Estes EAC Firecat #0821, Build, Part 1, Parts

WalMart online has been selling the the smaller Estes Honest John for a little over $3.00. Some builders have bought a few and have already suggested using the plastic nose cone for a EAC Firecat clone.

Here's the parts drawing from the instructions. 

To see the instructions, go to Jim Z's: CLICK HERE

I decided to get a full balsa nose cone from Balsa Machining Service. The Vashon style kit had the full length balsa cone, like the old Centuri Honest John.

Parts are standard except I'll use a Odd'l Rockets heavy wall BT-20 engine tube and a heavy walled BT-50H.

On the lower left side is the 2 1/2" long BT-48 tube. In the Cold Power Honest John kit, the BT-48 slid inside the outer BT-50 tube. It acted as a spring loaded piston sleeve to push out the parachute.

Not shown above: The Firecat used the Bandit kit (#K-48 or #1248) decals.

I drew then later re-drew the fin templates and decals. The PDF fin templates and decals are available to Patreon supporters.

If you'd like a copy, email me at oddlrockets@bellsouth.net and request the EAC Firecat PDF.

I had trouble finding the correct font for the "33" decal, the original is shown with the blue background.

There was one font that was close. I played with the vector points and came up with the 33 shown below the original.

The white areas will be a compromise - more on that later.