Kit-bashing and recreating old rockets from online plans

Kit-bashing and resurrecting old rockets from online plans

Sometimes I read about a cool rocket that’s no longer made.  Some of these live on at sites like eBay, but I refuse to pay $350 or more for a kit I might lose on the first launch!  Luckily, Estes, Apogee and several other vendors offer PDFs instructions of many of their old or current kits.  Sites like JimZ (http://www.spacemodeling.org/jimz/estes.htm), Ninfinger (http://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/rockets.html) and occasionally RocketReviews.org provide links to PDFs users have scanned from original instructions, often with scans of fins and decals.  Usually all you need to do to build one is order parts and cut your own fins.  If you need to cut fins, print the fin diagram, spray the back with a removable adhesive like Fast Grab Tacky Spray, press in place and cut the fins through the sheet.  Of course, if you’ve got a spare $2,000 or so you can get a laser cutter and program it to cut your fins!

Over the years I’ve tried recreating several classics this way including the Estes X-15 (Kit # 0889, sold 1988-1989; spacemodeling.org/jimz/estes/est0889.pdf) and the dual body Estes BlackHawk (kit # 2053, sold 1991-1993; http://www.spacemodeling.org/jimz/est2053.htm).  I built and flew both without decals; recently I discovered I could order decals from almost any old rocket (even if I upscale the rocket) from places like https://stickershock23.com/ .  The BlackHawk has an interesting dual pod structure, with a central engine compartment where the engine ejection charge passes across the body to cause parachute ejection from the second tube.  It was called the "Stealth fighter from the 21st Century" in the 1991 Estes catalog  (https://estesrockets.com/wp-content/uploads/Catalogs/Estes_1991_Catalog.pdf ) and estimated to go ~800 feet on C engines.  The BlackHawk flew great a couple of times and is ready for more.

Unfortunately I lost my X-15 body when the shock cord burned/broke on its third flight.  It was a cool, “Right Stuff”-looking rocket plane that I may have to rebuild some day with a Kevlar shock cord.

Another fun kit-bash was building my first Estes Big Bertha, modified as an 18 mm three engine cluster based on old Estes Astron Ranger plans I found on JimZ’s site (  http://www.spacemodeling.org/jimz/estes/k-06.pdf ).  This flew so high on 3 X C6-5 I had to put tracking powder (orange chalk line powder) in the parachute to spot it.  I measured this at over 1500 feet then it drifted ~two blocks before landing gently in someone's driveway.

An upcoming project will be building an Estes Patriot Pro (see http://www.spacemodeling.org/jimz/est2066.htm) that will fly on a cluster of four D12 or E12 engines.  Years ago I ordered the body tube and nose cone from Commonwealth Displays (3” X 34” slotted tube, # 31755 and a 3” X 9 1/4” nose cone, # 72695).  I’ve got four Estes E engine mount tubes and Apogee E engine hooks.  I’ve got an Apogee 24" Printed Nylon Parachute AND an Estes red nylon parachute (part 35814) and 1/4” launch lugs (part 38179).   I’ve got I’ve printed the engine mounts (scaled to 145% so they are just under 3” diameter).  I used Tacky Spray to stick the templates on 1/8” basswood I bought from my local hardware store.  It’s been slow progress trying to cut these; I may get some 1/8” plywood and start over, possibly using a small saw.

Another kit-bash project still in the planning phase is the Estes Leviathan Pro Series II (last sold in 2015).  It’s big at 3” X 41.5”, and flies over 1500 feet on 29 mm engines like the G80-7T.  Estes sells the 10” slotted body tube and nose cone, since they’re used in the current Big Daddy model.  They also sell tube couplers, body tubes, etc.  Precut Leviathan plywood fins and centering rings are available on eBay and may even be available through Estes.  I emailed their Customer Service and got a prompt reply about nose cone and body tube; they said to phone in my order for parts not listed online, making me guess they have lots of other interesting spare parts in reserve!  I can probably get what I need to build this for around $50; an old kit recently listed on a European site for €186 ($215).  RocketReviews has one report of a Leviathan flying 3,102 feet on an Aerotech I200-14W so I may have to use this as an excuse to learn about “dual deployment”, where onboard electronics release the parachute at a preset altitude instead of at apogee.  This thing could drift for miles!

One more possible project is based on an Estes project plan from the August 1968 Design of the Month, the Little Beth X-2 (http://www.spacemodeling.org/jimz/eirp_57.htm),  that uses a three engine booster to launch a single engine second stage.  I’m always interested in something spectacular and this sounds pretty cool.  The two page plans list old parts (body tubes & balsa nose cones) that would need to be resourced using currently available parts but Ninfinger has a table showing old tube dimensions that would help.

In summary, look for old plans online, save your own kit’s instructions in case you need to rebuild or enhance a rocket.  Some people recommend saving balsa cutout sheets in case you need to trace replacement fins (I saved my V-2 fin sheets, though replacing through-the-wall fins would involve major surgery!).  Order replacement or custom decals online.  Compare your finished weights with original catalog descriptions and any RockSim or OpenRocket simulations you find online (RocketReviews, Apogee, etc.).  Be sure to run simulations, checking your CG; I suspect my X-15 needed weight in the nose cone.  Incidentally, a good RockSim or OpenRocket simulation will allow you to print out a parts list!  Use Kevlar shock cord to reduce shock cord damage.  There is also a small book by Peter Alway, “Scale Bash” (Saturn Press,1999) with plans for 78 model rockets.  It’s a great resource about kit bashing classic rockets that includes different fin sizes on the same page for copying and tracing.  Mr. Alway is also the author of the 1994 book, The Art of Scale Model Rocketry, that’s available for download by NAR members with plans and lots of notes about building scale rockets.  Have fun!