Orbital Transport Build Update

As promised in an earlier post, here is the first update of my current scratch-built OT project.

This morning, I glued on the forward canard pieces, the final two of the twenty-eight balsa parts on the booster rocket.

That's a lot of cutting, shaping, sealing, sanding, gluing, and filleting!

Aside from the huge amount of balsa parts, there are the four ram jet tubes, three launch lug pieces, two standoffs, the main tube, and the motor mount to deal with.

Back in the day, Estes gave this model a rating of Skill Level 4.

I prefer to rate it as 'Patience Level 4" instead.

Anyway, all that is left for the booster is to round off a few more fin edges, fill and sand a few gaps and residual balsa grain areas, and shoot some primer.

The parts for the orbiter glider are all cut out and ready for assembly next week. 

I greatly look forward to finishing this build and getting an Orbital Transport into the fleet.