Estes - Astron Orbital Transport
(Contributed - by Martin Visnak) Brief:
Fantasy/Futuristic Boost Glider.
Construction:
The original Estes Orbital Transport kit has been out of production for a
number of years. I would guess finding an original complete, unbuilt kit would
be next to impossible today. If one were to find one I am sure they would pay
dearly for it! This review is based on building a "clone" of the
original Orbital Transport kit. I made every effort to duplicate the original
kit both in parts collection and construction. I used a copy of the original
plans from Jim Z's web site and replicated decals from Tango Papa Decals. I
used the nose cones from my original kit purchased 27 years ago; all other
components were readily available Estes parts. New balsa nose cones of the same
original dimensions, may be purchase from Balsa Machining Services. Please see
addresses for all of these vendors later in the review.
Finishing:
Since this is a clone kit the first thing you will need to do is get the plans
from Jim's web site. The next step is to collect the parts listed in the plans.
The parts list is easy to fill, but you will need some Estes part number
translation in order to get the proper lengths of tubing. For the listed BT-20D
(the body tube for the glider), use a 6 1/2" length of BT-20. The parts
also included 4 BT-5T tubes that are used as the Scam Jet engines. These are
nothing more than BT-5 body tubes in 1 1/2" lengths. The two balsa nose
cones, BNC-50Y and BNC-20B are obtainable through Balsa Machining Services. The
fin stock is standard Estes balsa. BFS-30L is 3/32" x 3" x 12"
and BFS-20L is 1/16" x 3" x 12" in dimension. Of course any
3/32" and 1/16" balsa stock may be used. The Decal sheet is
obtainable from either Jim Zalewski or Tom Baker at Tango Papa Decals (see
resources below).
I might suggest upgrading from the stock Estes 18" plastic parachute to
a cloth chute. If you are handy on a sewing machine you could make one yourself
or they are easily purchased at a number of places. Be careful however, in your
chute material choice, as the BT-50 body tube is not very roomy. Thin mill
ripstop nylon would be preferred.
The original Estes instructions are very detailed and relatively easy to
follow. Despite it's simple lines, I would say that the Orbital transport is a
difficult kit to build (and even more difficult to make look really good).
Estes assigned a "Skill Level 4" to the kit, which was translated as
"advanced" in their rating structure. The wings of the booster and
glider, are composites of multiple balsa parts that are pieced together in
stages. The original kit did not have the convenience of diecut fin parts. The
builder had to cut out the paper pattern, trace the pattern on the balsa stock
and then cut the fin pieces out using a sharp X-acto knife. When you proceed
with cutting out the various fin/wing parts pay close attention to the grain of
the balsa as compared to the templates. The templates do show grain direction
and the balsa parts should be cut out with the grain in the correct orientation
to achieve maximum strength from the completed wings.
There are two templates in the pattern sheet that the builder would do best
to modify. Those two templates are the " guide" and the
"booster wing alignment template". I suggest cutting these two
templates out and gluing them to heavy card stock. Let the glue dry, then trim
the card stock away so that only the template outline remains. This gives the
templates rigidity and makes them much easier to use. If any of you are like me
and usually just build a kit with little regard to the directions I suggest
modifying your behavior for this kit. The directions are detailed and reading
through the steps prior to actually performing the building will help you get a
nicer model and become less frustrated while building.
I suggest the final coat of paint (after a good coat of primer) be of the
epoxy based kind. The suggested color by Estes is gloss white. Rust-Oleum makes
a gloss white "Appliance Enamel" that is epoxy based and the finished
product is nothing short of spectacular. The epoxy paint leaves a very shiny
bright finish and this paint fills small imperfections, like balsa grain, very
well! The scam jet engines are mounted in sets of twos under each wing of the
booster. On close inspection of the photo/art provided by Estes (also check out
an old catalog if you have one) one will see that the Estes folks filled the
spaces between the scram jet engines (the BT-5 tubes). I did not fill this area
in my model however, the really detail minded builder might consider this
additional task not listed in the instructions. The glider should be very
carefully built and painted the then glide characteristics should be tested. A
series of gentle tosses should tell you if and where you will need to add
weight. I had to add nose weight to my glider. I used a small blob of modeler's
clay and placed it just forward of the "hook" the glider uses to
attach to the mothership. You might also wish to hollow out the nose cone of
the glider and place ballast in the cavity prior to gluing the nose onto the
glider. I prefer the outside attachment of ballast as it enables me to add or
subtract weight as glide characteristics change. The blob of clay I needed was
quite small and did not detract from the finished appearance of the model in
the least. I also adjusted the elevons of the glider such that one was slightly
"higher" than the other was, so that the glider flew in a circular
path. This makes recovery much less of a walk.
Construction Rating:
4 out of 5
Flight:
The finished model flies arrow straight with a slight twist (about 3/4 of a
revolution by apogee), the model then noses over at apogee and waits for the
ejection charge to fire. At ejection, the parasitic glider is dislodged from
it's perch on the mothership's back and down they both come. The recommended
engines for this kit are B6-2, B6-4 and C6-5, with the B6-4 listed as the first
flight engine. I personally think the B6-4 does not get your "labor of
love" to a lofty enough and recommend the C6-5 exclusively. I
have also launched this kit on C6-3 motors with good success.
Recovery:
The booster has recovered well for me with no damages at all. The 18"
parachute I used is a Top Flight Recovery thin mill Nylon chute. Since it is
Nylon, packing this chute needs to be done carefully as it takes up more room
than the plastic chutes. I also used a Pratt Hobby Nomex® heat protector in
place of recovery wadding to great success. One might also wish to use a Kevlar®
shock cord mount that is attached to the motor mount rather than, the suggested
folded paper mount found on most Estes kits. If you decide to make the Kevlar®
shock cord mount do not forget to add this step into the building of the clone
at the engine mount gluing phase (step 13 in the instructions). The glider is
trimmed almost perfectly and it returns to earth in a gentle spiral, landing
very softly.
Flight Rating:
4 ½ out of 5
Summary:
I would give this kit a 5 for overall satisfaction. I have to mention that this
kit really holds a special place in my heart so my rating is admittedly biased.
Resources:
Pratt Hobbies
2513 Iron Forge Road
Herndon, VA 20171
(703) 689-3514
Tango Papa Decals
Tom Prestia
3103 Broadway Road
Easton, PA 18040
Jim Z's web page
Bill & Mary Ann Saindon
Balsa Machining Service
11995 Hillcrest Drive
Lemont, IL 60439
(630)257-5420
Jim Fackert and Al DeLaIglesia
Totally Tubular Al DelaIglesia
112 Cranbrook
Howell MI 48843
Fax 810-231-1631
phone day: 810-231-1631 ext. 215 eve. 810-231-3471
Estes Industries
(719) 372-6565
Estes Customer Service
(800)525-7561
Top Flight Recovery
S12621 Donald Road
Spring Green, WI 53588
(608) 588-7240
Overall Rating:
5 out of 5
Other:
The clone I built has had numerous launches, all of which had good recoveries
with little or no damage to either glider or booster. This kit is a real crowd
pleaser and I find that if you want to meet "old timers" walking this
bird to the pad will draw them out of the group like a magnet. As a boy I would
leaf through the pages of my coveted Estes catalog and with only a few possible
exceptions such as of the Trident, the interceptor or the Mars Lander, the
Orbital Transport was the most desirable. Now as an adult who owns 10's of
completed rockets I still count the Orbital Transport as a favorite. I wish
anyone whom takes on this project good luck and good memories if you are an
"old timer" or BAR. The effort is worth the result. I would also like
to thank the number of people that have put in a lot of hard work making the
parts and plans for the older Estes kits available again.
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GUEST's OPINION:
01/07 -
"I had an Orbital Transport as a kid in the mid 70's, but it crashed just after takeoff one day and that was that. Now I'm 40 and recently built the Estes OT Classic re-issue, although I will admit that I cheated a bit and ordered some laser cut fins from PDR (yes, I'm lazy). The model was just as much of a bear to build as I remembered, but the completed product is SOOOO worth the effort. It's one of the few rockets that is impressive as a display piece, and when I brought it out today for it's maiden flight, there were several ooohs and ahs from the other folks. I launched it on a conservative B6-4, and felt like a proud daddy as it shot ramrod straight into the sky, with just the slightest of rolls as it neared apogee. The glider separated and seemed to hang in the sky forever. Easily my best flight of the day, but unpredictable wind gusts kept me from putting it up a second time! I'm a bonafide BAR, and this rocket reminds me of just what is so great about this hobby! It's a must have!" (D.R.)
GUEST's OPINION:
11/04 -
"It has been a while since I built the Orbital Transport clone and authored this review. Estes re-released the Orbital Transport for a year of production and now, to the best of my knowledge the kit is a "collectable" once again. I have flown my model numerous times since my review and despite being a bit dirty the model is in great shape. I recently read all the comments and am heartened to learn I was not the only one who loves this kit. There was a question in one of the comments, asking where I got the original measurements when I made the clone. The answer is that I still had/have my original orbital transport from the 70's and I simply measured the dimensions directly from the original model! I know that is kind of cheating, but we use what we have! If I am not mistaken the plans from Jim Z's site also list dimensions of all tubes in the inventory section of the instructions. I too have been spellbound by the prospects of an upscale of this kit, I simply have never put in the time. I am actually the owner of an original unopened Century SST kit, which was Century's version of the Orbital Transport. I will probably build or clone that kit before I start on an upscale. Hopefully the SST project will net another review from me. The hard part is just finding the time." (M.V.)
GUEST's OPINION:
07/04 -
"I built this kit 30 years ago in the waning days of my first infatuation with flight. I never flew it, for fear of losing the many hours of labor spent making it look "just so". She was displayed in a college dorm, and packed away for many years. With LDRS coming relatively close to home, I decided to refit the old gal with a new shock cord and wood glue fillets. On 7-3-04 my Astron Orbital Transport boosted off an LDRS pad on a B6-4, arced over, launched a glider, popped a chute, and came down unmarred. The glider carved unwavering crisp circles around the booster all the way down. She repeated the performance later that day. I'm more convinced than ever that rockets are meant to be flown, not shown." (S.E.T.)
GUEST's OPINION:
02/04 -
"I too had this rocket as a kid...early 80's I guess. What a bird! I must have been around 12 yrs. old or so. Dad and I worked on this one together, as it was my first skill 4 rocket. I recall he laid out the pattern and cut the balsa as I glued and filleted. Much time was spent on my part sealing and sanding the balsa and then spraying (several light even coats of Testors gloss white). Dad then kept close watch as I applied the decals, LOL. Great project for father and son and very rewarding to see the fruits of our labor on launch day...after launch day... after launch day. Can't recall what ever happened to that rocket, but the building experience was well worth it! I downloaded the plans and may rebuild this beauty once again. I know all the parts are listed on the directions, but how did you figure the length on the body tubes? Are they stock length?" (R.C.Z.)
GUEST's OPINION:
02/03 -
"Only one comment on the new released Estes Orbital Transport. When I opened my kit and pulled out the shock cord...and pulled and pulled...a fluke? I don't know. My shock cord was over 3 feet long!!! Way ta go Estes! I don't know if they are all like this." (G.A.)
GUEST's OPINION:
02/03 -
"I purchased one of the new kits last fall, and finished construction a couple of weeks ago. Very challenging, very rewarding. Older BAR's know this stuff already, but if your modeling experience is limited to Alpha III's and the current Estes 3FNC offerings, please be aware of a few things: Be prepared to deal with the balsa. All those fins and wings must be traced onto a stock sheet of balsa and cut by hand. There are over thirty pieces of balsa and none are die-cut. A steel ruler or straightedge and a good sharp hobby knife are essential I can't say the templates were altogether clear with respect to orientation of grain. Complicating matters are fins assembled from several pieces. Picture how the completed part will look. Read through G H Stine's Model Rocketry Handbook section on fin assembly. Re-read the instructions. Read the Handbook again. Lay out and cut. The balsa comes in different thickness’ for different parts. Don't feel too bad if you botch a fin by cutting the wrong thickness balsa -- all but the most focused modeler will goof up at least one piece. This is not an afternoon or weekend project. Even after the balsa is all cut, assembly takes time. It just does. To keep up morale, I alternated between the glider and booster. Now the good news: if you follow the directions, the alignment and assembly of the fins and wings is easy. Even the compound geometry of the glider is less stress than I expected. A blast of hot air from a hair dryer can softer up glues enough to make adjustments to the angle of these "elevon" pieces. The glider seems to trim easy. Looking forward to first flight." (M.D.B.)
GUEST's OPINION:
02/03 -
"Estes has re-released the orbital transport pretty much identical to the original. Building takes a lot of time and patience and a good hobby knife certainly comes in handy. The only particularly tricky part of the construction can be getting a good finish out of the masses of balsa covering the rocket, so a sealer (Kilz is one of my favorites) is certainly a must have." (R.D.)
GUEST's OPINION:
10/02 -
"Bought this to fly with my kids while we're waiting for our first MPR/HPR launch. It required quite a bit of craftsmanship (i.e. time) but was a lot of fun to build. Took a lot longer than my BAR Aerotech kits. I primer-coated the model then took it out for first flight, figuring if any areas needed reinforced I'd rather find them before final paint & clearcoat. We launched it on a C6-5 (no guts, no glory). It slowly rolled inverted and pitched over maybe 20 degrees from vertical. It reminded us of the space shuttle which was a nice surprise until recovery. With the 5-second delay it traced a nice parabolic arc before the booster chute deployed. The glider detached and began a perfect wide spiral down...into a stand of rocket-eating trees. That roll & pitch stunt moved the whole package from over our nice, safe, clear field to the only row of trees within 200 yards. Go figure. The booster recovered with minor damage. One of the rudders came loose and I found some cracks along the ventral fins. Easy fixes but the glider's probably lost for good. I think the rolling pitch-over was due to the glider's aerodynamics pulling the booster along. A second launch of just the booster seems to bear that out. It pulled over a bit but not so much as with the glider. Overall, great fun with something I'd always wanted to build as a kid but never did. On to the 2x Mars Lander!" (P.C.)
GUEST's OPINION:
10/02 -
"THE ASTRON ORBITAL TRANSPORT: AN EARLY ROCKET-GLIDER? The Astron Orbital Transport: Now that was a KIT! A fantasy rocket (in the late '60's, if I recall) when a BIG rocket was the Astron Ranger. Remember that? A three-engine-cluster inside one BT-60 the size of a Big Bertha (not really impressive when you consider what's around today). Anyway, congratulations to Mr. Visnak on the really beautiful clone. I'm looking forward to the re-issue of the Orbital Transport: although the early reviews say it isn't QUITE the same, just like Mr. Visnak's clone isn't a perfect copy, I'm hoping for SOME improvements (like the ones he describes). For instance, to all of those who remember the pre-Damon Estes shock cords... there's only one word that comes to mind: YUK! Remember? They were made of PURE rubber (just like what you use to wind-up a rubber-band-powered balsa glider). INVARIABLY, as a model was flown as it aged, that darned shock-cord would eventually fail and break. And always in-flight. You couldn't predict when one of those shock cords would fail because you couldn't see the small cracks in the aging rubber. This, however, led my brother and I to discover one of the better-kept secrets of the Orbital Transport from the 1960's and 1970's: In reality the Orbital Transport was one of the very FIRST ROCKET GLIDERS (the term hadn't even been written yet) and Estes didn't even know it! The secret was this: When the Orbital Transport had a shock cord failure, the Nose Cone (BNC-50Y) and parachute would separate from the rest of the model, and float back to the ground by itself. The glider would already have separated and would be gliding-back, also by itself. This would leave the broken shock cord dangling from the rest of the model. And rather than fall back to the ground IT GLIDED BACK! Interestingly, it didn't do so in the conventional fashion: It glided BACKWARDS! That is, it flew engine-end-first with the broken shock-cord dangling behind it! From what I recall, it sank pretty fast, but it DID glide. Eventually, the main-wing-end fin tips broke-off, but it STILL did the same thing! For jollies, we repeated this several times, with and without the parasite glider, both intentionally and unintentionally and if the shock cord separated from the nose cone, the rest of the model invariably glided backwards! The only downside was that it was fairly destructive to the model (landing on Lucerne-Dry Lake bed: Pretty tough hardpan-soil). Now, I'm sure that Mr. Visnak will probably NOT intentionally try this on his model. At least, I'd hope not (his model is just too pretty to try this). And with Estes now using polyester elastic instead of pure rubber shock-cords, the fortuitous discovery of this feature of the Orbital Transport by the youth of this era is forever lost. Therefore, I'd like to officially BESTOW to Essence's Model Rocketry Reviews this heretofore undocumented feature of the Orbital Transport: One of the early (but inadvertent) attempts at a rocket-glider! OK, OK, for the contest-rules-by-the-book-types out there, you can’t have anything separate from a rocket-glider, but remember that this discovery was made BEFORE those rules were written! (How’s that for a curmudgeon-type response from someone as ANCIENT as I am?)" (S.A.S.)
GUEST's OPINION:
03/02 -
"Good News!! I just checked the Estes website, and they are re-releasing the Orbital Transport kit for a limited time in the summer of 2002. This is the way to go if you don't want to hassle with cloning. Stock up now!!" (J.A.M.)
GUEST's OPINION:
06/01 -
"Very nicely done clone. I built an original in the waning days of my first infatuation with model rockets. I never flew her, but as a BAR I still have a chance, as she was well preserved in storage. Here's a link to the first of three photos of my OrbTran." (S.T.)
GUEST's OPINION:
01/01 -
"I just finished a 168% upscale of the Orbital Transport. While the original is an excellent model it just begs to be made larger. At 168% you can use BT-60 for the main body. This makes for a rather impressive large model rocket. Even though of its size the model is surprsingly light, coming in at a mere 8oz. Designed to fly on 24mm Estes D12-5 engines it usually gets around 600' of altitude. That's plenty high to enjoy the flight. If you are interested you can visit my web page (here) to see the finished product." (J.B.)
GUEST's OPINION:
01/01 -
"What an outstanding job you've done in constructing the clone. That kit brings back memories...it makes me want to find the one I built so long ago. One tip though, when I constructed mine, I didn't glue the nose cone of the glider, so that I could fine-tune the balance for gliding. (I used wadding to get it just right) That thing did not stall or dive. Hope this someone out who wants to build one. MR. ESTES, BRING THE OLDIES BACK LIKE THE ORBIE PLEASE!" (D.A.B.)
GUEST's OPINION:
11/00 -
"I was reviewing Peter Alway's web page a few days ago. Buried in his photo gallery is a picture of a large scale "OT" built from BT-55 (glider) and BT-60 (booster) size tubes and balsa parts to 175% original size. Peter reported it flew great on a D12-5. I've always loved the Orbital Transporter, at 175% scale it is even more impressive!" (C.L.)
GUEST's OPINION:
12/99 -
"You bring back some memories for me, I constructed and flew the Orbital Transport in my younger days. One of the differences, I was about 10 years old and I did not take the appropriate amount of time to construct the rocket. I just glued it together and painted it. I don't even remember using sanding sealer. The finished product looked like I should have stuck to level 3 or less. It did fly great and recovery was as designed,, So it was not a total loss. I wish I still had that one." (C.J.)
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