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Russell Harding · 08-28-2013, 10:11 PM

Starting tomorrow!

1994 Estes Strato Blaster: This is a rocket propelled boost launch RC glider. This was nearly state of the art in 1994, as micro servos were becoming more common. The kit was discontinued after only two years, although it was re-launched (heh) as an ARF from 2002-2005.

We attempted to start this daunting project as teenagers but had never built or flown an RC plane. Of course the project stalled out but my best friend recently pulled it out of storage and we pooled the funds to complete it.

I have two days to build it starting tomorrow morning. I have still never built a plane and am hoping I managed to buy the needed supplies, since all the hardware (linkages, etc) was missing from the kit.

Watch the build here, and hopefully help out along the way!

Russell Harding · 08-29-2013, 09:14 AM

Here we go!

Russell Harding · 08-29-2013, 12:54 PM

Slow and steady: tail booms, tail, and aileron pushrods coming along.

Russell Harding · 08-29-2013, 04:56 PM

Rocket motor mount, tail section, canopy and electronics tray are in:

oxide1 · 08-29-2013, 05:49 PM

wow! i had one of these back in the 90's and never finished building it... can't wait to see how this turns out!!!!

Russell Harding · 08-29-2013, 07:35 PM

Thanks!

I've gotten a little bogged down on the aileron pushrods. Having never done them before, building and measuring from scratch, and stuffing them in what now feels like a tiny fuselage (when crammed with wings, pushrods, and the rocket motor mount), is proving to be a challenge.

Oh yeah, and I'm building this at work and it has been a busy afternoon.

36 hours to go until my shift is over. Still optimistic and motivated.

Russell Harding · 08-29-2013, 09:02 PM

Wrote my reports after running a few trips on the ambulance, and now looking at this:

Not much room but I'm getting there...

Russell Harding · 08-29-2013, 10:23 PM

Preliminary electronics layout:

I say preliminary but it took a lot of measuring and fabricating... I think this will work but need to install everything to be sure.

Russell Harding · 08-29-2013, 11:54 PM

Working aileron pushrods!

Battery soldered. 5V regulator installed. No binding and more than adequate throws.

Cable for elevator is another big project, but I'd like to install it so I can let the tail boom assembly glue and dry overnight...

Russell Harding · 08-30-2013, 02:23 AM

Wow. I thought my helis spent a lot of time on the workbench...

Installed the ailerons and hinges. Lots of measuring and figuring out how to get the hinges to slot properly. Looking good though...

Minor hiccup found as well:

Turns out the Dubro 2/56 swivel ball links don't fit the 2/56 Clevis which wants to snap shut at about 1/2 the width of the ball...

Russell Harding · 08-30-2013, 05:23 AM

4am. Told you it was a MARATHON!

I think the Clevis will work. Maybe a dab of CA to secure. They're not going anywhere.

Elevator hinged. Canopy painted. Elevator cable channeled.

Tomorrow will be putting it together, adjusting electronics, and covering.

Russell Harding · 08-30-2013, 06:23 AM

5:22am: couldn't help myself:

Goodnight!

Russell Harding · 08-30-2013, 12:42 PM

Spent the morning on the final electronic install.

Should have control surfaces moving soon, then on to finishing!

Russell Harding · 08-30-2013, 04:02 PM

Woot!

Stato Blaster Pre-Finished (0 min 20 sec)

I wanted to test glide today, but I am thinking ill be out of daylight by the time this thing is monkote'd.

Russell Harding · 08-30-2013, 06:25 PM

Test piece.

Lets do this!

oxide1 · 08-30-2013, 07:17 PM

Russell Harding · 08-30-2013, 09:16 PM

Control surfaces are done and re-himged. It was easy and actually pretty fun.

The wing took about an hour for the first quarter and came out okay... Still learning.

Russell Harding · 08-31-2013, 12:47 AM

Looking pretty good. The monokote application isn't too bad, but cutting and sizing for all the crazy shapes is taking most of my time.

So close. Have honestly been working on this about 75% of the time since yesterday morning.

oxide1 · 08-31-2013, 02:50 AM

code3medic that is coming up sweet! Loving the purple and black! getting the control surfaces working properly was where i ground to a halt all those years ago; had zero rc experience, and had never built anything quite that complex... don't even know what happened to the kit now.... But would LOVE to get my hands on another one and do it right this time! Have you done any rocketry before? oh.... and PLEASE PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE! VIDEO THE MAIDEN LAUNCH!!!!! (and yes, am living a little bit vicariously through you at the moment!

)

Russell Harding · 08-31-2013, 05:24 AM

4:30 am again, but it is finally 100% complete.

08-28-2013, 10:11 PM	#1 (permalink)
Russell Harding Registered Users Join Date: Jan 2013	Rare Vintage 1994 Marathon Build Starting tomorrow! 1994 Estes Strato Blaster: This is a rocket propelled boost launch RC glider. This was nearly state of the art in 1994, as micro servos were becoming more common. The kit was discontinued after only two years, although it was re-launched (heh) as an ARF from 2002-2005. We attempted to start this daunting project as teenagers but had never built or flown an RC plane. Of course the project stalled out but my best friend recently pulled it out of storage and we pooled the funds to complete it. I have two days to build it starting tomorrow morning. I have still never built a plane and am hoping I managed to buy the needed supplies, since all the hardware (linkages, etc) was missing from the kit. Watch the build here, and hopefully help out along the way! __________________ Oxy 3 - MSH Mini Protos - MSH Protos Max 700 - Taranis Thanks to Oxy Heli and MSH-Direct.com Former Username: Code3Medic

08-29-2013, 09:14 AM	#2 (permalink)
Russell Harding Registered Users Thread Starter Join Date: Jan 2013	Rare Vintage 1994 Marathon Build Here we go! __________________ Oxy 3 - MSH Mini Protos - MSH Protos Max 700 - Taranis Thanks to Oxy Heli and MSH-Direct.com Former Username: Code3Medic

08-29-2013, 12:54 PM	#3 (permalink)
Russell Harding Registered Users Thread Starter Join Date: Jan 2013	Rare Vintage 1994 Marathon Build Slow and steady: tail booms, tail, and aileron pushrods coming along. __________________ Oxy 3 - MSH Mini Protos - MSH Protos Max 700 - Taranis Thanks to Oxy Heli and MSH-Direct.com Former Username: Code3Medic

08-29-2013, 04:56 PM	#4 (permalink)
Russell Harding Registered Users Thread Starter Join Date: Jan 2013	Rare Vintage 1994 Marathon Build Rocket motor mount, tail section, canopy and electronics tray are in: __________________ Oxy 3 - MSH Mini Protos - MSH Protos Max 700 - Taranis Thanks to Oxy Heli and MSH-Direct.com Former Username: Code3Medic

08-29-2013, 05:49 PM	#5 (permalink)
oxide1 Registered Users My HF Map location Join Date: Aug 2012	wow! i had one of these back in the 90's and never finished building it... can't wait to see how this turns out!!!! __________________ Rockin' the world and flying... that's where i live..

08-29-2013, 07:35 PM	#6 (permalink)
Russell Harding Registered Users Thread Starter Join Date: Jan 2013	Rare Vintage 1994 Marathon Build Thanks! I've gotten a little bogged down on the aileron pushrods. Having never done them before, building and measuring from scratch, and stuffing them in what now feels like a tiny fuselage (when crammed with wings, pushrods, and the rocket motor mount), is proving to be a challenge. Oh yeah, and I'm building this at work and it has been a busy afternoon. 36 hours to go until my shift is over. Still optimistic and motivated. __________________ Oxy 3 - MSH Mini Protos - MSH Protos Max 700 - Taranis Thanks to Oxy Heli and MSH-Direct.com Former Username: Code3Medic

08-29-2013, 09:02 PM	#7 (permalink)
Russell Harding Registered Users Thread Starter Join Date: Jan 2013	Rare Vintage 1994 Marathon Build Wrote my reports after running a few trips on the ambulance, and now looking at this: Not much room but I'm getting there... __________________ Oxy 3 - MSH Mini Protos - MSH Protos Max 700 - Taranis Thanks to Oxy Heli and MSH-Direct.com Former Username: Code3Medic

08-29-2013, 10:23 PM	#8 (permalink)
Russell Harding Registered Users Thread Starter Join Date: Jan 2013	Rare Vintage 1994 Marathon Build Preliminary electronics layout: I say preliminary but it took a lot of measuring and fabricating... I think this will work but need to install everything to be sure. __________________ Oxy 3 - MSH Mini Protos - MSH Protos Max 700 - Taranis Thanks to Oxy Heli and MSH-Direct.com Former Username: Code3Medic

08-29-2013, 11:54 PM	#9 (permalink)
Russell Harding Registered Users Thread Starter Join Date: Jan 2013	Rare Vintage 1994 Marathon Build Working aileron pushrods! Battery soldered. 5V regulator installed. No binding and more than adequate throws. Cable for elevator is another big project, but I'd like to install it so I can let the tail boom assembly glue and dry overnight... __________________ Oxy 3 - MSH Mini Protos - MSH Protos Max 700 - Taranis Thanks to Oxy Heli and MSH-Direct.com Former Username: Code3Medic

08-30-2013, 02:23 AM	#10 (permalink)
Russell Harding Registered Users Thread Starter Join Date: Jan 2013	Rare Vintage 1994 Marathon Build Wow. I thought my helis spent a lot of time on the workbench... Installed the ailerons and hinges. Lots of measuring and figuring out how to get the hinges to slot properly. Looking good though... Minor hiccup found as well: Turns out the Dubro 2/56 swivel ball links don't fit the 2/56 Clevis which wants to snap shut at about 1/2 the width of the ball... __________________ Oxy 3 - MSH Mini Protos - MSH Protos Max 700 - Taranis Thanks to Oxy Heli and MSH-Direct.com Former Username: Code3Medic

08-30-2013, 05:23 AM	#11 (permalink)
Russell Harding Registered Users Thread Starter Join Date: Jan 2013	Rare Vintage 1994 Marathon Build 4am. Told you it was a MARATHON! I think the Clevis will work. Maybe a dab of CA to secure. They're not going anywhere. Elevator hinged. Canopy painted. Elevator cable channeled. Tomorrow will be putting it together, adjusting electronics, and covering. __________________ Oxy 3 - MSH Mini Protos - MSH Protos Max 700 - Taranis Thanks to Oxy Heli and MSH-Direct.com Former Username: Code3Medic

08-30-2013, 06:23 AM	#12 (permalink)
Russell Harding Registered Users Thread Starter Join Date: Jan 2013	Rare Vintage 1994 Marathon Build 5:22am: couldn't help myself: Goodnight! __________________ Oxy 3 - MSH Mini Protos - MSH Protos Max 700 - Taranis Thanks to Oxy Heli and MSH-Direct.com Former Username: Code3Medic

08-30-2013, 12:42 PM	#13 (permalink)
Russell Harding Registered Users Thread Starter Join Date: Jan 2013	Rare Vintage 1994 Marathon Build Spent the morning on the final electronic install. Should have control surfaces moving soon, then on to finishing! __________________ Oxy 3 - MSH Mini Protos - MSH Protos Max 700 - Taranis Thanks to Oxy Heli and MSH-Direct.com Former Username: Code3Medic

08-30-2013, 06:25 PM	#15 (permalink)
Russell Harding Registered Users Thread Starter Join Date: Jan 2013	Rare Vintage 1994 Marathon Build Test piece. Lets do this! __________________ Oxy 3 - MSH Mini Protos - MSH Protos Max 700 - Taranis Thanks to Oxy Heli and MSH-Direct.com Former Username: Code3Medic

08-30-2013, 07:17 PM	#16 (permalink)
oxide1 Registered Users My HF Map location Join Date: Aug 2012	__________________ Rockin' the world and flying... that's where i live..

08-30-2013, 09:16 PM	#17 (permalink)
Russell Harding Registered Users Thread Starter Join Date: Jan 2013	Rare Vintage 1994 Marathon Build Control surfaces are done and re-himged. It was easy and actually pretty fun. The wing took about an hour for the first quarter and came out okay... Still learning. __________________ Oxy 3 - MSH Mini Protos - MSH Protos Max 700 - Taranis Thanks to Oxy Heli and MSH-Direct.com Former Username: Code3Medic

08-31-2013, 12:47 AM	#18 (permalink)
Russell Harding Registered Users Thread Starter Join Date: Jan 2013	Rare Vintage 1994 Marathon Build Looking pretty good. The monokote application isn't too bad, but cutting and sizing for all the crazy shapes is taking most of my time. So close. Have honestly been working on this about 75% of the time since yesterday morning. __________________ Oxy 3 - MSH Mini Protos - MSH Protos Max 700 - Taranis Thanks to Oxy Heli and MSH-Direct.com Former Username: Code3Medic

08-31-2013, 02:50 AM	#19 (permalink)
oxide1 Registered Users My HF Map location Join Date: Aug 2012	code3medic that is coming up sweet! Loving the purple and black! getting the control surfaces working properly was where i ground to a halt all those years ago; had zero rc experience, and had never built anything quite that complex... don't even know what happened to the kit now.... But would LOVE to get my hands on another one and do it right this time! Have you done any rocketry before? oh.... and PLEASE PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE! VIDEO THE MAIDEN LAUNCH!!!!! (and yes, am living a little bit vicariously through you at the moment! ) __________________ Rockin' the world and flying... that's where i live..

08-31-2013, 05:24 AM	#20 (permalink)
Russell Harding Registered Users Thread Starter Join Date: Jan 2013	Rare Vintage 1994 Marathon Build 4:30 am again, but it is finally 100% complete. __________________ Oxy 3 - MSH Mini Protos - MSH Protos Max 700 - Taranis Thanks to Oxy Heli and MSH-Direct.com Former Username: Code3Medic

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