Estes Maxi-Brute STAR WARS X-Wing T-65

[dwmzmm]

I'm nearly finished with my vintage Estes Maxi-Brute STAR WARS X-Wing that will be entered
in the upcoming Gulf Coast Regional meet at JSC in a couple of weeks. Having worked on it over the past 1 1/2 months, can't understand why Estes labelled this a Skill Level - 2 kit... this model ended up being more time consuming than I'd expected. Model is modified to fly
as a five engine cluster (D12-5 core/four A10-PT's in the jet engine nozzles).

Oh yes, the event will be the Future Scale/Science Fiction at JSC. Wish me luck!

[A Fish Named Wallyum]

I'm nearly finished with my vintage Estes Maxi-Brute STAR WARS X-Wing that will be entered
in the upcoming Gulf Coast Regional meet at JSC in a couple of weeks. Having worked on it over the past 1 1/2 months, can't understand why Estes labelled this a Skill Level - 2 kit... this model ended up being more time consuming than I'd expected. Model is modified to fly
as a five engine cluster (D12-5 core/four A10-PT's in the jet engine nozzles).

Oh yes, the event will be the Future Scale/Science Fiction at JSC. Wish me luck!

Not until you post pictures. And I'm holding my breath. ;)

[dwmzmm]

Not until you post pictures. And I'm holding my breath. ;)

Don't worry...I know tons of pics will be taken during this Regional meet and posted on the
NASA Houston Rocket Club photo gallery shortly after the conclusion of the contest. If you
want to go ahead and gain access to the NHRC gallery and save (bookmark) it, so you can check back afterwards, here's the link:

http://www.nasarocketclub.com/gallery

There's already probably thousands of pics from our past activities posted that might interest you...go ahead and surf through it if you have the time. Even though I'm the
Section NAR Advisor for the Challenger 498 Section, I'm also a paid member of the NASA
Houston Rocket Club Section (#365).

I installed the BT-5 motor mount tubes in the jet engine tubes of the X-Wing yesterday...all
appears centered and secure. Final act before the contest will be to rig the recovery system
so that the X-Wing will be configured to come down in a semi-horizontal attitude, with the
nose section somewhat downward so the inital shock of the landing will be absorbed there
instead of the lower vertical stabilizer fins (remember, the Maxi-Brute kit had a long dowel
that goes to the rear of the X-Wing for this purpose).

And, to insure reliable cluster ignition, QuickBurst Hot Shot igniters will be used (you can see
my product review of these igniters in the EMRR website)...I feel very confident this model
will fly as intended.

[dwmzmm]

Don't worry...I know tons of pics will be taken during this Regional meet and posted on the
NASA Houston Rocket Club photo gallery shortly after the conclusion of the contest. If you
want to go ahead and gain access to the NHRC gallery and save (bookmark) it, so you can check back afterwards, here's the link:

http://www.nasarocketclub.com/gallery

There's already probably thousands of pics from our past activities posted that might interest you...go ahead and surf through it if you have the time. Even though I'm the
Section NAR Advisor for the Challenger 498 Section, I'm also a paid member of the NASA
Houston Rocket Club Section (#365).

I installed the BT-5 motor mount tubes in the jet engine tubes of the X-Wing yesterday...all
appears centered and secure. Final act before the contest will be to rig the recovery system
so that the X-Wing will be configured to come down in a semi-horizontal attitude, with the
nose section somewhat downward so the inital shock of the landing will be absorbed there
instead of the lower vertical stabilizer fins (remember, the Maxi-Brute kit had a long dowel
that goes to the rear of the X-Wing for this purpose).

And, to insure reliable cluster ignition, QuickBurst Hot Shot igniters will be used (you can see
my product review of these igniters in the EMRR website)...I feel very confident this model
will fly as intended.

Pictures of yesterday's flight already posted here:

http://www.nasarocketclub.com/gallery/album23?page=1

Go to pages 4 and 5 to get the best series of pics of the X-Wing's flight (and aftermath).
These great pics were taken by Warren Benson, President of the NHRC Section (#365) and
GCRM contest director.

[barone]

Well, the take off looked awesome.....the aftermath looked heart breaking. All that field and it landed on the road?

Don
NAR 53455

[Ltvscout]

Pictures of yesterday's flight already posted here:

http://www.nasarocketclub.com/gallery/album23?page=1

Go to pages 4 and 5 to get the best series of pics of the X-Wing's flight (and aftermath).
These great pics were taken by Warren Benson, President of the NHRC Section (#365) and
GCRM contest director.
Sorry about the damage. The flight shots were cool though!

What's the story on that Saturn V doing a loop-de-loop?

[dwmzmm]

Sorry about the damage. The flight shots were cool though!

What's the story on that Saturn V doing a loop-de-loop?

That is Richard Benavides (of the DARS Section) Icarus/Saturn - V 1/100 Scaled Asteroid
Interceptor entry for the Future Scale/Science Fiction event. Since it was judged and flown
on Saturday, I was not able to personally see this model fly (my daughter had her birthday
party); I could only attend on Sunday.

From what I know, Richard did a heck of a lot of work building this model just for this meet, and you can see more very detailed pics and closeups of this Saturn - V by going to the NHRC
photo album and then clicking the gallery for November 19th 2005 - Gulf Coast Regional
Day 1:

http://www.nasarocketclub.com/gallery/albums.php

He had an Apollo spacecraft enclosed in the main bodytube that was rigged with electronics
(not sure what the electronics was supposed to do), and the Saturn - V was slated to fly as a
five engine cluster for additional mission points. The Saturn - V was even launched from a
specially made launch pad for this event. The mistake (my opinion) Richard made was using
the Estes Solar igniters to ignite this cluster instead of the QuickBurst Hot Shots. Since one
of the outboard engine failed to ignite, the Saturn - V went unstable and was DQ'ed. BUT, I
feel if Richard had added some clear stabilizing fins, the model would have flown well enough
anyway and probably won first place.

Also, scroll through the photo album (if you have the time; heck, it's the holidays so you
have the time anyway!), look for Harold Lawson's Canadian Arrow X-Prize entry that has
the "windows" on the nosecone cut out and the interior is highly detailed (also look for the
pics of the dummy, solid boosters at the base of the nosecone!). It was his entry that my
X-Wing beat out in total points by about 20 points (I think; haven't seen the official, final
results yet).

My X-Wing is now nearly 90% repaired, and I'm planning for some more flights for it once
again! Using some Micro-Fil, CA and other stuff, it'll be finished and looking almost like new
by the end of the week.

You all have a nice Thanksgiving Week!

[JRThro]

My X-Wing is now nearly 90% repaired, and I'm planning for some more flights for it once again! Using some Micro-Fil, CA and other stuff, it'll be finished and looking almost like new by the end of the week.

You all have a nice Thanksgiving Week!
That landing looks really painful, Dave, especially after the great launch and flight.

I hope I'll get to see that X-Wing fly... maybe at the December 10th Challenger club (http://www.challenger498.org) launch at Rushing Park? I might actually have something new to fly by then.

[dwmzmm]

That landing looks really painful, Dave, especially after the great launch and flight.

I hope I'll get to see that X-Wing fly... maybe at the December 10th Challenger club (http://www.challenger498.org) launch at Rushing Park? I might actually have something new to fly by then.

John, the X-Wing is now 100% repaired. From the distance, you can't tell it's been damaged
beforehand. The next target date for the X-Wing launch should be NSL - 2006 in McGregor,
TX...