BAR Fleet #133 - Steampunk Protostar

Source:  Estes Industries Kit #7260

Highly Modified

Type: Futuristic Sport Model

Stages: Single

Engine Type: 24mm

Recovery:  Parachute

Length:  62.4 (24.6 in.)

Diameter:  41.8mm (1.64 in.)

Weight Empty:  148.7g (5.25 oz.)

Nose Cone:  Parabolic

Fin Type: Swept, with Pods

Number of Fins: 3

Color Scheme:  Metallic Copper, Silver, Aluminum, Brass

Date Completed:  April 6, 2022

A Flight Of Fancy...

Back in May of 2018, Estes Industries R&D designer John Boren posted a reply on one of the online rocketry forums in a thread discussing the proper paint scheme for the Estes Protostar kit. John posed the question concerning when the first steampunk version would be built.

After reading this, I decided that I would make an attempt at rising to the task. With 40% coupon clutched tightly in hand, I made the trek to the local Hobby Lobby, returning home with a new Protostar kit.

Next step was to consult the Wonderful World Wide Web to learn what 'steampunk' was all about.

With the kit and newfound knowledge now in my possession, I retired to the Secret Basement La-BOR-atory to pore over a drawing board. After several moments of taxing the few active brain cells that are left to me (I blame the many years working in the electronics industry), I had a working concept plan laid out.

Work soon began on the model.  At the outset, I had no clear ideas on how many of the myriad details were going to be rendered.  These just happened to be worked out as the build progressed.

Ultimately, the build stretched out over nearly four years.  Not that the build actually took that long, but the model languished on the shelf for long periods of time while I pursued other various rocketry projects.

Zillions of Rivets !

As seen in the accompanying photos, the Protostar is covered with copious amounts of rivet detail. These were all painstakingly hand punched on adhesive paper sections that were then applied to the model.  I never bothered to count how many rivets were made, but I'm sure they number into the thousands!

I won't go into a detailed description of the build here, as the full process is well-documented and photographed in the BlastFromThePast blog.  There are forty-five posts covering the build.  Here is a link to the first of these:

BlastFromThe Past: Steampunk Protostar, Part 1 - A Marvelously Splendid New Adventure (castlerocketeer.blogspot.com)

Flying The Steampunk Protostar

Many model rocketeers would be quite reluctant to risk flying a model such as this more than one time. After all, many hours of work went into the build, much of it dedicated to forming and applying large amounts of minute detail.  An illuminated magnifying headpiece was used on many occasions! 

All it would take to undo all of this would be a recovery system SNAFU or, worse yet, a destructive motor CATO. Like it or not, those things are an integral part of the hobby of model rocketry.

My plans for the model are to get at least ten flight missions accomplished before retiring it. Maybe more.  In other words, the Steampunk Protostar is by no means to be relegated to a display shelf.

Cheers!