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Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Estes Mk-109 Stingray Build Finished



For a plastic E2X rocket, it looks pretty good! With the fins strakes, it reminds me of the Centuri Nomad model, only shorter.
It should be a good one for flying A6-4 engines in the soccer field.

Things learned:
This group of E2X rockets used only plastic glue for construction.
The plastic engine mount resembles the complex girder style of the larger Q Modeling kits.
TTW fins, TTW launch lugs and an external shock cord mount. It's unsightly, but this mount allows a new shock cord to be easily installed.
I still hate stick on decals. They should be applied over a gloss painted surface, not the flat finish body tube.
This model needed seams filled and the gloss white undercoat.
I forgot how "stringy" plastic glue can be.

3 comments:

  1. Wow, it looks great! I hope you can bring this one to TTRA sometime because I REALLY want to see it up close.

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  2. Thanks for the build blog on this one! I'll be applying your tips and techniques for the Estes Firestreak AGM kit, which is another really pretty E2X bird.

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  3. Thanks Lonnie and Ray!
    At first I didn't think there would be any interest in this one!
    Lonnie, if I ever get back to TTRA I'll bring and fly it. I've got a lot of cruise contracts lined up right now.
    Ray - I think you'll enjoy the build. That engine mount is really well designed.
    Just don't touch the stick on decals with your fingers when placing them.
    Set them on you clean blade tip for positioning.
    Be sure the surface is clean and clear before sticking them down.

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