Tuesday, April 6, 2021

BAR Fleet No. 131 - Skeeter Eeter 3

 


Model Type: Sport

Designed by Ed Mitton. 

3x upscale of Estes Industries Mosquito

Motor Type: 24mm x 70mm

Recovery: Parachute or Streamer

Nose Type: Parabolic, Plastic

Fin Type: Rounded Swept, Balsa

Number of Fins: 3

Length: 11.81 in. (30cm)

Diameter:  1.64 in. (41.6mm)  BT-60

Weight empty: 1.45 oz. (41.1g)

Color scheme: Overall-Orange (Rustoleum ‘Real Orange’), Silver Trim Monokote,

Black Markings.

Completion date: April 5, 2021

 A Mosquito On Steroids !

What could be better than building and flying a Mosquito?   Building and flying a significantly larger Mosquito powered by ‘The Mighty D Engine', of course!

Back in the Old Fleet days, circa 1975-1977. I built two of these things - the first was a 24mm D-motor version, followed by an 18mm standard motor iteration.  Both of the models pre-date Estes' release of the Mega Mosquito kit.

Since part of my present-day BAR adventures involves re-building some of my Old Fleet favorites, the Skeeter Eeter has been a sure bet to hold a position high on the build list.

Purchase and kit-bash of an Estes Baby Bertha provided all the major parts required by the Skeeter Eeter, save for motor mount components, which I already possessed in my parts stash.

The build is very straight forward, this being a regular old 3FNC model rocket. No worries here.

Skeeter Eeters are a real kick to fly.  I anticipate watching this 2021 version screaming off the pad!