Estes "Patriot"

I picked one up yesterday. Didnt look at the package to close when I bought it. Anywhoo- Last night I open the package and see the BT is in 3 pieces?????? I didnt go thru the whole intructions, but at this point,I see no reason for this,other than the top piece of BT is yellow.Ya still gota paint the bottom red, so I dont get it????????????????????????

I cloned one of those kits and used a single length of tubing. I think the three tubes assists in doing the paint scheme.

Marlin523 said:

I cloned one of those kits and used a single length of tubing. I think the three tubes assists in doing the paint scheme.

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I don't think so. I believe the tubes were put together that way so they would fit in the Estes Launchables packaging.


Coincidently I'm building the same kit right now. I just finished the fillets on the fins.

[ I think the three tubes assists in doing the paint scheme.[/QUOTE] I thought about that after I posted.Still seems like alot of pieces and couplers and seams just to ease the paint job.?????????? I guess the decals (stickers) hide the seams??????? Ya thats it ,thats the ticket! Im gona paint it, decal it so its a Patriots (as in New England Patriots) rocket. Have the old Minuteman on it and of course the colors =Red,White and Blue. PS. The wife has been very good about my rocket spending.But she still wants me and has been after me for awhile to build her an M&Ms rocket.So to ease the PAIN, I told her I bought the Patriot rocket and my plan on the paint scheme for her,she being a BIG Pats fan, she thought that was SWEET of me.Sometimes a mans just gota do (or say)what hes gota do. ah ahahahahahahahahhahaahaha

I have one of these and it flys great! Especially on Aerotech RMS 18/20 D13 and D24

Wow, I said the same thing!!
I have since had to re-glue the coupler on the aft. (but i put a baffle so i dont have to use wadding) so ejection pressures over about 50 flights blew the back end off, (where the decal was the ony thing holding it...)

Scotty Dog said:

[ I think the three tubes assists in doing the paint scheme.

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I thought about that after I posted.Still seems like alot of pieces and couplers and seams just to ease the paint job.?????????? I guess the decals (stickers) hide the seams??????? Ya thats it ,thats the ticket! Im gona paint it, decal it so its a Patriots (as in New England Patriots) rocket. Have the old Minuteman on it and of course the colors =Red,White and Blue. PS. The wife has been very good about my rocket spending.But she still wants me and has been after me for awhile to build her an M&Ms rocket.So to ease the PAIN, I told her I bought the Patriot rocket and my plan on the paint scheme for her,she being a BIG Pats fan, she thought that was SWEET of me.Sometimes a mans just gota do (or say)what hes gota do. ah ahahahahahahahahhahaahaha[/QUOTE]

Oh I don`t know ,this might be nice also....:tongue:

Paul

sodmeister said:

I thought about that after I posted.Still seems like alot of pieces and couplers and seams just to ease the paint job.?????????? I guess the decals (stickers) hide the seams??????? Ya thats it ,thats the ticket! Im gona paint it, decal it so its a Patriots (as in New England Patriots) rocket. Have the old Minuteman on it and of course the colors =Red,White and Blue. PS. The wife has been very good about my rocket spending.But she still wants me and has been after me for awhile to build her an M&Ms rocket.So to ease the PAIN, I told her I bought the Patriot rocket and my plan on the paint scheme for her,she being a BIG Pats fan, she thought that was SWEET of me.Sometimes a mans just gota do (or say)what hes gota do. ah ahahahahahahahahhahaahaha

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Oh I don`t know ,this might be nice also....:tongue:

Paul[/QUOTE]:neener:

Went with one piece BT and otherwise stock build.Except, I do have a Mylar?? Balloon that has the Patriots logos and stuff on it. I may cut the chute out of that. Silver with the Pats stuff in red, white and blue. Ill post future pics of this build in the LPR forum.

I thought the same thing when I built my first one. I have since come to really like it. The coupler adds a lot of strength...not that it really needs it. But because of the sturdiness of the kit, I tend to fly this one a lot.

I have two unopened Patriots (50% off from Michaels) that I will mod to fly 2X 18mm and 1X 24mm.

The only thing that would make this kit indestructable is through-the-wall fins.

Unusual design but fun.

Mike

COrocket said:

I have one of these and it flys great! Especially on Aerotech RMS 18/20 D13 and D24

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Are you flying the kit stock?

Mike

Moldie said:

Are you flying the kit stock?

Mike

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Yeah, I fly the kit stock, without any reinforcement. The only picture I could find is one I cropped from one of the NARAM websites. If you have never flown the Aerotech 18/20s, they are a lot of fun. I personally like the D13 white lightning, because they have a bit of smoke. You cant really see the color of blue thunder in smaller sizes, but the higher thrust D24 will launch it like a bullet. The only downside to RMS is the initial hardware costs. I think the cheapest 18/20 could find was $30. After that, the reloads are very reasonable, especially if you get them from Valuerockets. A 3-pack of D motors is $8.99, which is pretty hard to beat.

Just be careful with these rockets, because if you go with Aerotech, composites can deliver 2x the total impulse, which is more than the kits were designed for. The rocket probably won't shred, but I almost lost it because it went so high. I'll probably add nose weight before I launch again, to keep it reasonable. Aerotech also makes single use motors in small sizes, if you don't want to risk loosing the metal casing.

COrocket,

I've flown the 18mm RMS in an Inflight Blue Bird Zero before. Flies great. I love the 18mm RMS motors. Like you said about the hardware cost, I would be hesitant about flying in an such a small kit like the Patriot. But I bet it is fun to fly tho on a D13.

Moldie said:

COrocket,

I've flown the 18mm RMS in an Inflight Blue Bird Zero before. Flies great. I love the 18mm RMS motors. Like you said about the hardware cost, I would be hesitant about flying in an such a small kit like the Patriot. But I bet it is fun to fly tho on a D13.

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Yeah, it always gets you thinking when you launch a reload case thats worth as much if not more than the rocket itself...but I guess that happens in HPR as well. I was just thinking that flying it like that might be easier than modifying it for a 24MM motor mount, although the Estes 24MM stuff is neat as well

Scotty Dog said:

I picked one up yesterday. Didnt look at the package to close when I bought it. Anywhoo- Last night I open the package and see the BT is in 3 pieces?????? I didnt go thru the whole intructions, but at this point,I see no reason for this,other than the top piece of BT is yellow.Ya still gota paint the bottom red, so I dont get it????????????????????????

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actually there was never a patriot with a yellow section below the cone. it was raw phenolic and/or a primer type paint ...so you could paint it pink and it wouldn't be any less realistic..lol

Stymye said:

actually there was never a patriot with a yellow section below the cone. it was raw phenolic and/or a primer type paint ...so you could paint it pink and it wouldn't be any less realistic..lol

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Probably zinc chromate.


paul t

Does the above post mean Sodmeister is a Colts fan? I'm starting to like you even more!

Marlin523 said:

Does the above post mean Sodmeister is a Colts fan? I'm starting to like you even more!

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I WAS a Colts fan..............nah,just kidding, still love the Colts ,and REALLY like the JETS now :wink:

Seahawks...............bye,bye :bangbang:

Paul

Here's mine...18mm mount and I swear I saw one painted just like this on television while watching CNN's Desert Storm coverage...lol.

Threemorewishes said:

Here's mine...18mm mount and I swear I saw one painted just like this on television while watching CNN's Desert Storm coverage...lol.

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lol... sure it wasn't a scud you saw ? ..

Apparently theres one little catch that slipped by me and i wonder how many other guys did the same thing I've done. And that is gluing the fins right at the end of the tube whereas the instructions state to glue them 1/16 inch from the end.....

Captain Ron said:

Apparently theres one little catch that slipped by me and i wonder how many other guys did the same thing I've done. And that is gluing the fins right at the end of the tube whereas the instructions state to glue them 1/16 inch from the end.....

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I did that too, doesn't matter, it flies fine :wink:

As for the scud...I really like the mobile launcher

Captain Ron said:

Apparently theres one little catch that slipped by me and i wonder how many other guys did the same thing I've done. And that is gluing the fins right at the end of the tube whereas the instructions state to glue them 1/16 inch from the end.....

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I was instructed to make a mark 3/16 from end of BT . Its in primer and will be till warmer weather.

Scotty Dog said:

I was instructed to make a mark 3/16 from end of BT . Its in primer and will be till warmer weather.

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More proof that I didnt read the instructions.... :blush:

Captain Ron said:

More proof that I didnt read the instructions.... :blush:

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Like you said , whos going to catch that oops? Your Patriot looks mighty fine from my view.