When I resumed model rocketry as a BAR back in 2004 I didn't have much money to spend on kits. For the first couple of years I built almost nothing but cardstock rockets using any free plans that I could find online. This also led to my interest in a new hobby, cardmodeling. All of the rockets that I built back then, 7 years ago, are still part of my active fleet and I still launch them from time to time. They are among my most-flown rockets. I did have to retire one, though, after only three flights.




The second and third pictures are of a couple of static card models that I built about 6 years ago from free designs that I found online. One is a model of one of the Project Mercury Little Joe test rockets and the other is of the SpaceShipOne. The latter build was very complex and it required several hours each night for about three consecutive weeks to assemble. There are structures on the underside that were assembled from printed patterns that, once they were cut out and folded and glued, were pin head in size. (No exaggeration.)

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SAM # 0011

Mark II,

Awesome!
I find cardmodeling relaxing and very entertaining and there seems to be no limit to the subjects to make.

Daniel

If there were an active card stock forum here with a good tutorial (or links to various tutorials) sticky at the top, I would read here more.

I recently completed a Zooch Ares I and it was fun, but I have to admit, I am pretty embarrassed at the results. Nothing at all wrong with the kit, but I do not have good skills with paper yet and therefore it doesn't look as good as it should.

Sandy.

Yeah... part of the reason I'm scared to start is that I just may discover that I really SUCK at it... LOL

But seriously I DO need to get on the stick and try some card models... maybe a Gemini... Always wanted a model of the Gemini capsule but never have found one...

Later! OL JR

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The X-87B Cruise Basselope-- THE Ultimate Weapon in the arsenal of Homeland Security and only $52 million per round!

Everyone sucks at cardmodeling at first. If you stick with it, though, you'll get better, guaranteed. That's where free plans come in really handy; you can built a bunch of stuff, make all the mistakes and learn from them, all with a final bill of $0. You literally have nothing to lose. I made tons of mistakes at first, but I stuck with it, learned a few techniques and developed a few skills. The things that I have learned have proven themselves to be useful in my regular rocket building, too. I have reaped quite a bit of value from something that required next to no monetary investment. How can you beat that?

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SAM # 0011

Hah! You noticed that, eh?

That is a near BT70 scale gliding Bomarc, 2" or so diameter. It has a rolled paper cone for the nose as well as a Depron wing/tail surfaces. This flys wonderfully on the Quest C motors due to its just under 3z total weight (the glider itself is only half that!). Also have a 20mm pod for the D5s, and nearly lost it a few months back on this motor.

BTW, that Marauder LV you see in that photo....also can use the D5. Too bad I cannot shoot video, you'd have to see this to believe it!!

Now, if you want to discuss *paper*, well, Im now making a series of mini motor powered variants of my main gliders constructed with rolled paper tubing and 2mm Depron. Coming up with some pretty massive looking stuff that weighs no more than an ounce, pod + ballast included!! How about a full size BT55 Bomarc....on an A10....and its already flown well too.

Cardstock and paper tubing, even if you only use one full ply plus some 'overlap' is a lot stronger than you'd think.

Thought I would throw something together to get the ball rolling for people new to cardstock rockets! This has been done in a larger scale but I haven't found a 18mm version.

I only spent about an hour on it so I hope it works...

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Paper_Rocket_01.pdf (120.6 KB, 89 views)

Also, cardstock models can enhance a rocket design by borrowing from other cardstock models. One example is my A-7 Corsair II Jet rocket. The cockpit canopy is from a cardstock model from Fiddlers Green. It fits, it works and I like it!

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There's a 1:96 (and 1:48) scale Gemini-Titan II on Jon Leslie's site:

http://jleslie48.com/gallery_models_apollo.html

Scroll ~half way down.

It's rated 6 out of 10 for difficulty, but I'll bet the capsule isn't the
hard part of that model. (I haven't built that one, yet).

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brianc -- NAR 83726 \ TRA 11640 \ L2

We all did at first but we get better the more we practice. One of the first ones I did was a V-2 and the fins were a little wavy and I got the comment that it was just like the real ones!

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Bob Harrington
NAR #62740 L1
AMA #46042
CMASS & RIMRA Member