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REV 2.4 - Tue Aug 17 04:34:16 2010

OOP
Estes Industries
Astron Spaceman
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SPECS: 7.25" x 4" - .45 oz
ROCKSIM FILE: MISSING - please submit here
SpaceCAD FILE: MISSING - please submit here
REC'D MOTORS: 1/4A8-2, 1/2A8-2, A8-3, B8-4

Rating
(Contributed - by Herb Estus - 07/01/02)

Brief:Old Info
This is a Clone of this OOP kit.  We call it the Rocket Boy, I would consider this a level 3 kit since you have to cut out all your balsa pieces, We where looking for something different and found this plan on JimZ website

Construction:
The kit called for the following parts:

  • body Tube BT-60J
  • Engine holder tube BT-20J
  • Launch Lug LL-1b
  • Balsa stock BFS-20
  • Pattern Sheet SP-1
  • Nose Cone (Head) BNC-20P, we used a 1 1/2" wooden ball for this instead

The instructions where very easy to follow with quite a few pictures.
First thing the instructions had you do was to trace all the patterns on the balsa stock.

After you had that done then you cut the pieces out and started the assembly of the rocket. The motor tube with the 4 pieces of balsa on it went together very quickly. After that was done you glued the motor tube into the bt-60 tube.

The next thing you did was to glue the 2 legs onto the body tube.

Then came the only tricky part of the whole assembly, gluing the body with the legs on it to the square base of the rocket and adding the 2 supports.

Finishing:
This was easy to finish we just went with the same colors that where in the plans.

Construction Rating: 3 out of 5

Flight:
First flight was on a C6-3 only because at the time we only had 1 A engine and it wouldn't ignite. It was a nice straight flight with this motor however on ejection we lost the Rocket Boys head. We had only used white glue on the head to the body connection.

Second flight was on a A8-3, not quite as stable as the flight off the C6-3 ,and at motor ejection the rocket picked up more speed when it kicked out the motor with a load pop.

Recovery:
Recovery on this was great nice tumble to the ground.  When we launched it on the C6-3 we had thought it had broken into pieces but it was all there but the head.

Flight Rating: 3 out of 5

Summary:
Overall it was a fun clone to build and fly and at the 2 launches we have gone to, it has gotten a lot of attention.  We liked it so much we built a 2x upscale of it that we call Rocket Dad that use's parachute recovery.

Overall Rating: 3 out of 5

[Submit your Opinion]

GUEST's OPINION:
07/02 - "Cool! this really brings back memories. I remember back in the early 70s I say one and thought "Uh, welll, wierd." I might just have to build one myself now that someone else has tackled it." (K.R.J.)

[Enter Rocket Specific Tip]

SPECIFIC ROCKET TIP:
07/02 - "Two notes: The knob-like balsa nosecone used by the Spaceman is available from Balsa Machining Service. Also, it might be worthwhile to try the Spaceman with the recently reissued 1/2A6-2 motor. Hmmm, while I'm at it: The Spaceman lends itself to funny demo launches, drag races between "celebrities," holiday character launches (e.g., Santa) and the like." (S.E.J. )

[Enter Flight Log]
Date Name Motor Ejection/
Altitude
Wind Notes
   

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