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  #1  
Old 01-15-2016, 09:55 PM
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burkefj burkefj is offline
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Default Estes Interceptor E RC conversion 3 different ways

I was on the way home yesterday and was thinking about changing my IntR/Ceptor model into an elevon only model, instead of one with full flying tail surfaces. This would require moving the wing back and making it larger. I remembered that the hobby shop had an Interceptor E kit still on the shelf for a long time, and way over priced, I did some quick checking and thought I could do a modification of this to keep the tube and nose cone and see if I could get it to fly ok. I know Estes has the cosmic interceptor on sale for $18 plus $10 shipping so I could get the cone but the tubes I think are shorter on this kit and the slots in the wrong place, and they are a custom size. I talked them down to $32 out the door.

I did some quick wing planform checks and came out with something I think will work.

I dumped the wingtip pods since they are heavy and will re-make those from foam. I enlarged the existing wing/tail slots to fit my depron surfaces and installed the wing. I made the forward tube section removable along with the strakes so that I can access the mid mounted rail button. It turned out for CG I did need to use the plastic tail piece. Here is is framed up but with out the wing tip pods finished. 11.5 ounces ready to fly, no nose weight needed. Wing loading is 7.5 ounces/sq foot, slightly more than my full profile version. The need for the tail piece for CG means the motor is inset about 3/4" so hopefully not in the crushnik range....

We'll see if I got the CG close enough when I can test it out. Here is it with the tip pods just roughed out and not glued on yet. I don't think it's horrible looking, still captures the essence....

I also ordered two Cosmic Interceptor kits and plan on doing two more conversions, one iwth a full flying tail and the other with a cranked delta planform to see which one I like the looks and flight performance of best, stay tuned.
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Last edited by burkefj : 01-24-2016 at 10:35 AM.
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  #2  
Old 01-15-2016, 09:56 PM
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Got out before lunch and had two great flights, boosted really high and nice and straight. First flight was a bit touchy on roll so I toned that down for the second flight. Nearly hands off. Glide was better than I expected but I flared a bit early in the video so it wasn't a greased landing. First flight was a touch nose heavy so I put a little less than 1/4 ounce in the tail for the second flight, and it was pretty nice, just a touch of roll that I trimmed out afterward.

I need to finish the wingtip pods and paint them.

Frank
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Last edited by burkefj : 01-31-2016 at 08:59 PM.
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  #3  
Old 01-15-2016, 10:02 PM
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burkefj burkefj is offline
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And her she is all dolled up...
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Old 01-15-2016, 10:19 PM
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Very nice. It's gonna be tough to kit that, though ...

However, maybe there are enough people out there with a stash of the kits, such that you could offer them a conversion kit for one of their models.

I never had an original Interceptor, so I stocked up on the standard and E models. I've got an E built and primered, just waiting for nice weather so I can paint it.

Another thought -- Estes uses the nose cone on their PSII Trajector. Maybe you could get them to sell you the nose cones? The tubes are available from them, as well as couplers.
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Old 01-15-2016, 10:31 PM
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burkefj burkefj is offline
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Yeah, I did notice they have the cosmic interceptor on sale for $18.

When it comes to things like this It's hard for me to get interested in doing a kit, I have to buy a bunch of cones and tubes that only estes sells and then hope to sell them. With the all foam kits I only cut a kit if I get an order so I don't have an up-front commitment in anything I won't use myself. Like you say, maybe a conversion for folks....I just always wanted to do something like this...

Frank




Quote:
Originally Posted by LeeR
Very nice. It's gonna be tough to kit that, though ...

However, maybe there are enough people out there with a stash of the kits, such that you could offer them a conversion kit for one of their models.

I never had an original Interceptor, so I stocked up on the standard and E models. I've got an E built and primered, just waiting for nice weather so I can paint it.

Another thought -- Estes uses the nose cone on their PSII Trajector. Maybe you could get them to sell you the nose cones? The tubes are available from them, as well as couplers.
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Old 01-16-2016, 12:04 AM
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Frank,

I understand completely. It would be a sizable investment to buy the parts, assuming Estes would even sell the Interceptor nose cones.

I ordered a Cosmic Interceptor before Christmas, when Estes had free shipping on a $30 order. I also ordered some of their ornaments for giveaways, and they were also including a free one with orders that qualified for free shipping.

I waited forever to buy the Cosmic model. Besides the E model I've built, I have 5 more.

But the price was too good, and it is a pretty nice variation to the traditional Interceptor.
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  #7  
Old 01-16-2016, 03:30 PM
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Did some panel lines, added some black wing walk areas, a few more vinyl trim sections and accented the nose cone molded lines with a sharpie pen, looks pretty good for a glider conversion.
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Old 01-24-2016, 10:44 AM
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Here are the other two versions I made from Cosmic Interceptor kits. I re-used the tubes, part of the motor tube and nose cone and couplers. I put one coupler in the rear only inserted 1.5" and put the little stub ring that is used for decoration in the kit on the very end, this extended my total length to 40.5" which helps with CG and it isn't very noticable.

The cranked delta is sort of a mash-up of an Orbital Transport wing and wingtips with a centuri sst-1 shuttle booster T tail. I had to enlarge the T tail quite a bit to allow for lateral CG as the glide cg pretty far back, about an inch behind the "crank" in the wing. I actually wound up having to put the receiver just forward of the motor mount and putting the flight battery right inside the tube at the back end and still needed 1/4 ounce of tail weight. Total weight for this version is 12.5 ounces, about the same as the first one. I think it has a rakish look. I used markings for my IntR/Ceptor kit from Stickershock, mounted the ones on the wingtips upside down to match the angles and had Mark upsize one of the tail markings from my kit 2x and mounted it backwards for the tail. Had a maiden yesterday and it flies very nicely. The motor on this one is mounted up against the top of the tube just under the wing.

Third version is more or less like my kit with enlarged wing and full flying tail, since the wing is more forward on this one I did have to add nose weight for CG, total weight is 13.5 ounces rtf. It also flies very nicely. Motor is mounted right on the centerline on this one.

I don't know if I have a favorite yet, they all look decent and fly nicely.
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  #9  
Old 01-24-2016, 08:08 PM
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I am amazed at the pace at which you seem to crank these things out. These Interceptor variants are awesome.
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  #10  
Old 01-25-2016, 11:29 AM
AstronMike AstronMike is offline
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Default Really Nice

I really like the middle one best. It has a real 'Astron'-ish look to it! The one on the right, with the forward wing, looks kind of 'wonky' due to the strakes angles.

You're now cranking out RC deals like I used to do with Non-RC jobs...I'd get one I really liked and make *gobs* of variants thereof!!

Keep up the stuff, Frank. Might motivate me to crank 'em up again someday...
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