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  #1  
Old 10-09-2012, 09:53 PM
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Spaceclipper Spaceclipper is offline
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Default Estes Strikefighter question

I just won an Estes Strikefighter kit #2015 from an auction and it's in great shape except it's missing the 2 "core tubes" which I think are BT-5. Can anyone verify that they are BT-5 tubes and what length are they supposed to be? The plans don't have any part numbers to look up on the tube guide...
Thanks in advance..
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  #2  
Old 10-09-2012, 10:05 PM
A Fish Named Wallyum A Fish Named Wallyum is offline
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Yes, they are two 5" BT-5 tubes.
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  #3  
Old 10-10-2012, 04:11 AM
jetlag jetlag is offline
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My Strikefighter is one of the best flying, best looking little rockets I have. All the kids love it. She flies great on a C6-5. I probably have at least 18 flights on mine so far.
And it was a restoration project!

Allen
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Old 10-10-2012, 11:12 AM
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Thank you for the info I'm looking forward to starting on this one, I'll need to get some replacement decals from Gordy as these are a bit krinkly. Would like to do an upscale using an RC plane vacu-formed canopy. I'll have to investigate....
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Old 10-10-2012, 11:41 AM
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IIRC the canopy on the Strikefighter is from a rubber powered P-51. I don't remember where I heard that though.

kj
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Old 10-10-2012, 07:06 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kevinj
IIRC the canopy on the Strikefighter is from a rubber powered P-51. I don't remember where I heard that though.

Hrm... Interesting thought. From the images of the Strikefighter I've seen, the canopy indeed looks like something from a P-51. Dunno if the one from a particular Guillows would work or not...
http://www.guillow.com/905canopy.aspx
(if this canopy turns out to be too big, perhaps one from a P-51 kit in the "peanut scale" size might work -- FYU "peanut scale" usually means something around 12"~13" wingspan)

speaking of thermoforming a canopy... Perhaps this could be another technique we could use to fabricate a "buck" over which we thermoform a canopy ?
http://www.paperinside.com/wp-conte...ermoforming.pdf

Last edited by naoto : 10-10-2012 at 07:22 PM.
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Old 10-11-2012, 02:21 PM
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jharding58 jharding58 is offline
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An appropriate canopy can be had from Squadron. I used the 1/32 Hawker Typhoon bubble canopy and it looks very close. As far as forming from the original caopy, Squadron also had a thermo form plastic sheet which was heated over a candle and then plunged over the original - adequately supported and filled to resist cracking. Of the two, I would go for the Vac canopies already made.

http://www.squadron.com/product-p/sq9411.htm

The biggest problem with P-51D/K canopies is that they usually accurately reflect the step in the canopy line to meet the windscreen. The Typhoon is flush and quite easily fits to the circular section of the tube.
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Old 10-11-2012, 02:42 PM
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sandman sandman is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Spaceclipper
Thank you for the info I'm looking forward to starting on this one, I'll need to get some replacement decals from Gordy as these are a bit krinkly. Would like to do an upscale using an RC plane vacu-formed canopy. I'll have to investigate....


Glad you brought that up.

I have to work on the decals.

They aren't ready yet.

But soon!
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Old 10-11-2012, 03:29 PM
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Got any plaster of paris, you can make a positive mold of your canopy and pull all the canopies you want.
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  #10  
Old 10-12-2012, 03:39 PM
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I now have the decals finished ready to print and posted on my web site!

http://www.excelsiorrocketry.com/pr...?id_product=707
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