Mosquito Spamming?

When you have a blog, there is always somebody trying to sneak in SPAM ads in the comments.

Here's a shot of the original post, where I drew up some Estes Mini Brute decals for the Mega Mosquito build.

This was in the comments:
Jason RoyApril 17, 2020 at 10:49 AM

"They might also assume that sleeping inside this net can be uncomfortable. Truth is mosquito nets can still be very fashionable, depending on how you choose to install the net. mosquito net tent"

I found it funny - it's a mosquito reference, right? 
It was immediately deleted.

Mega Mosquito Finished

Like the earlier Mini Mosquito build, I was trying to duplicate the 1973 catalog picture.
I did add a second "bug" decal to one side of the other yellow fin. The back side of the model needed something.
I didn't really like the decals supplied in the Mega kit. That Dymo Lettermaker font looks a bit rough!

I was happy with how the upscale decals turned out. They capture the feel of the 1970s Mini Brute series.
The older flyers will remember the Mini and Mega bug decals.
The facecard recommends only a D12-3, E9-4 and E9-6. The instructions list those three and add the D12-5.
Because I have them, this will fly first with a D12-5.

Mega Mosquito Build Part 9, Black Mask and Decal

Here's the vertical Scotch tape masks in place.

The rest of the body was covered with cut up plastic grocery bags held in place with brown masking tape.

After the black was shot and the tape pulled the lines are sharp.

Mentioned earlier, this was an easy mask. All the tape was set down on smooth surfaces.

I had drawn up the Mega and Mini Brute decals earlier. The first print ended up a bit large, too close to the leading and trailing edges.
A slight downsize and reprint, it was ready to apply.
To the upper left you can see the smaller bug decals for the Mini Mosquito build.

Patreon members: If you'd like the Retro Brute Bugs PDF (to home print your own decals)
Email me at: oddlrockets@bellsouth.net
Request the Mini and Mega Brute Bug decal PDF

Mega Mosquito Build Part 8, Yellow Paint and Black Mask

This one is a easy mask, just two colors and no masking tape in tight root edges.
Here's the model after the yellow coats. The paint used was the Rustoleum 2X Yellow.

Looking at the face card picture, the black paint goes about 7/8" above the leading edge of the fin opposite the launch lug side.

I wrapped a copy paper strip around the body tube for a horizontal line reference. It took a few tries to get the copy paper strip straight.

The cut clear Scotch tape (marked with a wide permanent marker) was set right above the white paper strip.

The vertical black mask line is at the center between the fins.

The paper strip was marked at the top of the fins and folded in half to find the center point.
The tube was marked with pencil at the top and bottom.
Another Scotch tape strip was placed to the side of the pencil marks.

Mega Mosquito Build Part 7, Fins!

This primer sprayed fin is posted for good reason. Enlarge the picture and check out the raised grain!
This has happened once before in newer Estes kits with "laser cut wood".
Estes no longer lists laser cut balsa in their descriptions. I think this denser "balsa" is probably Tung wood.
Tung wood is native to China where most all the kits are bagged up.

In some ways I prefer the Tung wood. It's stronger and still pretty light, great for sport models.
But it doesn't fill like balsa! I never saw raised grain this late in the finishing process when the fins were made of balsa.
Like before I may have to give the fins another shot of filler / primer to get rid of the grain pore lines.

The body tube fin root areas were masked off before the primer was shot.
This primer will fill any remaining tube seams that the CWF didn't fill.

The fins were glued in.
When the tabs were inserted it took some wiggling of the fins to get the slots edges to seat properly against the fin root. The centers of the slots got pressed in slightly when the tabs were against the motor mount tube.

Originally I was going to use epoxy for the fillets. Instead I used five fillets applications of Titebond MTG.

Even after the first white under coats the Tung wood grain was still showing through.
Another white coat and sanding should fill the remaining grain.
Balsa might be softer than Tung wood, but it sure fills easier.

Mega Mosquito Build Part 6, Launch Lugs and Fillets

The 1/4" diameter lug seams were filled before gluing on the model.

The two lugs were big enough to use two Q-tips for a handle.

I don't have a 1/4" rod to line up the lugs.
A 1/4" rod would probably be to heavy to use like this anyway.

Instead, the aluminum was used to check the two lugs.

I always roll the glue fillets around the front end of the lugs.

Roll the cotton end of the Q-tip between your thumb and index fingers and shape it to more of a point. With the end a little smaller you can pick up or roll over the glue fillet at the end of the lugs.

Mega Mosquito Build Part 5, Engine Mount Gluing

The nose cone seam wasn't too bad.
Sanding with 220 brought down the high spots, a bead of medium CA filled the remaining recess.

The fin grain was filled before they were glued on.
It's easy to get filler on the root edge. Wipe it off with a Q-tip.

The centering rings were pretty loose in the BT-80 body tube.
The outside edge of the rings got a line of glue to increase the diameter.

To be sure everything lines up, the mount was dry fitted with the fin tabs inserted.
The engine hook was centered between two fins, then a glue fillet was applied to the lower ring.

The upper fillet was applied drop by drop on the end of a rounded dowel.
On the other end of the dowel, a Q-tip was taped on.
The Q-tip picked up any excess glue left after the upper fillet was smoothed out.

Mega Mosquito Build Part 4, Fin Laminations

Here's how I glued up the middle piece.
Use enough to get a good bond but not so much that the outer layers will be slipping around when pressed together.

Go light on the glue near the root edge tab. Any extra excess dried glue will hamper the fit against the body tube.

After the fins sat under some heavy books overnight,
Here's how the slightly stepped layers fit against the body tube.

The little extra time spent gluing them together paid off with a better fit.

The fin on the right had all sides sanded flush.
(Don't sand the root edge!)

On the right you can just see the step with the center layer barely sticking up beyond the outer layers.

The leading and trailing edges were rounded.
I left the rounded outside edges square.











From the tabbed root edge side you can see the slight curve of the root edge.

Mega Mosquito Fin Gluing Notes Part B

So I went and re-read Mustangs Mega Mosquito build thread on TRF.
The finished product looks great! Very clean work.

I found the picture of the outside fin edges pretty interesting.
(Photo at right by Mushtang)

All three of his fins had the center core piece slightly recessed when looking from the outside rounded edge.
When I glued mine up I purposely stepped the core middle piece to fit the curve of the body tube.
That would push the middle layer out making the rounded outside edges even.

I wonder if Estes purposely cut if the interior (tabbed) fin a little shorter?
If the builder glues all three of the outside rounded outside edges flush instead on concentrating so much on the root edge) would the three glued root edges end up "stepped" to automatically fit the body tube curve? 

If so, this should have been addressed in the instructions.

Mega Mosquito Fin Gluing Notes, Part A

Before the fins are glued together, check out some construction questions from TRF:

There seems to be confusion on how the laminated Mega Mosquito fins are glued up.
From a posted answer on TRF:

 Originally Posted by Mushtang 

You should line up the root edge of the fins which will leave the outside edges uneven. After the glue dries use a sanding block, palm sander (which I used), sand paper, etc. to even up the edges of the fins and remove the burn from the fins.
If you use too much glue before weighing down the fins you'll have the problem of sliding that you suggested. Use a lot less glue and you'll be okay. Be sure to smooth a thin layer of glue all over the entire surface with your finger before sandwiching the fin layers together and you'll be okay. I weighed mine down with cookbooks overnight.

Check out the first sentence in Mushtang's post:
"You should line up the root edge of the fins which will leave the outside edges uneven."
If the outside (rounded) edges were squared and even, would this give you an automatic  stepped root edge?

More vague instructions!
The instructions don't mention the importance of the root edge alignment!
I slightly stepped the outside fin veneers to better fit the curve of the body tube.
After the laminated sides dry there is no way to sand the root edge so root edge alignment is critical.

Mushtang is right on this:
Use less glue and the outside balsa sides will be less likely to slip when the weight is set on them.
Instead of gluing both sides at once (glue on both sides at the same time might lead to more slipping) glue it one side at a time for more control.
Under the weight of some heavy books you shouldn't get any warping.

The instructions make no mention of rounding the fins edges.
I rounded the leading an trailing edges, they would look a little clunky all squared off.
The original Mini Mosquito instructions (at the right) say to air-foil the fins! 
Like the Mini Mosquito needed to go any faster or higher!

Mega Mosquito Build Part 3, Engine Mount and Fin Prep

Here's the finished engine mount.

Kevlar was added under the upper centering ring.









TIP: Sand off just the forward corner tip of the fin tab to fit over the Kevlar line loop.





This is the thicker center fin layer.
The middle pieces are removed to reduce the weight.

Here's how the fins will lay up.
The center piece is 3/32" thick, the outside skins are 1/16".

All glued and laminated the fins are lust under 1/4" thick.

I though it would be a good idea to somehow curve the root edge to fit the body tube better.
You can't sand a curve in the root edge with the central fin tab in the way.
I figured I'd "step" the outside laminate pieces. It won't take much of a offset angle to fit the curve of the body tube.
I sanded a very slight angle on the root edge of the outside skins.
(Be sure you "mirror" the outside laminate pieces!)

Mega Mosquito Build Part 2, Engine Mount

The BT-50H engine mount tube was marked for the centering rings and engine hook notch.

TIP: Notice the centering ring marks are to the side of the engine hook. I've learned not to make all the marks in one line.
If all the pencil marks were in line the centering ring positions would be covered up when the engine hook is set in the slot.

I cut the finger tab off the engine hook and flipped it over so the sharp 90 degree bend would be at the bottom. The cut finger tab side is now at the top of the engine mount.

The engine will slide in easier with the sharp corners filed down a bit.

The 50/80 centering rings wouldn't slide over the BT-50H engine mount tube.
The interior holes were opened up a little with some 220 grit wrapped around a finger.

Here's a dry fit of the mount and center fin tab.
I didn't butt the centering rings tight against the fin tab.
A slight space was left in case the engine mount was a little high or too low.

Mega Mosquito Build Part 1, Parts

This should be a fun one . . . 
The parts - Clockwise from the upper left -
18" pre-assembled parachute,
BT-80 slotted tube,
Blow Molded Nose Cone
Launch lugs
Laser cut balsa fin sheets,
Instructions,
Engine Mount parts,
Mosquito decal,
Tri-fold mount,
Rubber Shock Cord

Parts of interest:
BT-50 heavy wall tube for engine mount
Big Bertha style Blow Molded Nose Cone
Two 1/4" diameter Launch Lugs
NINE (yes, nine) balsa fin sheets
The new Mosquito decal sheet

Mini Brute to Mega Brute Decal Draw

Recently I won a Mega Mosquito on Ebay.
Here's how I remember the original Estes kits - the first three Mini Brute rockets had the Mini Brute "Bug" Decal.
The new Mega kit has a large, realistic mosquito silhouette decal.
The Mega Mosquito name looks like it was made on an Avery label maker.
I'm not a big fan of that font, also used on the Cosmic Explorer.
I thought it'd be interesting to update the old Mini Brute Bug for the Mega Mosquito.

The online decal scans are pretty rough. When enlarged it's even worse!
I started with this bug and dropped it into Corel Draw.

Here's the Mini Brute redraw.
I added a little more space between the letters so it would be easier to read.
Those "I"s are pretty thick.

And for the Mega Mosquito - 
A MEGA BRUTE decal!
On this one, the "E" in Brute is better formed.
The letters expand and shrink to follow the outside curve of the bug body.

Patreon members: If you would like the decal art in PDF form to print your own decals, email me at:
oddlrockets@bellsouth.net
Request the Mosquito Bug decals PDF
Both Mini and Mega bugs are included and sized for both models!

Mega Mosquito and Mini-Brute Mosquito Questions

On TRF, Kirk G had a question about the recovery of the small Mosquito model (bonus kit) included with the large Mega Mosquito: 

 Originally Posted by Kirk G 

So, I picked up a Mega Mosquito combo package from Estes during their December sale, and now that Easter is here, I'm breaking it out to do some family crafting....

As I look at the contents, it becomes clear that there is a smaller mini-mosquito in the package.
It appears that there are five parts... three mini balsa fins, a short two inch body tube, a mini nose cone, and a launch lug (soda straw).

As I sand the balsa fins, and treat them with a little sealant, I am also gluing the launch lug onto the side of the body. Then it hits me.... THERE IS NO PARACHUTE.

I read the "instructions" and find there is no mention of a chute, streamer, nor breaking system of any kind! Now I'm getting worried.

But if these small motors have a time delay, they'll have an ejection charge, and that is going to blow the capsule/nose cone off. There's no room for a parachute in the tube once the motor is inserted....(and there's no motor mount nor retension bar or clip either!)
So, how do you keep the nose cone from coming off and being lost???? And why shouldn't I roll-up a n orange streamer to try to pack into the nose cone and upper body tube, separated by some dog barf?
Anyone with experience on this mini-mite, please advise!

My response:
I just looked at the instructions for the small Mosquito included in the Mega Mosquito kit.

They are vague, you get just an exploded drawing with the line "Glue all the parts together"
Under "Prepare Engine" it basically says wrap with masking tape for a "Snug Fit". (I don't know if I'd want a snug fit on this one) 
On the other side in the flight instructions no mention is made of featherweight or tumble recovery.
On the right side of the wrap around face card it does say "Tumble Recovery".

I would guess that Estes assumes you have built simple models before tackling the Mega Mosquito.
Take a look at the older, more descriptive Estes instructions on the JimZ website:
http://www.spacemodeling.org/JimZ/estes/est0801.pdf

With more kits instructions prepared in three languages there is less room for descriptive copy.
This complaint has come up before. Pictures and arrows don't always answer every question.