"Bones" Halloween Build, Part 3, Adapting the Coffin

The candy coffin is deeper than it needs to be. I wanted the height to be closer to the width.

A pencil tracing was made around the lid.
The cardboard was dense. It took a few passes over the pencil lines to get through the walls.

The BT-5 tube will have to go through the center of the coffin box. I traced around a BT-5 at the top and bottom.

The lid was also cut to overlap and fit the BT-5.

More Upcoming Estes Kits!

Now on the Estes website - Coming Soon page: CLICK HERE
#7281 Space Corps Corvette Class
25" tall, BT-55 based
"The first release in a new Estes series, the Estes Space Corps." More Space Corps designs could be on the way.

I have already built one for Estes. It has three piece fins with launch lug/dowel "guns" on the outside edge.
BIG, detailed water slide decal sheet with lots of color.
18mm B and C motors with the new 18mm retainer.



The Starship Octavius #7284 is interesting for an E2X model -
No glue used in the assembly. Check out the instructions: CLICK HERE 

The two lower fins are new molded plastic. I thought at first they were the same fins used in the upcoming MAV. These are different and could be easily used in other E2X slide in fin cans.

"Bones" Halloween Build, Part 2, Parts

I might be able to fit a BT-20 down the center of the coffin but it looks like it'll end up a BT-5 central tube using an A10-3t engine.

I spent some time fitting the skeletal drawings onto fin skins. The bony hands will simply be a print rolled over the sides of the coffin and on to the top. 

The fin and hand skins will be printed on 24 lb. paper, a second print was done on 110 lb. card stock for the skull face.

At the center is a BT-20 tube with three 20/50 rings slid on. This will be the central support for the skull facing. The BT-20 tube will end up much shorter than it is now.

My original plans was to carve the skull from an old BT-60 sized nose cone. I've done plenty of carving in the past, but this time it looked more like a cliche Alien head. The carved nose cone try was thrown out.
To the right of the skull is the outline of an overturned nose cone I first tried for the carving.
I'll go the easy route and make a silhouette skull for the nose cone.

If you have a Dollar Tree Store close by, pick up a coffin.
If you are a Patreon supporter, email me at: oddlrockets@bellsouth.net and request the Bones PDF.
The PDF shown above was later revised. 

"Bones" Halloween Build, Part 1, Inspiration

I was at the Dollar Tree store picking up some cheap snacks. I found the spider web candy dish that George Gassaway turned into a successful saucer rocket. I almost picked one up, but saw this instead.

It's a small cardboard casket. Strong, hollow and fairly light. The graphics were good. The rocket "wheels" starting turning in my head.

When I got it home I started looking for line drawings of skeletons.








Here's a clean skull I found online.

Now . . . how do you combine a coffin with the skeleton?

Estes Solo #7288 Build, Finished

Once in a while it's nice to assemble a model that doesn't require body tube and balsa filling.
I was very curious about this design as I always wanted to try the old Flying Stovepipe model.
The big surprise was how large this rocket is. I would have hoped to launch it with B6-2 engines, but a C6-3 is the only recommended engine. We'll see how well that ring glider performs!


TRIVIA: The two Solo "pin fins" reminded me of the old MPC Martian patrol fins. On the Martian Patrol, two Styrofoam saucers go for a ride and separate at ejection. The UFO's flip and "hover" to the ground, the rocket returns by parachute.

Coming Soon from Estes

In a comment, Bernard Cawley let me know - 
From the COMING SOON page on the Estes Website: CLICK HERE

Copy from the Estes website:
Estes’ newest series Destination Mars, the Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV) #7283. This lightweight, fully decorated, easy-to-assemble beginner rocket reaching heights of 250 feet on a C6-3 engine. Perfect for smaller launch sites."

BT-60 based, weighing 3 oz.
The landing legs and nose cone are new molded parts.
Newest Series Destination Mars? More designs could be on the way.

To see the instructions: CLICK HERE





Copy from the Estes website:
TAZZ #7282 "Based on the Estes Gyroc of the 60s - 
 Launch it up to 700 feet on a C6-3 engine and watch as it spins back down to earth!"

This new Gyroc is BT-50 based, 16" tall and uses 18mm engines.
Fins are through the wall construction. The rubber bands can be removed between flights or replaced if needed. New plastic hooks hold the rubber bands.

To see the instructions: CLICK HERE
Check out the tab positions on the smaller Q and P fins.
Note the new posted TAZZ instructions have larger illustrations, more descriptive copy and are only in English.

I assume that "TAZZ" is short for the spinning cartoon character, the Tasmanian Devil - A clever way to work around a Warner Brothers property.

Estes Solo #7288 Build, Part 6, Ends & Edges

Small pieces of Scotch tape are placed inside to hold the ring to the card stock tube.

The inset picture shows the completed "glider".

The SOLO name decal is a sticker on a clear background.
When set on the blue body tube it's a little washed out. It probably needed a white undercoat, but that's a moot point.

TIP: When placing a sticker, lift it with the end of your hobby knife and place it using the knife, not your fingers. Don't touch the underside or you'll see your fingerprints through the clear backing.

TIP: I've marked the shock cord at the 1 1/2" depth where the tri-fold mount should end up from the top of the tube.
Drop it in up to the pencil mark, then press the glued mount in place.
The nose cone fit was a bit loose and took a wrap of tape for a better fit.






I attached the parachute to a snap swivel. The snap swivel was tied to the shock cord about 6" away from the nose cone. This is to keep parachute line tangles to a minimum.