A while back I came across a partial kit, missing the header card, main BT, and chutes. Everything else was there, including the cardstock sheets, fin stock, capsule, tower, dowels, decals. I have some vintage checkerboard chutes to keep it mostly vintage.

After losing my recent #1921 build, thought I'd tackle this instead of building another 1921. The previous owner had drawn out some of the fin shapes on the balsa, but nothing was cut. The only change I'm making to the original design is Kevlar tied to the forward CR.

The two fun parts of this build, are of course the fins, and the escape tower. Cutting the fin gussets (#5) were tough, I cut a few extra and kept the best ones. I resisted the urge to buy the laser-cut set from eRockets, I want the experience on this build, to help building the sealed kit in the future.

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Paul
If we weren't all crazy, we would go insane - Jimmy Buffett
NAR #87246 www.wooshrocketry.org

I had to study the instructions for a long time, walking away, coming back, etc., before I wrapped my head around how to build the fins. I think I finally figured it out. Now that I've built them, the instructions look clear, but they didn't when I started! Fin part #5 was the tough one, it's not obvious how to orient. The expanded assembly drawing helped, showing that part #5 needs to overlap the bottom of the BT.

One other modification, instead of using the cardstock for fin part #3, I cut those out of 1/64" ply - the cardstock is the weak part of these fins, same as on the current #1921 kit

The bevel was sanded on a sanding block, gussets were sanded after assembly using a sandpaper wrapped dowel, as the instructions illustrate. Final touchup was with sanding sticks of various grits.

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__________________
Paul
If we weren't all crazy, we would go insane - Jimmy Buffett
NAR #87246 www.wooshrocketry.org

And this is where I'm currently at, fins assembled and mounted, with a couple coats of Aerogloss Sanding Sealer. Elapsed time something like 4-5 weeks for steps 1-8.

In case you're wondering Danny, the MMT was built with an engine hook, since that's what the instructions called for.

A little further sanding touch-up will be needed on the gussets, then on to Step #9, the escape tower!

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Paul
If we weren't all crazy, we would go insane - Jimmy Buffett
NAR #87246 www.wooshrocketry.org

Looking good. I replaced fin part #3 on mine with bits of maple wood from a popsicle stick.
I have a Dr. Zooch Redstone that I've never attempted due to the mini size of the wood escape tower.
Those Semroc Saturn 1B laser cut fins you recommended arrived this week. Very nice kit.
Thanks for the tip. It would've taken me forever to cut out all those tiny pieces.

Great job on those hard to build fins!

I have one (built around 1970 or 71) and it was (to this day) one of the hardest build. Did ok on the launch escape tower but screwed up the paint finish (sprayed too much white enamel and paint started to run on one side of the Redstone body).

Still have another unopened kit of this model that will be a near future project once I've retired from work and have the time to devote on the build.

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Dave, NAR # 21853 SR.

Looking great so far.

KUTGW!

In 1985, I was handed a box full of rockets and rocket parts.
One of the rockets was a pre Damon MR K-47 complete kit unopened.
The header card had a reddish tinge on it.
I held on to it until 2002 and put it on Fee-Bay starting at $9.95.
It sold for around $200.00.
I thought it would be too hard of a kit to tackle even for my skills.
I currently have two MR's, one has plastic fins and the other balsa fins.
I lost the capsule to one MR to a wind and a tree.

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If it flies, I can crash it!