Saturday, November 30, 2019

Bar Fleet #124 - Solo


Source:  Estes Industries

Kit # EST7288

Type:  Glider Sport Model

 

Stages:  Single

Engine Type:  18mm

Recovery:  Parachute, Glider



Booster Length:  55.5cm
Diameter:  354m


Glider Length:  15cm

Glider Diameter:  83mm

Overall Length:  62cm

Weight Empty:  84.6g

Nose Cone:  Tangent Ogive

Fin Type:  Swept

Number of Fins: 4 plus Ring Glider



Color Scheme:  Dark Blue, Yellow

Green Trim



Date Completed:  26 November, 2019



A Unique Glider Model



Being a professed aficionado of any model that goes up under rocket power and glides back down, adding an Estes Solo kit to the fleet is a no-brainer. 



The Solo is one of the new kits that Estes markets exclusively through Hobby Lobby stores.  The model features a plastic fin and motor mount assembly, pre-finished body tube, and a very interesting plastic and card stock ring glider.



Touted as a beginner’s level build, the model goes together very quickly with the use of plastic model cement. 



The bird took only an hour on the workbench, including substituting the rubber shock cord with a fiber elastic version, and the application of some fleet number decals.

A new Solo kit - fresh from Hobby Lobby
The Solo should be and interesting model to take to the launch field at the next flying opportunity.

Da parts.....

And the glider.   


1 comment:

  1. Hi, Chris,
    Yep, I wasn't thrilled with the tape idea either. Especially when I came back next day and found that some of the tape had pulled up and separated from the plastic. I ended up peeling the rest off, inserting the card ring back into the slot, and flowing some thin CA into the joint. It seems to be pretty strong. The wisdom of this method will be found out after a couple of powered flights.

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