Blog 7, 03-Jun-2017
Modelraketten.NL

The Estes Airborne Surveillance Missile

One of the latest new models from Estes and now available at Modelraketten.NL
Estes gives this model a skill level 3.

This model has a unique scale like appearance and is mini engine powered. But don't be fooled by its size. With an Estes A3-4T model rocket motor, it will soar up to 100 meters. A nice height, for such a model. Recovery will be done with a 23cm parachute, so a soft landing is finalizing the flight.


The Airborne Surveillance Missile has a nice balsa nose cone and uses laser cut balsa for its fins, with a total of 12. All those fins, give it this nice look.

The model looks to have a lower booster section, which is enhanced by the added struts. The different recommended colour(black) for this lower part and a smaller diameter then the upper part, also adds to this appearance.
The paint and decal scheme is quite nice and gives the model a professional look and feel. Which you cannot say of some of the 'smarties' models, lately.

Nice to eat,… but not my kind of models…
I prefer a more technical and professional painting scheme,
like this Air. Surv. Missile has.

UPSCALE
An upscale of this model would also be a nice thing!
With a BTE80_433 body tube and a PNC-80B nose cone as a starting point, it would be quite possible.

For the upscale, I took the 25mm body tube as a starting point. This converting to the available 66mm body tube, gives a scaling factor of 2.64
You get it by bringing the 25mm back to 1mm (divide by 25) and then multiply by 66mm.(our chosen starting point diameter, for our upscale model)
So: 1/25 * 66 = 66/25 = 2.64
The BTE80_433 would be 2.5mm short, but I already use lenses,
so I won't see it, hahaha
Beneath, the tables with the sizes.

Recommended motor would be an Estes D12, or Klima D9.
The D12 will give a little slower, more realistic lift-off, which I prefer.

Who dares…?