BAR Fleet #112 Star Seeker

Estes Industries

Kit # 0866
One of three models in the
Mini-Tri-Pack
Type:  Futuristic / Sci-Fi

 Stages: 1

Engine Type: 13mm
Recovery: Featherweight /
Streamer
Length: 188mm (7.4”)
Diameter:  13.74mm (.541”)
Weight Empty:  7.7g  (.27oz.)
Nose Cone: Tangent Ogive
Fin Type:  Compound
Number of Fins: 2 compound assemblies
Color Scheme: White with dark blue and
red trim.
Date Completed:  11  April, 2018

 The Star Seeker is a small futuristic model rocket by Estes Industries, one of the three models in the ‘Mini Tri-Pak’( kit # 0866), produced between 1983 -1990. The other models in the kit were the S.C.R.A.M. and Sting Ray rockets.  The Star Seeker is designed to fly with the 13mm T-series mini engines, and employs featherweight recovery.

For such a small model rocket, the Star Seeker is loaded with details and a very well-designed decal scheme.  It has the appearance of a near-space ‘commuter’ transport, complete with crew cockpit and passenger doors/windows.  A nice little addition is the ‘Boeing’ logo included in the decal set.

 The 22 Month Model Rocket Project

 The Star Seeker project is the longest I’ve ever spent on a single model rocket build. Not that the actual work took that long, but in the fact that the model sat around in the la-BOR-a-tory for a long, long time awaiting decals.  Construction was begun in July of 2016, right after I became a BAR.  It was part of a three rocket simul-build alongside the Mosquito and Star Trooper.  Both those rockets have long since been finished and logged several flights each, but the Star Seeker languished in a corner of the shop, relegated to a back shelf while other projects were being pursued. The delay and subsequent disinterest in finishing the model stemmed from the lack of proper decals. That was a show-stopper.

At one point, the constructed, painted model was victim of a large notebook titled ‘The Big Book of Rocket Science’, which toppled over and proceeded to break off one of the complete fin assemblies.  Had to re-glue and re-paint….but the Star Seeker went back to its perennial space on the shelf.

In mid-2017, I grew weary of looking at that unfinished bird, so down it came to see if there was some way to fashion the markings without resorting to springing substantial dollars to have them made commercially.

As for how to go about applying the model markings, I had toyed with the idea of cutting each detail component out of either existing stripe waterslide decal material or adhesive trim Monokote.  This never came to pass. 

I also attempted to attach templates of the markings to the model and carefully draw them on with fine tipped Sharpie markers.  This would have worked reasonably well, but I didn’t get the cockpit windows and passenger doors lined up very well.  It might have passed OK, but I was not satisfied with it, being somewhat of a grumpy ol’ perfectionist. Out came the sandpaper and spray paint to render a do-over on the nose cone! 

Next, I tried using a Dymo label printer to fashion a close facsimile of the ’Boeing’ logo.  This didn’t work well either as the labels were too stiff to adhere properly to the small diameter detail tube.

At this point, I once more gave up on the model and set it aside.

Things changed recently, however, when I upgraded my computer system to include a nice HP ink-jet printer.  I have now learned the fine art of producing home-print decals, and the Star Seeker is one of the first models in the fleet to benefit from the same.

Once the downloaded decal sheet for the Estes Mini Tri-Pak was sized and printed out on blank decal stock, the fun began.  Star Seeker was suddenly finished in the space of a single evening, after having sat idle for almost two years!

The bird is now an attractive and welcome addition to the fleet.  I am looking forward to seeing if it flies as good as it looks.

One other small deviation from the original is the recovery system.  I have read on some of the forums that Star Seeker fins are highly likely to break using only featherweight recovery.  I opted to install a small streamer in my model. 

 11 April, 2018