Dr Zooch Mercury Redstone body tube decal wrap
 

i dont think i read the instructions wrong but it sounds crazy to me: they want me to cut out the thick paper wrap for the black and white pattern at the top of the body tube. thatll look like crap. are they serious? im going to print out an inkjet decal sheet. i like dr zooch's funny instructions but this peeved me.

The paper wrap actually looks very good!
I didn't use white glue on the outside edges, but used spray adhesive to stick it on.

http://www.rocketreviews.com/dr-zoo...ichielssen.html

Thank you for your response. by applying a stiff paper wrap the bottom edge of the wrap will be higher than the rest of the body tube below it. On a scale model like this it sounds like thatd stick out like a sore thumb, wont it?

For the first time ever, i paid attention to filling the spiral wound gap of the body tube with a fill and sanded it very smooth and fine. Im going to try the decal, but ill first look at the paper wrap applied. Post a picture! Hopefully you still have the little gem and the greedy trees kept their dirty paws offa it.
Best~

The Dr. Zooch kits are Stand-WAY OFF-Scale at BEST.
If you want a kit that looks 'something' like the full scale original, they are fine.
If you expect precision, DON'T buy one of their kits as it will be sadly disappointing.

They are fine for what they are expected to be.
If you want a nice Mercury Redstone of this size, pick up an old K-41/1241 Estes original on ebay.
Expensive and a chore to build, but FAR closer to competitive scale.

ah, okay. good to know. ive just gotten back into rockets since i left off in the mid-80's, and am pumped to see so many producers of models, but, of course, am very unfamilair with them. ill take a look at the old estes model but even this zooch one has me cursing. these days i really enjoy building from trash and feel really liberated. very thrilling! will they fly? i think i need to do some serious aerodynamics testing, much as i enjoy the intense suspense of not knowing in advance.
thanks!

The paper wrap isn't as noticeable as you might think. The edge of the wrap is right at the color separation, it's not like there is white card stock set over white paint.

This model is BT-60 based, the same size as the old Estes Mercury Redstone kit.
The older Estes version had six piece fins that many builders probably gave up on.
They were very tough to shape and put together.
http://www.spacemodeling.org/JimZ/k-41.htm
The "dowel" tower pieces on the Estes kit were cut from some sort of pressed wood.
Good luck cutting those out and getting them round.
The two piece fins on the Zooch kit look great, I added the fin tip piece.
Nobody is going to critique your models at a club launch,
they'll all be checking out the tower anyway.

In response to GH Rocketman,
I've never been disappointed by any of the Dr. Zooch kits I've built.
The capsule print detail on the Zooch Redstone far exceeds the Estes kit.
The Zooch kits are some of the best engineered flying models out there.

Jauboite -
Try the Zooch Saturn V. An amazing kit that builds and flys very well.

The tower on the Zooch MR looks like a PILE OF CRAP compared to a correctly built Estes K-41 tower.
So do the fins on the Zooch kit. FAR from scale whereas the Estes ones are correct to scale.
Yes, one has to be a real craftsman to build the Estes kit, but the results are FAR better in my opinion.
The Zooch kits are fine if one wants a rocket that looks 'similar' to the actual.
If one wants a real SCALE representation, pick another kit.
The Centuri MR and later 2.0" Tube Estes MR are even better, but not the same size.
Note: the 2" Centuri and Estes MR with the plastic capsule are MUCH easier to build than the original Estes K-41, but in my opinion should have a 24mm engine mount instead of the stock 18mm one.
The 2" MR flies well on the OOP Estes C5-3, way OOP Cox D8-3, and any of the 18mm SU and RMS 18 Aerotech D's. In my opinion the 2" MR does NOT fly worth a hoot on the Estes C6-3 and that's why for years Estes and Centuri listed the C5-3 as the ONLY suggested engine. Amazingly with the C5-3 out of production they reccommend the C6-3 now.
Some claim it flies well on a C6-3, but I'm NOT of that opinion.

That is why I am glad the upcoming release will go back to balsa fins - no need to modify plastic centering rings to install a 24mm mount. The minimum recommended motor should be C11-3.


Bill

Agree with Bill.
A good minimum motor for the 2" MR is the C11-3.
It has more 'kick' off the pad than even the old Estes/Centuri C5-3.
I actually have an old Centuri MR that has a 24mm mount.
I usually fly it on a D12-5, but it flies really well on the C11-3; it was actually the first rocket I tried the C11-3 in when it first came out from Estes.
It is a great small-field choice.
I think the 2" MR could actually fly on a very OOP and very limited-production Centuri B8-3, but would probably only hit 100' to 125'

I don't think the Zooch kit should be written off that quickly. I do agree with GH that the fins and tower could be better but a craftsman builder could upgrade those fairly easily. K-41 demands craftsmanship; Zooch makes it optional.

The capsule is better on the Zooch. My K-41 is sitting right here and it's a window capsule marked as Freedom 7; That's a Fail. Zooch is $25 on-line; even if you pony up for Excelsior decals (and they are fabulous) and paint instead of wrap, you're still way ahead of the $90+ its going to take to get your hands on a genuine K-41. If New Semroc re-issues the laser cut fins for the K-41, Zooch + fins + decals is going to be the way to go. Even if New Semroc doesn't re-issue the fins, it wouldn't be that difficult to re-size the Zooch fins; maybe even upgrade to five piece (seven-piece was a little over-the-top).

I bought .08 and .04 carbon fiber tubing to replace the long-lost press wood for my K-41 escape tower. But I've never built anything out of carbon fiber. I don't even know what kind of glue works best. I was sorta hoping GH would build a carbon fiber K-41 escape tower, post pictures and show us all how . . . .