Birdie Plans

[gpoehlein]

Does anyone have access to the plans or a model of the Estes Birdie - I'm looking for the BT-5 version. Specifically, I'd like to know how long the body tube was in the thing. Looking at the Custom Parts Catalog, I'm betting that it was 2" long (BT-5BJ). But I'd like to get that confirmed. Even better, if someone has a copy of the instruction from the BT-5 version, I'd love to get a copy of that. I can get the BT-20 version at Jimz, but he doesn't have the later T model version. Anyone?

Greg

[dwmzmm]

Does anyone have access to the plans or a model of the Estes Birdie - I'm looking for the BT-5 version. Specifically, I'd like to know how long the body tube was in the thing. Looking at the Custom Parts Catalog, I'm betting that it was 2" long (BT-5BJ). But I'd like to get that confirmed. Even better, if someone has a copy of the instruction from the BT-5 version, I'd love to get a copy of that. I can get the BT-20 version at Jimz, but he doesn't have the later T model version. Anyone?

Greg

Greg, I still have my original Estes Birdie with the BT-20...recently flew it with an A10-3T by
simply wrapping sufficient amount of streamer around the motor casing so it will slide easily
out of the BT-20 on ejection. When I get the chance, I'll check the measurements and get
back with you.

[CPMcGraw]

Does anyone have access to the plans or a model of the Estes Birdie - I'm looking for the BT-5 version. Specifically, I'd like to know how long the body tube was in the thing. Looking at the Custom Parts Catalog, I'm betting that it was 2" long (BT-5BJ). But I'd like to get that confirmed. Even better, if someone has a copy of the instruction from the BT-5 version, I'd love to get a copy of that. I can get the BT-20 version at Jimz, but he doesn't have the later T model version. Anyone?

Greg

Greg,

The motor tube listed in the "K" series plans is the 2.75" BT-20J, but in the original EIRP plans (#61) it's listed as the BT-20M, which is 2.25". When you install the inner ring 1/2" from the top end, then install that bulkhead piece from the centering ring, that would give you the 1.75" length of the "S" motors. I think the "K" series plans may be in error...

The 2" BT-5BJ sounds like the correct call. Install a 1/4" ring flush with the top end of the tube, then install that bulkhead. That would give you the 1/75" length of the 13mm motors...

[gpoehlein]

Ya - the model I had back in the seventies was the TK-44. I found the K-44 instructions on Jimz, but nobody has a copy of the TK-44 instructions available. That's what I'm trying to find. I remember flying that little bugger and it was a lot of fun. Especially when I flew it in a paved parking lot - it bounced pretty good when it came back down! :D

Suffice to say, if anyone does have a copy of the TK-44 instructions laying around, I would bet Scott would love to have a copy in his archive.

Greg

[Ltvscout]

Suffice to say, if anyone does have a copy of the TK-44 instructions laying around, I would bet Scott would love to have a copy in his archive.
You are quite psychic, young grasshopper. :D

[marslndr]

I've cloned 2. I use a standard mini motor mount and a bt-60 to bt-5 centering ring. Cut a notch in the outside of the centering ring for the launch lug and remove one section of the first horzontal supports for the lug to protude from. The lug rests against the rubber birdie top and is glued to the centering ring. I just put a standard motor stop inside the motor tube, my friend puts a bulked infront of the motor block but I don't. I then epoxy the whole thing to the nose.

My birdies are about 4 years old, and have flown many times. The kids vlove them because they can launch them in the yard and don't go far.

Mark

[marslndr]

Here are a couple of photos.

the first is a view of the buisness end, you can see the motor mount, launch lug and centering ring. Don't glue the centering ring to the birdie, just to the bt-5.

The other view is both together, you can see on the white birdie were you need to cut one of the vertical supports for the launch lug to fit through.

I used epoxy to mount the motor tube to the birdie and white glue to glue the launch lug to the centering rig, over time the launch lug came undone, so I used epoxy to re-attach it. If I were to build more I would just use epoxy on it from the start.

Hope this helps.

Mark

[mojo1986]

I can confirm that the tube for the TK-44 Birdie was a BT-5BJ. I have a set of plans (it's a single 2-sided sheet) which I will scan and email to Scott at my first opportunity.

Joe

[Ltvscout]

I can confirm that the tube for the TK-44 Birdie was a BT-5BJ. I have a set of plans (it's a single 2-sided sheet) which I will scan and email to Scott at my first opportunity.

Joe
Cool. Thanks, Joe.

[gpoehlein]

Bless you sir - you are a scholar and a gentleman! :D

Greg

[mojo1986]

Scott...........I tried to upload the TK-44 scans but they are too big at 2.06 MB each. Is there a way to compress them or scan at a lower resolution so that I can send them to you?

Joe

[mojo1986]

Scott...........second attempt at uploading the TK-44 plans. Quality is not great because I had to reduce the resolution to get a file that was small enough for the upload.

Joe

[Ltvscout]

Scott...........I tried to upload the TK-44 scans but they are too big at 2.06 MB each. Is there a way to compress them or scan at a lower resolution so that I can send them to you?

Joe
Send them to me in two separate email messages at scotth@execpc.com. Thanks. That way I can get the correct (high) quality scans up on the YORP site.

Scott

[gpoehlein]

Thanks to the low-res plans from Joe, I got this little guy built. I got to launch it a couple of times this weekend - just as much fun as I remembered it! First flight was an A10-3T and the second was an A3-4T. With both flights, the birdie flew up, arced over and ejected in a nose down attitude. The ejection kicked that little birdie straight into the grass. Too cool! If you get a chance to build one, do so! You won't be sorry!

Greg

[UMRS]

Hate to point to the obvious but.....

West Wayne Rockets K-44 Birdie Clone (http://www.unclemikesrocketshack.com/WWR.html)

[dwmzmm]

Thanks to the low-res plans from Joe, I got this little guy built. I got to launch it a couple of times this weekend - just as much fun as I remembered it! First flight was an A10-3T and the second was an A3-4T. With both flights, the birdie flew up, arced over and ejected in a nose down attitude. The ejection kicked that little birdie straight into the grass. Too cool! If you get a chance to build one, do so! You won't be sorry!

Greg

You can also utilize the "bounce" recovery by simply using the A10-PT for the Birdie's. The
"nose" should be soft, yet tough enough to serve this purpose.

[marslndr]

They fly nice and are perfect for launching in a yard or driveway. They don't go very high or drift far and I have seen them fall through a tree with out getting stuck.

[ghrocketman]

Check this out:
An original TK-Birdie kit on ebay !!!!

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-1970s-Estes-Mini-Brute-Birdie-Model-Rocket-Kit_W0QQitemZ6060874475QQcategoryZ2567QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[dwmzmm]

Check this out:
An original TK-Birdie kit on ebay !!!!

http://cgi.ebay.com/Vintage-1970s-Estes-Mini-Brute-Birdie-Model-Rocket-Kit_W0QQitemZ6060874475QQcategoryZ2567QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Wow, some are willing to bid that much for a Birdie? This one isn't even the original kit with
the "S" engines. When I put one of my unopened Centuri UFO Invader kit on the auction
block on Rocketry Online, after seven days the top bid was only about $70.

[ghrocketman]

The TK-birdie is actually VERY rare....it was produced for a much shorter time than the S-Series one....I think it only existed from '73 to '74

[dwmzmm]

The TK-birdie is actually VERY rare....it was produced for a much shorter time than the S-Series one....I think it only existed from '73 to '74

Ok, then that makes more sense. I recall someone telling me the Centuri Point, when one was on e-bay about two years ago, went for something like $450 - $500. If you look in the
Centuri catalogs, I think the company carried it for only one year, too. Good thing I purchased one when I did. I'm still flying it even after all these years! (Last flight the Point was used for Open Spot Landing at the Hearts & Darts Regional meet at JSC this past
February).

[mojo1986]

Yes, according to my records there has not been a single TK-44 Birdie sold on Ebay (except for this recent one, of course) in the past six years. And there was only one sale of a K-44 Birdie, the short motor original, in June of 2004. So these kits are certainly hard to find, and probably are missing in most collections. In that context, they are probably easily worth $70. By the way, the original Birdie was produced for 3 years, from 1969 to 1971, and the later version that used the 13 mm motor for only two years, '72 and '73.

Joe