Estes Alpha II scale - MMX

[ep29030]

Just finished a scale series of Estes Alpha II rockets. I purchased decals online for the BT-5, BT-20. Only the BT-50 (original kit) was made from a kit; the rest are made from parts. I had to re-shape the BT-3 nosecone to get a better profile—I chucked it in my tabletop drill press and used an emory board to shape it to a closer profile of the 100% BT-50 nosecone. Just purchased a mini-lathe so I can play with turning nosecones and transitions from balsa for these small scale rockets.

Pictured. Estes Alpha II in scale series: BT-3 (38%), BT-5 (55%), BT-20 (75%), BT-50 (100%). BT-3 uses MMX motor; BT-5 can use 13mm and MMX w/adapter; BT-20 uses 13mm; BT-50 uses 18mm motor. Need to build a BT-55 or 60 scale for 24mm motors to complete the series.

 

[ep29030]

Making a good scale series is a challenge due to two big factors: nosecone profiles are hard to keep constant across the tubing sizes; decals have to be scaled and printed. For this kit, I purchased most of the decals (except BT-3). I did BT-3 decals on white decal paper, coated lightly with Dupli-color 1K Clear spray paint to seal the ink. I will also use the 1K Clear to coat the rockets/protect decals in a few days. If I had it to do over, I believe I would do all the scale decals myself—mine looked as good as the purchased ones.

 

[lakeroadster]

Well done Mark, fine looking Alpha's. Gotta scratch that itch.

 

[BABAR]

Great looking set!

 

[smstachwick]

Just finished a scale series of Estes Alpha II rockets. I purchased decals online for the BT-5, BT-20. Only the BT-50 (original kit) was made from a kit; the rest are made from parts. I had to re-shape the BT-3 nosecone to get a better profile—I chucked it in my tabletop drill press and used an emory board to shape it to a closer profile of the 100% BT-50 nosecone. Just purchased a mini-lathe so I can play with turning nosecones and transitions from balsa for these small scale rockets.

Pictured. Estes Alpha II in scale series: BT-3 (38%), BT-5 (55%), BT-20 (75%), BT-50 (100%). BT-3 uses MMX motor; BT-5 can use 13mm and MMX w/adapter; BT-20 uses 13mm; BT-50 uses 18mm motor. Need to build a BT-55 or 60 scale for 24mm motors to complete the series.

The same Alpha II that had fin alignment lines preprinted on the tube?

 

[BEC]

All the actual Alpha II kits I've looked at have the lines drawn on the tube....it's not even pre-printed. Someone at Estes would have had to do that tedious job.

 

[smstachwick]

All the actual Alpha II kits I've looked at have the lines drawn on the tube....it's not even pre-printed. Someone at Estes would have had to do that tedious job.

Ick, no wonder they didn’t last long.

I bet that could be automated now, but at what cost in equipment?

 

[lr64]

Ick, no wonder they didn’t last long.

I bet that could be automated now, but at what cost in equipment?

I'm pretty sure the cost of the equipment would be quite small in relation to the cost of the labor that it saved.

BTW, ever think of scaling the weight to MMX standards, without changing the size? I'm sure it's possible, though it might end up being a stick and tissue creation.

 

[ep29030]

I don’t recall any pre-printed lines on the Alpha II kit when I built it. And there sure weren’t any lines on the downscales I made.

 

[ep29030]

My next move for the Alpha II series is one with either a BT-55 or BT-60 airframe and a 24mm motor mount. My goal is to create several rocket kits in series from MMX to 24mm.

 

[SolarYellow]

The Estes Chiller has a suitable NC for a BT-55 Alpha. The Patriot is the only kit in current production off the top of my head that uses the Alpha-ish BT-60 NC, but if you can still find a deal on the Curvilinear, it may be a cheaper source. The PNC-80K is surprisingly inexpensive from Estes; way better than buying a Big Daddy to get the 3-in cone.

 

[BEC]

I'm pretty sure the cost of the equipment would be quite small in relation to the cost of the labor that it saved.

BTW, ever think of scaling the weight to MMX standards, without changing the size? I'm sure it's possible, though it might end up being a stick and tissue creation.

Vern and his folks at EI were good at inventing tools/machines to do stuff — after all, the first rocket motor making machine was what started Estes Industries in the first place, so I'm sure that there was at least some kind of simple jig made up to make this easier for whoever had to do it. It would be easy to do that now with 3D printing. Not so much in the late 1960s to early 1970s.

I don’t recall any pre-printed lines on the Alpha II kit when I built it. And there sure weren’t any lines on the downscales I made.

Now you're going to make me look at my Alpha II kits and back up my previous statement, aren't you? I suppose I should do that. Perhaps later today.

I know I have at least two EK-25 Alpha IIs (yellow face card, balsa nose cone) and at least a couple of later ones including at least one with the Alpha decal as you've done on yours. I will want to look to see if they Alpha II lasted long enough to have blue/red — as you've shown it — livery vs. black/red. And while I'm at it I'm going to see if any of the Alpha II kits I have use the later pointier shape plastic nose cone — again as you've shown it — vs. the first plastic nose cone shape which was very close to the balsa BNC-50K. I wasn't going to bring that up before, as that's another rabbit hole to go down, but if I'm gonna be pulling kits and looking, I'll check that, too.

Once the "regular" Alpha gained most of the simpler-to-build features first introduced on the Alpha II (die cut fins, plastic nose cone — which both were on the Alpha II first), the need for the Alpha II as a separate product probably went away, even if the pre-marked tubes never made it to the 1225 Alpha.

This also reminds me about the dot die-pressed into the die-cut fins that denoted the root edge, which showed up for a time on the instructions but which disappeared from the instructions before the Alpha went laser-cut...which leaves us with those little holes near the root edge, but which have not been referenced (or even shown) in Alpha instructions since they've been there.....

(I told you there were rabbit holes there)

Was your original Alpha II with the longer motor tube that the first ones had or did it have a standard BT-20J motor tube?

 

[ep29030]

I built my BT-50 (original) Alpha II kit a couple of years ago. It appears to have the standard motor mount. And the nosecone displayed is the one in the kit. As I recall, it was from a bulk bag for schools, so that might explain some differences. The red/white/blue was the color scheme it showed.

Here is the link to Jim Z’s information on the kit: http://spacemodeling.org/jimz/estes/est1421.pdf

 

[BEC]

I don’t recall any pre-printed lines on the Alpha II kit when I built it. And there sure weren’t any lines on the downscales I made.

I built my BT-50 (original) Alpha II kit a couple of years ago. It appears to have the standard motor mount. And the nosecone displayed is the one in the kit. As I recall, it was from a bulk bag for schools, so that might explain some differences. The red/white/blue was the color scheme it showed.

Here is the link to Jim Z’s information on the kit: http://spacemodeling.org/jimz/estes/est1421.pdf

Thanks for that link. Note that in the kit picture in that package on JimZ, the body tube is pre-marked.

I got down my box O' Alphas and my Alpha II/III/IV/VI documentation notebook (this is separate from the Alpha notebook) and this is what I've found.

I have two early sets of instructions but no example kits of an Alpha II with a balsa nose cone. The oldest Alpha IIs I have (two of these) with the yellow face card, have the first edition blow-molded plastic nose cone, and the longer motor tube. I have NO idea why Bill Cannon did this, as the Alpha doesn't have a bunch of room in it for wadding and the 'chute even with a standard motor mount.

Then I have a later one, similar to the one documented on JimZ, but with the later Beta-series style blue motor tube and the single huge (and heavy) centering ring. It also has the later, pointier nose cone shape (but still US made at this point). It is packed with tools and glue and motors. I have not opened the package to get those instructions out to see if the motor mount information has been updated vs. the version on JimZ, which matches a paper copy I have in the aforementioned notebook.

Even this latest (circa 1996, based on the date codes on the enclosed motors) Alpha II has the tube pre marked, as you can see. You can also see this newer kit on the left has the blue/red markings in waterslide form, so that also tracks with the model you built. The one on the right has no decal as it predates the creation of that big Alpha logo (which first appeared on the regular 1225 Alpha in black/red in the 1982 Estes catalog).



For what it's worth some of that educator content in the big package later got put in a plastic ring binder type affair and those packages had just a bulk Alpha kit (standard — no pre-marking) included. But that's a different bunny trail to follow.

Because it's circa 1996, this Alpha II example I have must be one of the last as it still has an assemble-it-yourself parachute, and premade parachutes from China preceded entire kits packaged in China starting just after the turn of the century.....

We now return to your regularly scheduled programming...

 

[tjkopena]

The Patriot is the only kit in current production off the top of my head that uses the Alpha-ish BT-60 NC, but if you can still find a deal on the Curvilinear, it may be a cheaper source. The PNC-80K is surprisingly inexpensive from Estes; way better than buying a Big Daddy to get the 3-in cone.

Would be a shame to turn a Curvilinear into a parts donor, that's a cool rocket. But I do have two kits on-hand.