Saturday, August 1, 2015

Estes Mercury Redstone #1921 Build, Finished


This is a big, impressive model when finished. It's probably a good thing I converted it for 24mm engines. I'll have to get the 18mm stock model C/G and add nose weight if needed.
After all the extra work drawing up correct and red decals, I was glad to finish it.

Estes website says the finished, empty weight is 3.7 oz. Mine was at 3.53 oz.
Or, the Estes gram weight - 1.04 g, my finished model is 100 g.
A C6-3 engine weighs .88 oz. + model weight of 3.7 oz = 4.58 oz.
That's over half an ounce more than the recommended C6-3 combined launch weight of 4 oz.
While I've seen this model fly fine with a C6-3 (low and slow) I'm glad I upgraded to a 24mm engine mount.

I understand Estes is enclosing the corrected decals now.
The RED and MR8 decal PDF is available to Patreon supporters for those who home print decals. The decal also has the UNITED STATES decals in a less bold font and includes the 1/8" band above the fins.
Email me at oddlrockets@bellsouth.net and request the Mercury Redstone decal PDF.



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8 comments:

  1. The Rocket N00bAugust 1, 2015 at 12:55 PM

    Beautiful!

    The underside is so well masked - black down one edge of the fins and white down the other, with the centering ring all black... I don't know how you pulled that one off! When the tape gets too small, I have real trouble masking properly.

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    Replies
    1. Chris MichielssenAugust 1, 2015 at 1:02 PM

      Thanks Daniel!
      One fin trailing edge half came off clean using the Scotch tape. The other one needed a black decal strip to clean up the line.
      There's little white mark on the lower white fin. Looks like a small piece of decal backing paper that got stuck when the model was standing on the table. It's not there now.
      Regarding masking, if your undercoat surfaces are clean and smooth you should get good results using Scotch tape. It's a whole lot cheaper than Tamiya tape.

      Delete
  2. UnknownAugust 1, 2015 at 4:41 PM

    This looks absolutely beautiful as all your build do. This one is especially nice though. Now that Estes is sending out the corrected decals do you think the old "pink" decals will become a collectors item?

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    1. Chris MichielssenAugust 1, 2015 at 10:45 PM

      Hi Eddie,
      Thanks for the compliments.
      I don't think the pinkish decals will become collectors items. Nobody really wants them!

      Delete
  3. JimAugust 17, 2015 at 9:00 PM

    Chris, yet another great build. Of the various Mercury Redstones you have built lately, which is your favorite?

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    1. Chris MichielssenAugust 18, 2015 at 12:20 AM

      Hi Jim,
      My favorite is the Dr. Zooch BT-60 based Mercury Redstone.
      It reminds me of the old Estes version as it is the same size.
      You still have to make a tower from dowels. The fins are much easier than the oldest Estes MR. The graphics on the capsule are very well done.

      Delete
  4. JimmyJanuary 15, 2021 at 3:52 AM

    The Estes Mercury Redstone has always been my favorite scale model rocket. It’s a challenge to build, looks darn good and flies nice off the pad. I still have the Freedom 7 version. It has seen quite a few launches but sits on my bookcase now.

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    Replies
    1. Chris MichielssenJanuary 16, 2021 at 12:13 AM

      Hi Jimmy,
      I also like the Mercury Redstone - I remember watching the first launch on TV when I was four years old!
      The original Estes Mercury Redstone was a more difficult build than the plastic Centuri version - http://www.spacemodeling.org/jimz/k-41.htm

      Delete

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