BAR Rocket Fleet - #108 Generic E2X

Estes Industries Kit

Kit #: 2008
Type:  Sport Model

Stages:  Single
Engine Type:  Standard 18mm
Recovery:  Parachute or Streamer

Length:  13.5” (343mm)
Diameter:  .980”  (24.9mm)
Weight Empty:  22.7gm
Nose Cone:  Tangent Ogive, 2.75 Cal.
Fin Type: Clipped Delta, Plastic Fin Can
Number of Fins:  4

Color Scheme: White with black trim

Date Completed: 8 Dec. 2016

The Generic E2X is an Estes kit from the company’s “Easy -to- Assemble’ line of model rockets.  The kit comes with a plastic fin can and nose cone, a plastic nose cone, and stick-on decals.

Built On A Whim….

My two young grand-kids and I have recently embarked on a ‘Classified Top-Security’ project being conducted in a ‘Secret Laboratory’ located deep in the basement of the BlastFromThePast home.  Not even their grandma, whom they are convinced was a real live Ninja in her past, is aware of this covert activity.

As this adventure will involve model rockets, a trip to the local Hobby Lobby was in order to scope out the store’s offering of Estes kits for a ‘Materials Procurement’ mission.

 Since the young-‘uns enjoy doing crafty-type activities, and making things, the idea was to avoid anything out-of-the-box RTF.  

Hmm, an ‘Easy-To-Assemble’ kit to get them started, perhaps…

That’s when I noticed a couple of Generic E2X kits hanging on the pegs.  I had read about these somewhere online and how they made excellent project rockets for school science classes and scout troops.

Why not?   I grabbed one and headed toward the checkout line, clutching a recently printed 40%-off coupon in my sweaty palm.

In the intervening time, I’ve had that un-opened kit sitting in front of me while I’ve worked on my other rocket projects.  

Last Friday, as I was sanding the fins on one of these birds, after the 3^rd application of filler, I thought to myself, “Man, it would be nice to do a build for a change that didn’t require hours of filling and sanding.”

That’s when my eyes lit on the Generic E2X kit.   It beckoned to me.

“No, geek, don’t do it…remember? You bought that for the grandkids!”

Nevertheless, there is just something irresistible about a pristine model rocket kit just sitting there, waiting to be opened and built.  Even if it is a beginner’s E2X.   Temptation got the better of me, and I found myself reaching for the bag and a nearby X-Acto knife. 

Face it, I’m just a rocket geek.

I’ll go buy a couple more for the kiddoes.

For the next half hour, I reveled in putting this little model together, justifying my activity with the reasoning that, by building one first, I could identify any areas of construction where the grand-kids might experience difficulty.  

…that’s a lame-0 excuse…..

And, yes, it was kind of fun having a no-brainer model rocket with a plastic fin can that didn’t require endless filling and sanding! 

Still, being a consummate quality nerd, I couldn’t stand the thought of adding a model rocket to my collection that didn’t have the spiral seams filled on the body tube and launch lug.  Makes no nevermind if it’s a simple E2X or a Skill Level 5 builder’s kit, those seams are getting hidden!  So, yes, I did set to work with filler and sandpaper on this one, after all.

Also, no rocket gets added to my fleet without a proper primer and paint job. 

Which brings us to the final decor…

Estes calls this one ‘Generic’, and in all respects it is a common, run-of-the-mill 4FNC design.

But, when I hear the word ‘generic’, it conjures up recollections of the early 80s when generic foodstuffs first hit the grocery store shelves.  Back then, one could find an entire aisle of groceries in plain black and white containers that featured no more than a brief description of what was inside. In those days, there weren’t even any store-branded generics – it was all the general non-descript stuff.

I looked at the stick-on decals that came with the Generic E2X kit.  In my opinion, these looked a little too fancy-shmancy to be classified as ‘generic’.  And, wait a minute…those are ‘NASA’ and ‘Estes’ logo decals…and a small one that looks suspiciously like the old Estes Aerospace Club logo!  Those are all forms of branding, and don’t even approach being generic!

I tossed the decal sheet aside.

“Not on MY generic rocket”, I declared.

Instead, out came the trusty old Dymo labeler to make my own ‘proper’ generic markings….

A plain white overall paint job and a couple of black band decals later and I now have a bona-fide generic model rocket, in the old-school sense of the word. 

Can’t wait to get this one out to the launch field…..

BAR Rocket Fleet - #107 Carlisle Mark II 'Rock-A-Chute'

Sport Model
 Scratch-built per published plans 

In Model Rocketry Magazine, May 1970

Designed by: Orville Carlisle

Single Stage
13mm Engines
Parachute Recovery
Length:  9.50”  241mm
Diameter (BT-50):  .98”  24.89mm
Weight empty:  .80oz.    22.7gm

Fins: (3) Tapered
Nose Cone: Cylindrical, Rounded

Launch Lug for 1/4” to 5/16” wooden dowel rod

Color Scheme: 
Main Body and 2 fins - White
Nose Cone and 1 fin Bright Red
Checkerboard Roll Pattern –  Black & White Estes Decal
Model Number – Dry Transfer Decals
Lettering:  Dymo Clear Labels
Finish: Pledge w/Future / Simple Green
(Gloss Sauce)

Completion Date:  2016, August 26th

A Thing of Beauty….A Butt-Ugly Model Rocket….

Being a consummate history buff, I am interested in all things old, historic, and antique.
And, now that I am a full-fledged BAR, it is only fitting that I should build and fly a rendition of the Carlisle Rock-A-Chute Mark II model rocket, the one that got the hobby really rollin’ back in the day. 

Working mainly from the plans published in the May, 1970 issue of Model Rocketry Magazine, in the “Old Rocketeer” column, I built this version of the Mark II from modern BT-50 tubing. 

This is such a far cry from all the other model rockets I’ve ever constructed. 

Back in the seventies, being a ‘cool’ 20-something young man, I would only build models that were sleek, drag-efficient, high performance contest grade (and a number of not-quite-so-pretty boost/gliders, too).  

No butt-ugly rockets for this cat! 

I recall seeing the Carlisle Mark II article back in that era, but I never gave it more than a passing glance, thinking “Why would I ever waste my time building such a horrible thing as this? “
Even Mr. Stine reflected this in his article, describing the MII as “Brutish and draggy, compared to today’s (1970) super-sophisticated standards”.

Time passed and my perspectives on life, the universe, and everything also changed significantly. I have since acquired a keen interest in historical things, and some of the old ways of doing stuff.  My other major hobby is woodworking, where I have completely eschewed power tools and embraced “Neanderthalism”, using only antique and vintage hand tools.

In returning to the ranks of model rocketeers, I have carried this appreciation for all things historical right smack dab on to center stage of my BAR ventures. 

Hence, the driving need to build my own Carlisle Rock-A-Chute Mark II.

In addition to this particular model, my near-future build list also includes a Carlisle Mark I, a Mark II ½, a Dirty Bird, an MMI-style Aerobee-Hi, an MMI Arcon clone, and repros of the first model rockets from the earliest Estes and Centuri catalogs.

Anyway, back to the Mark II……

Since the crayon sharpeners that Orville used originally for nose cones are pretty scarce these days, I turned my own nose cone out of balsa on the wood lathe.  On this version, I made the decision to exclude the finger grip ‘ribs’ that were on the originals.  Lazy? Deemed un-necessary? Contributors to overall ugliness?  Take your pick.   Plus, they are not emphasized in the Stine article.

For the engine mount, I used a standard BT-5 type mount for Estes mini-engines, except that the centering rings are fashioned out of pine – sort of a nod to the original models.  The rings were hand-cut from one of those paint stir sticks obtained from Home Depot’s paint desk.  (An article for later discussion:  those paint stir sticks are high on my list of the most wonderful things ever invented.  I can’t even begin to count the various uses I’ve found for them, both on my model rocket work bench, and in my woodshop.  They even come in handy for stirring paint!  Best part is that they’re free for the purloining…er…. asking!)

The Mark II’s BIG UGLY LAUNCHING LUG is made of a 1/2A3-2T mini-engine casing, though it’s a full half-inch shorter than the “Rock-A-Chute” engine casing affixed to the prototype models.  Fittingly, the casing I am using on my model is the very engine that powered my first BAR launch on July 13^th,   2016!  I intend to launch the Mark II using a 1/4” wood dowel launch rod, just like Orville did with the originals.  You know how difficult it is to find a STRAIGHT ¼ x 36 inch dowel these days?

Of course, the launcher for this rocket cannot be the spiffy camera-tripod affair that I use for my other models.  Nope – it’s gotta be a piece of scrap wood with a hole for the dowel launch rod bored somewhere near center.  Fashioned with a handsaw, a smoothing plane, and an antique hand drill, of course…

Oh, and I must not forget the blast deflector cut out from a piece of roof flashing!

I do draw the line at using a fuse or Jetex wick to launch this thing, so I will be employing a more modern electric launch control system and modern igni…I mean, ‘starters’.  I am, however, toying with the idea of building a controller made from an old doorbell button, some cloth insulated lamp cord, and a couple of paper clips – just for history’s sake. 

Back to the model itself….

Of course, the shock cord MUST be nothing short of a piece of elastic tied into a big knot and threaded through a hole in the body tube.  Butt ugly…..

My other major deviation from the originals is the exclusion of the paper fin reinforcement and staples.  I don’t feel that these additions are necessary to the inherent strength of the fin construction, plus they add extra ‘ugliness’ to the finished model….I did, after all, promise my significant other that, on this go-around, I would refrain from building ugly model rockets.  The Mark II is already dangerously borderline.

One other item of note is the ‘Rock-a-Chute’ Logo. I used a DYMO label with clear backing to make a reasonable facsimile.  The labeler model I use has an option for an ‘arrow’ shaped box around the lettering, except that both ends point away from the lettering. Not like the original, but close enough.

A 15” square cut from a dollar store sheet plastic (RED) table cloth is just the ticket to fashion a reproduction of the type of parachute used on the early Mark IIs.

I do believe everything is now officially Golden….

It’s time to don my nerdy 50s clothing; plaid button-down shirt, pleated, cuffed high-water pants, loafers, bright white socks, and perhaps wrap a little white tape around the corner of my reading glasses, and head off to the flying field to re-create my own interpretation of what it might have been like to be one of those late-1950s model rocketry pioneers.

A Little Mark II History…..

The Rock-A-Chute Mark II was developed in 1957 by Orville Carlisle, a shoe salesman of Norfolk, Virginia. Carlisle was also a pyrotechnic hobbyist, and invented a method of producing hand-made solid propellant black powder rocket engines which consisted of a thrust charge, delay charge, and ejection charge. He built small model rockets made of paper, wood, and plastic to go with his engines.

At the time, the space race between the United States and Russia was in full swing, and many young people were attempting to build their own rockets, constructing them out of metal pipes, metal fins, and every concoction of explosive material to propel them.  Many of these experiments resulted in serious injury and death to the participants.   A professional rocket engineer, G. Harry Stine, was working at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico at the time, and published articles about the dangers of these ‘basement bombers’ and their hazardous rocketry activities.  Carlisle read one of these articles and wrote to Stine, saying that he had developed a small rocket that might provide the solution to this ‘youth rocketry problem’.   Carlisle sent some of his Mark II models and some engines to Stine, who was able to conduct test flights.  He was impressed, and also agreed that this was indeed the solution to the youth rocketry problem.  Stine subsequently went on to found his own model rocket manufacturing company (Model Missiles, Inc.), as well as starting what became the National Association of Rocketry.  Carlisle and Stine were NAR member #s 1 and 2.  Even though the Mark II is not Carlisle’s first design, the model stands in history as the one that started the hobby of model rocketry as we know it today.

BAR Rocket Fleet - #106 Star Trooper

Sport Model

Scratch-built per published plans for

Centuri Engineering Kit # KM-3
Single Stage
13mm Engines
Streamer Recovery

Length:  8.125”  (206.3mm)

Diameter (BT-5):  .544”   (13.82mm)

Weight empty:  .3 oz. 

Fins: (3) Raked, Inverted

Nose Cone: Parabolic

Launch Lugs for standard 1/8” rod.

Color Scheme: 

Fins, Nose Cone and lower body - Model Master Pearl Yellow

Upper Body – Testors Gloss Green

Trim:  Lower band – Chrome Trim Monokote

Roll Pattern – Estes Decal

Model Number – Dymo label, clear

Finish: Pledge w/Future / Simple Green

(Gloss Sauce)

Completion Date:  2016, August 22^nd

The Star Trooper is constructed according to the original Centuri Engineering kit plans / instructions. This model is built to the long-tube version option, with the body tube (Estes BT-5) fashioned from a single length, rather than two-piece as shown in the plans.

The recovery system also deviates from the plans in that it uses a standard forward shock cord mount and front deployment of the streamer.

The nose cone used is an Estes PNC-5A from the company’s current PNC-5 nose cone pack.   Initially plans called for turning a balsa nose cone for this model, but it was found that the PNC-5A was a mere 1/8 inch shorter than the original kit nose cone, so that was deemed ‘close enough’.

The current Estes re-make of the Star Trooper uses an even shorter nose cone.

Because the Star Trooper is intended to be used for sport flying, the fins were not air-foiled to high-performance specs, rather they were finished with leading and trailing edges rounded.

The model also carries a small amount of clay weight in the tip of the nose cone to provide a little bit more momentum during flight coasting phase.

The classic yellow and green color scheme was chosen for this model, even though some rocketeers point out that it looks too ‘John Deere-esque’.  The chrome trim and white roll pattern help to somewhat alleviate that issue.

No attempt was made to duplicate the decals of the original kit, as they are small and somewhat complex.  I did not have access to the proper printing equipment to make exact copy decals.

BAR Rocket Fleet - #105 Mosquito-D

Sport Model

Scratch-built per published plans

Estes Industries Kit TK-1, 0801

Single Stage
13mm Engines
Featherweight recovery

Length:  3.75”  (95.25mm)

Diameter (BT-5):  .544”   (13.82mm)
Weight empty:  .11 oz.  (3.1gm)

Fins: (3) Balsa, Rounded Swept
Nose Cone: Plastic, Short Elliptical

Launch Lug for standard 1/8” rod.

Color Scheme: 
Fins and lower body- Model Master Brand ‘Racing Red’ fluorescent enamel.
Nose Cone:  Black Sharpie
Trim Detail:  Black Sharpie
Upper Body: Chrome Trim Mono-kote.
Finish: Pledge w/Future / Simple Green
(Gloss Sauce)

Completion Date: 
2016, August 10

A FEW COMMENTS……

So, here’s the MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION:  Why on earth should anyone in their right mind want to build and launch one of these things.
ANSWER:  (Insert cricket noises here).

I built three of these miserable birds during my 1973-83 stint in model rocketry.  Launching them was the typical  “5…4..3…2..1… Whoosh….Disappear” scenario common to these elusive little…er…rockets.
Only one of the three previously-built Mosquitos was actually found after its first flight.
So why do I torture myself with number 4?  ‘Specially now that I’m old and the eyesight ain’t what it used to be?
I think it has everything to do with the fact that the Estes Mosquito actually does have a distinct purpose (unlike its namesake). 
That purpose – the only reason Mosquitos exist – the only reason they are still in the Estes catalog line-up going on 35 years – the only reason the kits still hang on the hooks at Hobby Lobby – is that very attribute of  being an extreme challenge to fly and successfully recover.   Getting one of these back after a launch is almost a Rite of Passage for any self-respecting Rocketeer who is worth his weight in Black Powder.
This being said, I’m going to make a shocking statement: This build of the Mosquito is getting the complete works – filled fins, filled body tube and launch lug seams, primer paint….everything that normally gets done to bigger, nicer birds that are expected to be found and flown more than once.
Why am I going to all of this time and effort?   Because I fully expect this bird to be a ‘Shelf Queen’ between launches.  I am determined to not lose this thing after I launch it.   In fact my goal is to get in 10 launches and successful recoveries of this particular Mosquito.
Maybe after that is accomplished, I’ll forego the ‘Shelf Queen’ thing and shove an A10 in it and send it off to wherever lost Mosquitos go. 
Heck, why not go all out and give it a grand final send-off – stack it on top of a couple of A10-0T booster stages!
So, what are the keys to flying a Mosquito and getting it back?
The first and foremost thing to realize is that the Mosquito has nothing going for it recovery-wise other than its color scheme.  No bright ‘chutes or streamers here. 
Therefore, it is imperative to adorn the model with a finish that includes color components that can be detected in any environment or against any backdrop.

Mosquito D has been equipped with the following:
1.       Black nose cone.  This could help with possibly being able to see the model against a light sky.  Not too much help, however, on the ground.
2.       A wide band of reflective chrome wrap.  Enough reflective flashes of sunlight might be helpful in trying to see the model in the air during its descent.
3.       Bright Fluorescent paint on the remainder of the model.  Model Master Brand ‘Racing Red’ is being used here, as it would provide very good contrast against whatever medium in which the model lands.

Some other factors that might be helpful in the successful return of a Mosquito:

4.       The fins are not airfoiled.  This bird doesn’t need any optimization of speed and altitude performance.  In fact, the best practice would probably be to leave the fin edges squared, but on this model the edges were rounded.
5.        Use of low impulse engines.  We’re talking ¼A….period.  Anything bigger sends it way too high and too fast to even possibly get tracked.
6.       Fly in a large unobstructed field, preferably mown green grass.  The enemy here is tall grass or weeds.  Trying to find a tiny 3” long model rocket in anything but a manicured lawn is futile. Plus a bright green surface area would be the most ideal for detecting a small brightly painted/reflective object.  (I suppose flying on the Salt Flats like our friends in Utah would be OK, too!)
7.       A launch rod tilt angle of 5 to 10 degrees is recommend by many modelers, the reason being that the rocket will be arcing in a single direction when the ejection charge goes off.  Theoretically the model should maintain the same trajectory with this extra kick, and travel in a predictable direction toward its landing site.
8.       Fly on a calm day.  Even a slight breeze would prevent the model from landing nearby.  The object here is to have the Mosquito come in as close to the launch pad as possible.
9.       Listen for the almost imperceptible ‘thunk’ of the model impacting the ground. 

Well there it is…another relatively useless project for me to delve into.  Might as well make the most of any Low Power Rocketry.

Maybe the art of Mosquito recovery could be made into some sort of an R&D report.

Or even a NAR Pink Book event – Imagine, if you will “1/8A through A class Mosquito Recovery Duration”.   The object would be to launch a stock Mosquito, find it, and return it to the judge’s table within a five minute time window.  Winner is the bloke who can present his bird in the shortest time.

BAR Rocket Fleet - #104 Lynx

Estes Industries

KIT # 7233

Futuristic / Exotic

Single Stage

Engines:  13mm T-Series

Parachute Recovery

Length: 13” (33cm)

Dia:  .74” (19mm)

Color Scheme:  Dark blue base color with white, black, silver, and fluorescent red trim.

Build Completion Date: 16 September, 2016

The Lynx is the first model rocket kit I have purchased for the collection since the 1980s.  The fact that the model is a Skill level 3 futuristic kit that can be flown on inexpensive mini-engines was quite appealing, besides the rocket being a very attractive design to begin with.

The kit was purchased at HobbyTown USA in May of 2016 for the princely sum of $16.  The cost of model rocketry has definitely increased substantially during the past 30 years!

Upon first opening the kit, I was taken aback at how extensive the instruction sheet was, until I discovered that it was written in no less than 6 different languages!  English was even included.

Another feature that was new to me was the laser-cut balsa fin sheet.  Even though it produced a very precise set of fins, there was still that little longing for the old-school method where the modeler was required to carefully line ‘em up and cut ‘em out using paper patterns and Xacto knife.  I suppose technology must march on….

The build itself was fairly straight forward.  Little about that has changed much from the old days. 

This kit is very notable by the sheer amount of balsa parts requiring filling and assembly, right down to the tiny vanes on the engine tube.

Great care was taken in the construction of this model, and as a result, everything fit precisely. 

Kudos to the Estes designer!

One of the more challenging aspects of the build was the proper preparation and assembly of the air intake units along the main fuselage.

I would almost be inclined to give this bird a skill level 4 rating just based on that alone.

Once construction was completed, the model was shot with two coats of Dupli-Color gray primer with general finish sanding and cleanup after application.

Instead of the all-black color scheme illustrated in the Estes literature, I chose to go with a dark blue.  I just think it looks ‘cooler’.

The model also received some further embellishments in the overall décor that further enhance its look:  silver on the leading edges of all wings and fins, silver ‘guns’ and antenna, a little fluorescent red on the gun tips, and a black and silver paint scheme on the engine section. I also opted to go with a solid black cockpit canopy Addition of the stock decals rounded out the detailing very nicely.

Finally the model was given a coat of Krylon matte clear to seal everything up.  I believe that the look of an exotic model is better with a flat finish.  I am of the opinion that a futuristic model should be treated like it’s a scale model – just of a prototype that doesn’t exist yet.

  The canopy is the only component of the model that was left glossy.  I suppose the

imaginary pilots of this craft keep the bugs off with frequent applications of Windex!

 The Lynx holds the distinction of being numbered ‘104’ in the model rocket collection, with a 33 year separation from its #103 predecessor!

BAR Rocket Fleet - #13 Hornet

‘Mini-Brute’ Kit # TK-4
Designed for T-series mini engines.
Single stage, payload section, parachute recovery.
Length  10.25”, Dia.  .757”,  Wt.  5oz

Year Built:  1973
Restored: 2016, June 28

The Hornet model rocket was purchased already built from a Colorado Springs hobby store in 1973.  It was actually my very first ever model rocket, despite what the fleet number designation says.

The Hornet logged 16 flights between 1973 and 1984, coming through all of that fairly unscathed.  It proved to be a very consistent, good-performing vehicle.

When my model rocket collection was sold in 1985, the Hornet and one other rocket were the only two models held back - for sentimental reasons, of course.

The Hornet in 1975

For the past 30-plus years, the Hornet had rattled around, pretty much un-protected, in a Rubber-Maid tote along with many other items.  This tote went through two house moves, and myriad storage re-organizations.  Needless to say, all of this jostling about wasn’t too kind to the model, which ultimately sustained breakage of two if its fins, plus some other cosmetic damage.
When my BAR activities began in 2016, the Hornet was rescued from its prison to undergo  restoration.

First, the broken fin remnants were removed, and two brand new fins were fabricated.

The original shock cord was brittle, and broken in several places, so that needed to be replaced.  While I was at it, the old school ‘slit-tube’ shock cord mount was repaired and filled, in favor of a newer mount system.

After several coats of CWF and sanding, the model was ready for a new finish.  The payload and nose cone were left alone, because the original butyrate dope finish was still in very good shape.  The only work required was to build up the nose block because of a rather loose fit in the booster tube.

Two coats of grey primer were applied to the booster section with fine sanding in between.

The booster was given a new paint job with Testor’s International Orange….

…and new decals were applied.  Since the Hornet was to be my new fleet flagship, I adorned one fin with my old NAR number, and another fin with the NAR section number I belonged to back in the day.

A coat of ‘Gloss Sauce’ and the old Hornet was deemed ready to rock!  Since it is the flagship, the model is slated to be the first flight of every BAR launch session.  It is my goal to reach 100 flights with this forty-three year old bird.