Steampunk Protostar, Part 43 - Greebles and Nurnies!

 The final stage of this build revolves around the application of small random details on the main rocket body.

The source material for all of these little decorative pieces is a plastic model kit that I have no intention to build. (More on this subject in a future post.)

Anyway, this plastic kit is chock-full of all sorts of pipes, panels, widgets, and gadgets that are perfect for adding little embellishments to the Protostar.  I've even been able to employ some sections of the kit's plastic molding sprue pieces.

Here is a pic showing the various stages of processing some of these detail parts:

After trimming and sanding the molding lines and flash from of the parts, they are brush painted in "Steampunky" antique brass acrylic paint.  Note the small pieces at top center of the photo.  These were little scale chemical barrels from the kit that were sliced in half using a heated hobby knife!  

Whatever it takes.... 

In looking through a number of online photos of various Steampunk models, I found that there was usually an over- abundance of gears, pulleys, cogs, cams, and other widgets, most of which appear to have no useful functions.  They seem to be put there purely for aesthetic effect only. In many instances the models have a very cluttered appearance.

With the Protostar, I'm trying to avoid overload of this sort of thing.  I carefully selected parts from the plastic kit that looked like they might serve some function on a working spacecraft - pipes, conduits, panels, valves, etc.

Also, since this is, after all, a flying model, I do not wish to weigh it down with a lot of un-necessary greebling.

Sometimes, less is more.

Once the parts are all painted, it's only a matter of scraping away some copper paint on the model and epoxying the 'brass' embellishments in their allotted spots.

In addition to the plastic parts, I have fashioned a small number of details made from more of the adhesive label stock.

Here is a detail photo of some of the completed additions:

Now, all that remains for the rocket body is to apply a couple of decals, clear coat, and attach the recovery system.

The final upcoming posts will cover detailing on the Protostar's 'crew capsule', a.k.a, nose cone.

There is light at the end of the tunnel on this long-running project!

Cheers....

Binge Build: Painted Parts - Day 6

 Today's weather forecast showed warmer temperatures and minimal wind, so I decided to take this opportunity to step outside and apply the final color coat to the last model of 2021's multi-rocket build - the Estes Esam-58.

After spending a good portion of the morning with masking the eight fins on this model, I took it out to the BlastFromThePast painting facility (the side of the garage) and shot the red enamel.

Here is the ESAM after masking material removal and minor brush paint touch-up:

More to come....

Three New Estes Offerings At Hobby Lobby

 I happened to check out hobby Lobby's website this afternoon to see if there were any new Estes products in the lineup.

There were three..

Two of them are beginner's starter sets - Quix and Super-Shot.  

The third offering is a bit confusing. It is described only as Model Rocket Kit.

The illustrations show one of two kits:

 Javelin - This appears to be an E2X type model with a shuttle-like parasite glider.

Rascal/ Hijinks Starter Set - another pair of beginner-level birds.

The website description does not specify whether both of these kits are available at the same location.

No additional builder's kits or new motor selections have made an appearance.

Ho-hum.....

Steampunk Protostar, Part 42- A Coal Chute Hatch Cover

 Every steam-driven machine needs to have a place to load up the coal or wood required to warm up the boiler. The Steampunk Protostar is no exception!

This post covers the construction of a hatch cover for the model's coal chute.

I've been pondering for some time how to go about constructing this small detail.

I stumbled upon the solution just the other day while having breakfast.

Upon opening a new carton of almond milk, I took notice of the little plastic pull-tab seal.  It is round, has a dome, a rim, and is just the right size for the hatch cover.

Moreover it is made from soft, pliable plastic, so it will conform easily to the rocket's body tube curve.

Geez, one never knows where that next model rocket part will come from!

Hurrying through my bowl of Cheerios (the heart-healthy stuff!), I took my new part downstairs to the BFTP La-BOR-atory to start preparing it for use.

After cutting off the pull ring and cleaning up its attachment point, I had to sand off a small dimple and a molded number from the top of the dome. 

Also noting that the dome is not centered in the circular rim, I had to trim down the latter to make things even.

After scraping away an area of riveted paneling, I was able to attach the disc to the body.

A coat of silver enamel paint was then brushed on, after which a small part from an un-built plastic model kit was found to serve as a fine handle for the feature.

To keep the handle from coming off, I resorted to drilling a tiny hole in the piece and hatch cover itself, after which a small length of music wire was installed.

The handle feature was completed with the application of some acrylic brass paint.

Moving on...

Back In The Day, Part 49 - A Very Unusual Big Bertha Paint Scheme

 While I'm on the subject of Big Bertha model rockets, I found this image of one built by a ROMAR club member back in the mid 70s.

This model was on a display table at one of the club's shopping center demo launches:

The off-the-wall paint scheme was done by spiral-wrapping a lace floral strip around the body tube and using it as a paint stencil.

Interesting....

Back In The Day, Part 48 - The Homecoming Big Bertha

 The 10^th model rocket in my budding early collection of 1974 was an Estes Big Bertha.  Not just any garden-variety Big Bertha.  This one was built for a very special purpose.

At that time I was a nerdy high school senior, attending a school that placed a lot of emphasis on sports.  Because I was a nerd, and not a jock, I had to find outlets other than sports to express myself in this particular social environment.  In the early 70s, nerds were not held in very high esteem like they are in this day and age.

Anyway, since I didn’t play football, I found a unique way to participate in the school’s upcoming Homecoming activities.

I would fly a model rocket from the field during half-time of the Homecoming football game!

I floated the idea to the student council, and to the school administration, and was given the green light.

It was determined that the perfect rocket for such a demo flight would be the Big Bertha, so I purchased a kit, built it carefully, and painted it in the school colors: dark green and white, with some silver Monokote trim.

On the Big Day, I had the model on the sideline of the football field - prepped, mounted on the launcher, and ready to go.  I was so nervous that I didn’t even pay much attention to the football game in progress.

When the whistle blew marking the end of the contest’s first half, I quickly gathered up the rocket, launcher, and controller, and ran to the center of the field.  It was only a matter of a minute or so until the ignitor leads were hooked up and a continuity check made.  I signaled to the PA announcer that all was go.

He started a countdown from 10 with the crowd of onlookers enthusiastically joining in.

“5….4…3…2…” 

“Please don’t let there be a burn out!” I said to myself…

“1…..”

Holding my breath, I pushed the button.

“WHOOOSH”, the model took off, straight up with the classic slow Big Bertha liftoff.  The B6-4 engine took it to apogee, then “POP” the parachute ejected and blossomed out.

The spectators cheered as the bird floated down under an 18” chute and landed on the field.

Phew!  Mission accomplished!

Sadly, the successful flight of the Bertha painted in school colors was the only bright spot of that Homecoming afternoon.

The Jocks lost the football game….53 to zip !

Following this initial flight, the Bertha was flown many more times at Skywatchers/ROMAR sport meets and public demonstration events.  It became the fleet workhorse for lofting all of my experimental parasite gliders.  

During one of its flights, the motor mount broke loose and was shoved forward, causing the model to prang and crumple the top three inches of the body tube.  The damaged portion was merely cut off, and the model flew many more times in a 'short' version.  All told, the old Big Bertha logged sixteen flights before it was ultimately sold with the rest of my fleet in 1985.

Here are a couple of pics.  I don't have any photos of the model in its original full-length condition.

BAR Fleet #135 - Big Bertha

 

Source:  Scratch-Built Estes Industries Kit #K-23 / #1948

Type: Sport Model

Stages: Single

Engine Type: 18mm

Recovery:  Parachute

Length:  59.3cm (23.35 in.)

Diameter:  42mm (1.64 in.)

Weight Empty:  67.1g (2.37 oz.)

Nose Cone:  Parabolic

Fin Type: Swept

Number of Fins: 4

Color Scheme:  Yellow, White, Black

Black and Red markings

Date Completed:  March 7, 2022

 An Estes Classic

The Big Bertha is one of the longest continuously-produced model rocket kits by Estes Industries.  Designed by Vern Estes, the original Big Bertha was built as a single-engine version of the Astron Ranger three-motor cluster model.

 A Big Bertha model was part of my old fleet dating back to 1974, so the addition of a new one is a must for the present BAR-era stable.  This addition to the collection was constructed using the published plans / instructions of the original K-23 version.  The nose is from a modern Baby Bertha kit and is very close to the original BNC/PNC 60-L nose used in the earlier Big Bertha kits.

The only other additional modification made to this model is an extended-length motor mount stuffer tube.

This being, a classic design, I tried to go fairly ‘retro’ with the color and décor scheme.  All of the decals are home-prints.

I expect to log a number of great flights with this historic, popular Estes design.