Citation Patriot Restoration

[gldknght]

I have this old Estes Citation Patriot that I believe I built while I was in high school, circa 1983. This was the original kit, when Estes was still calling it just the Patriot.
https://archive.org/details/EstesRocketsCatalog1984/page/n11/mode/2up

I think this kit was discontinued after 1984, and when Estes brought it back in 2018, they started calling it the Citation Patriot, with the same kit number.

https://archive.org/details/EstesRocketsCatalog2018/page/n3/mode/2up

 

[gldknght]

This thing was really beat up, since it is almost 40 years old. The fins were damaged and badly warped, paint and decals were peeling.
So my first step was to use a razor saw and cut the fins off, then sand the body tube smooth.

 

[gldknght]

One additional things that was damaged beyond repair was the Estes motor retainer hook, so I decided to cut the hook off, and install one of Estes' screw on retainers.

 

[gldknght]

I used the old fins to cut new fins. Then I papered the fins using heavy card stock and gorilla wood glue. I have a couple sheets of wood the same thickness as the original fins. It's really good quality wood, nice tight grain, but very light.

 

[gldknght]

Here the papered fins are attached. I used a 1/4 inch thick square of foam board as a fin guide. You can also see where I added a small section of coupler to the bask end of the body to strengthen that damaged area.

 

[gldknght]

Here is the old "Patriot" in primer next to my much newer "Citation Patriot". Sorry the photo is a little blurry, due to finger prints on the cell phone camera.

 

[gldknght]

And the painting process completed, waiting decals.

 

[gldknght]

Thank you to Mark at Stickershock for the decals.
This was a fun project to work on while waiting for glue or paint to cure on other projects.

 

[dpower]

Always nice to see old birds restored to their former glory. First offered in 1971, it was indeed the Citation Patriot, with "Citation" being a series of premium kits initially offered in boxes, presumably to be sold alongside other boxed models. There was a specific Citation catalog: http://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/catalogs/citation71/71cit12.html Sometime later, Citation kits became just regular bagged kits, they showed up in the regular catalogs, and the Citation name was dropped.

 

[Hobie1dog]

great restoration, thanks for all the pictures