Tape Disks              TD-3F    1/2"                        38406           

     1  Decal                       KD-1927 Red/Blk                37242   

I added a engine block, Kevlar line and heat shrink tube, not included in the original kit.

Not shown: Decals and pattern sheet. Those are still being drawn up.

Why Do I Redraw Decals & Templates?

The next project:

Why bother redrawing online scanned decals?

I do appreciate the instructions and scans at spacemodeling.org/jimz/ and at oldrocketplans.com. Sometimes I use them for initial tracings in Corel Draw.

The problem - You never know when the decals were scanned and at what resolution. Every time something is copied, original details are lost. Many scans don't include a 1" reference

measurement. Sometimes the color register is off.

Working at a print shop probably made me too picky! 

 

On the left is the name decal from the online scan.

On the right is the name set new after a font search.

Things become pixilated when copied and transferred. Here's one of the windows before and after redrawing.

These are enlargements and the rough edges are magnified. Some of the pixilation would disappear when the images are reduced.

Estes Sandpiper, Kit #1389, Finished

 

Another build crossed off the list!

Trickiest part of the paint is the nose cone tip.

The white underlays work well. The green and brown bands set over the orange paint could have used a white underlay. Oh well! 

The vertical stripe band sets right on the top of the shroud joint. This would cover any rough edges.

I haven't added the clay weight in the nose cone yet. 

Does anybody know the clay weight that came in the original kit?

Estes Sandpiper, Kit #1389, Part 16, Painting The Nose Cone Tip

One way to mask a nose cone tip - 

Set down a strip of clear Scotch tape.

Draw a curve with a wide point Sharpie. Let dry, wipe off excess ink with a paper towel.

Cut a smooth arc through the middle of the ink line.

The winglets are masked of with strait pieces of tape.

Cut the curved tape in half into shorter segments.

The curve allows you to lay the tape line in a "straight" line.

The lower half of the nose cone is masked off with brown paper tape.

Here's the finished nose cone.

Scotch tape masks will give a good line if your surfaces are smooth (no fillet bubbles or balsa grain) and the tape is sealing the edges.

Estes Sandpiper, Kit #1389, Part 15, More Decals

Note the tunnel (launch lug) is considered the bottom when the model is held horizontally.

Set down all the wrap bands first - 

then center the Air Force logo between the two forward bands.

The stars and bars were slid back a little to cover the white underlay. 

The TARGET decal follows behind the stars and bars. Another TARGET decal goes on the opposite side.

Two TARGET decals go on both sides of the wings.

The largest USAF and black stripes decals are a little confusing.

The USAF and stripes decal is separated on the decal sheet. The two pieces go on either side of the tunnel.