Body tube project

[A Fish Named Wallyum]

This is something I've been working on for a while now, but kind of in fits and starts. I'd really like to finish it in case it's of use to anyone, so if you know any of the tube lengths for these rockets and would like to share your secrets, PM me with the info. Thanks. :cool:
834 X-Ray
835 Nike Arrow
860 Star Dart
866 Mini Tri Pak
868 Big Yank
870 Pulsar
872 Sparrow
873 Hawkeye
874 Mini Scale Combo Pak
877 Meanie
878 Scout III
880 Skinny Mini
881 Mini Mars Lander
885 Sprite
886 Gnome
887 Leprechaun
889 NASA X-15
891 Prime Number Explorer
895 Solar Warrior
896 Mini-Patriot
897 Lumina
898 Mini Cobra
1229 K-29 Saturn V
1237 K-37 Scrambler
1243 K-43 Mars Lander
K-44 Birdie
1251 K-51 Sandhawk
1254 K-54 Saros
1256 K-56 Alpha III
1258 K-58 Demon
1258 Alpha IV
1259 Orbital Transport
1268 Maxi Pershing 1-A
1272 Vostok
1287 LTV Scout
1300 Blue Ninja
1301 Stormcaster
1302 CC Express
1325 Gamma
1326 Colossus
1330 Challenger II
1333 Scorpion
1336 Boeing ALCM
1356 Astro Bee
1362 The Bat
1363 Rigel 3
1377 Hercules
1378 Firecat
1388 Apache-2
1901 Sea Dart
1907 Cyclone
1915 Harpoon
1917 Zinger
1930 Wasp
1937 Astro
1942 SR-71 Blackbird
1943 Magician
1945 Searcher
1950 Echo
1950 Eliminator
1951 Executioner
1952 Halley’s Tail
1952 V-2 Rocket
1955 Ranger
1956 Blazer
1957 Nike Apache
1959 Scout III
1960 Nova Payloader
1961 Crusader Swing Wing
1970 Der V-3
1973 Interceptor II
1974 Explorer
1978 Gemini Titan
1979 Clipper
1980 Long Shot
1981 D.A.R.T.
1983 Arrow
1984 Phaser
1986 Reliant
1989 Liberty
1992 Dasher
1993 Lancer
1995 Helio Copter
1996 Eggspress
1997 Pathfinder
1998 Mega Sizz
2001 Saturn V
2005 Javelin
2007 IRIS
2010 Star Rider
2015 Strike Fighter
2016 Explorer Aquarius
2018 Super Big Bertha
2019 Titan IIIE
2022 Warp II
2026 Athena
2027 Silver Streak
2028 Cajun
2029 Raven
2031 Army Hawk
2040 Stinger
2042 America
2043 Photon Probe
2044 Solar Sailer II
2045 Dark Star
2046 Surveyor
2048 Saturn 1B
2050 Super Neon
2051 Solar Probe
2055 White Tiger
2056 Patriot
2060 Bandit
2061 Rampage
2062 Dagger
2064 Impulse
2065 Maxi Force
2066 Patriot
2071 CATO
2072 Scrambler
2073 Astro Blaster
2076 Pegasus
2077 Skywinder
2078 Omloid
2083 Terrier/Sandhawk
2085 Jayhawk
2086 Tomcat
2090 Strato Blaster
2091 Maniac
2092 Mongoose
2094 Shadow
2096 Turbo Copter
2107 Firestreak
2111 Mercury Atlas
2113 Starcruiser
2114 Corkscrew
2115 SR-X
2117 F-117 Stealth Nighthawk
2125 AIM-9 Sidewinder
2128 Long Shot
2129 Python
2130 Mach-12
2131 MK-109 Stingray
2132 Banshee
2137 Flash
2138 Firebird
2140 Venom
2141 Silver Comet
2149 SM-3 Seahawk
2150 Rattler-7
2153 AIM-120 AMRAAM
2154 Wildfire
2155 Super Nova Payloader
2157 Saturn V
1258 AGM-57X Heatseeker
2159 Fireflash
2162 Big Daddy
2165 Super Big Bertha
2170 Star Dart
2171 Sizzler
2172 Monarch
2173 Menace
2174 Polaris
2175 Nemesis
2176 Echostar
2177 Nightwing

[CPMcGraw]

This is something I've been working on for a while now, but kind of in fits and starts. I'd really like to finish it in case it's of use to anyone, so if you know any of the tube lengths for these rockets and would like to share your secrets, PM me with the info. Thanks. :cool:

860 Star Dart
870 Pulsar
I'll start with these...

The #860 Star Dart is essentially the same rocket as the #871 Vector, with the exception of the nose cone and decal. The fins are the same.

All three models use the BT-5P, which the Parts Catalog indicates is 5.1" long. For the nose cones, Star Dart uses the BNC-5W, while the Vector and the Pulsar use the BNC-5AX.


1332 CC Express
The sustainer is a full-length BT-55. The booster is a 3.5" length of BT-55.


1388 Apache-2
Same kit as the Centuri Tiger Streak #5357. Booster body is the BT-50J, 2.75" long. The sustainer body is the BT-50L, 12.7" long.


1955 Ranger
Full-length BT-55.


1960 Nova Payloader
BT-50L, 12.7" long.


1983 Arrow
Odd-ball tube. Catalog says the total length is 18.75". Measured length of the nose cone is ~6.75" (PNC-60AH, same as on the Mean Machine and Screamin Mimi). This gives us a 12" length of BT-60.


2005 Javelin
Another odd-ball tube. Catalog length of model is 11.5". The PNC-20N should be about the same length as the BNC-20N, which is 2.75". Tube length is 8.75" of BT-20.


2029 Raven
Full-length BT-60.


I'll try to get more as time allows...

[CPMcGraw]

1258 Alpha IV
Same as the Alpha III. BT-50EE, 5.5" long.


1259 Orbital Transport
Same as for the original K-series version. Mothership body tube is a full-length BT-50. Shuttle body tube is BT-20D, 6.5" long.


1356 Astro Bee
In my RKT file, I show this as the BT-50W, which is 9.5" long; but there is another image by EchoVictor that shows the tube at 9.0". Here's what the catalog says: 14.75" long. EV's image has a trailing edge sweep of 0.718". If you take the 9.0" length of his tube and the 4.375" length of the PNC-50Y nose cone, you get a total of 14.093". Roughly 5/8" short.


1377 Hercules
Booster body tube is a BT-50J, 2.75" long. Main sustainer tube is a BT-50W, 9.5" long. The clear plastic payload body is the PST-50S, 4" long.


1997 Pathfinder
Lower body tube is full-length BT-60. Upper body tube is full-length BT-55.


2007 IRIS
The plans show two tubes joined in the middle with a JT-50C. The tube lengths are odd-ball, at 6.375" each. Alternately, you could simply substitute a single BT-50L, which is 12.7" long, and you'd only be short 0.05".


2022 Warp II / 1760 Loadstar
Both models are the same design, but with different decals.

Booster body tube is an odd-length, 3.25" of BT-55. Sustainer body tube is BT-55IJ, 9.0" long. Payload body tube is clear plastic PST-60R, 5" long.


2174 Polaris
Same rocket as the 2179 Guardian, but with different fins and decals.

Main body tube is odd-length of 11.20" BT-55. Upper body tube is BT-50J, 2.75" long.


More to come...

[Patriot Pilot]

The Mini Patriot #896 is easy. I cloned it and didn't even know it. 2 Bt-20's. 1 is 1.25" the other is 5.675". Funny I didn't know that until a year after I had built my own. :eek: :rolleyes: :D

[CPMcGraw]

880 Skinny Mini
Three equal, but odd-ball, lengths of 9.0" BT-5 tubes.

This was done to accomodate packaging. You should clone this with one full-length BT-5 and one 9" BT-5, eliminating one coupler.

[CPMcGraw]

1907 Cyclone
Main body tube is 12" long. This is actually a Centuri series-13 tube, and can be duplicated with one of Carl's ST-13120. The fins are the same as on the 1922 Marauder. Carl also has the balsa nose cone for this model.

[CPMcGraw]

872 Sparrow
Odd-ball length. Most-recent BETA version uses two (2) 4" long pieces of BT-5.


877 Meanie
Body tube is BT-50S, 4" long.


897 Lumina
Looks like 4" is a standard length now. This model uses one 4" length of BT-5, and one 5.1" BT-5P.


K-37 / 1237 Scrambler
Main body tube is the 11" BT-60D. Clear payload body tube is the 5" PST-65R.


K-58 / 1258 A10 DEMON
One full-length BT-55 for the main body tube; one 4" BT-55S for the payload body tube. Motor tube is the 2.75" BT-50J.


2042 America
Odd-ball length of 9.375" BT-50 to get the final model length of 15".


2044 Solar Sailer II
Rear body tube is the BT-50FE, 6.5" long.
Main body tube is the BT-50L, 12.7" long.
Core tube is the full-length BT-20, 18" long.

[Tau Zero]

if you know any of the tube lengths for these rockets and would like to share your secrets, PM me with the info. Thanks. :cool:

0891 Prime Number Explorer
1930 Wasp
My definitive contributions: :D

Prime Number Explorer #0891

The BT-55 is 13 9/16 (13.5625)" long, and the BT-5 motor mount/stuffer tube is 9.0" long. (Although I've decided to substitute a 2.75" long BT-20 when I get around to building it.)


Estes Wasp #1930

In YORF thread http://forums.rocketshoppe.com/showpost.php?p=2635&postcount=15 ,
our own rmmcdaniel says, "The [BT-55] tube is 12" according to the guy who sent me the scans." Incidentally, the foil wrap is 3 1/4 " long x 4 1/4" wide. :cool:

Cheers,

--Jay

[CPMcGraw]

K-51 / 1251 Sandhawk
Main body tube is the BT-55KG, 16.69" long. The motor tube is the BT-50H, 7.75" long. All other body parts are molded plastic halves; no additional information available.


1333 Scorpion
Main body tube is a full-length BT-50, 18" long. Booster body tube is the BT-50AE, 1.5" long. The fin units are believed to be the same as those found on the Sky Writer #2, or at least have the same overall height of 1.25"...


K-56 / 1256 Alpha III
Same as the 1258 Alpha IV -- BT-50EE, 5.5" long.


1268 Maxi Pershing 1-A
Main body tube is the BT-101LA, 21.4" long. The motor tube is the BT-50L, 12.7" long.


1272 Vostok
One single full-length BT-55, 18" long. Motor tube is standard BT-20J, 2.75" long.


1287 LTV Scout
First stage -- BT-60KC, 12.84" long.
Second stage -- SBT-127GC, 7.26" long.
Third stage -- SBT-123BE, 2.5" long.
Payload body -- SBT-139BJ, 2.0" long

Note -- I have no information as to what diameters these are, but they may be the same as Centuri diameters...

[Patriot Pilot]

Hope you sharpened your crayons Bill. Your halfway done! :p

[Arley Davis]

The letter on the plans for the tubes matches the number on the plans. Also many of the plans on YORS and JimZ’s web sit have the body tube lengthens. For the 873 Hawkeye has the body tube listed on the plans. The body tubes for most of the rockets listed can be found here on JimZ’s and YORS web sites and some are listed on a serpent page.



http://www.ninfinger.org/~sven/rockets/custom_estes/no_diagram.html#bt

[CPMcGraw]

873 Hawkeye
Odd-ball length of BT-5 for the main body tube, 6" long.


898 Mini Cobra
Two (2) BT-5BJ, 2" long.
One odd-ball length of BT-5, 4" long.


1336 Boeing ALCM (Cruise Missile)
Centuri tubes...

Motor tube is the ST-73, 3" long. SEMROC equiv. ST-730...
Parachute tube is the ST-106, 6" long. SEMROC equiv. ST-1060...


1378 Firecat
Centuri tubes...

Main body tube -- ST-1010 (SEMROC ST-10100)...
Motor tube -- ST-73 (SEMROC ST-730)...


1951 Executioner
Lower body tube -- 14.2" BT-80, slotted for fins...
Upper body tube -- 14.175" BT-80KD...
Motor tube -- 12.7" BT-50L...
Retainer -- 2.1" BT-52AG (thick tube)...


1961 Crusader Swing Wing
Main body tube -- 12.5" BT-60...
Power tube -- 12" BT-20L...


1989 Liberty
Body tube -- 9.5" BT-50W...


1998 Mega Sizz
Lower body tube -- full-length BT-60, 18"...
Upper body tube -- BT-60K, 7"...
Motor tube -- BT-50J, 2.75"...


2027 Silver Streak
2028 Cajun
Main body tube -- BT-50L, 12.7" long...


2043 Photon Probe
Body tube -- Full-length BT-55, 18"...
Motor tube -- BT-20J, 2.75"...

[John Brohm]

[/QUOTE]

First stage -- BT-60KC, 12.84" long.
Second stage -- SBT-127GC, 7.26" long.
Third stage -- SBT-123BE, 2.5" long.
Payload body -- SBT-139BJ, 2.0" long

Note -- I have no information as to what diameters these are, but they may be the same as Centuri diameters...[/QUOTE]

Craig;

SBT I take to mean "Scale" or "Special Body Tube" (not sure which). Estes made the code easy on this one as the numbers actually mean something for change: the diameters are 1.27", 1.23" and 1.39" respectively. The scale reference was the booster section, which is represented by the BT-60 piece in the kit. It works out to a 1/24.4 scale kit, which makes the "scale" body tube pieces virtually exact scale parts at this proportion. These tubes were only to be found in the Scout.

[CPMcGraw]

The letter on the plans for the tubes matches the number on the plans. Also many of the plans on YORS and JimZ’s web sit have the body tube lengthens. For the 873 Hawkeye has the body tube listed on the plans. The body tubes for most of the rockets listed can be found here on JimZ’s and YORS web sites and some are listed on a serpent page.

http://www.ninfinger.org/~sven/rockets/custom_estes/no_diagram.html#bt

Arley,

In general, this holds true for most of the earlier plans. Estes began removing this information in stages, first by only giving those 5- and 6-digit part numbers without actually telling anyone what they were, and eventually removing all information about the tubes in more recent plans.

The kits that Bill has listed in this thread are a good mix of these examples. The earliest plans do have the full descriptions of the tubes, while some of the 1900-series kits only have the digits. Many of the later 2000- and 2100-series plans have no part designation at all.

Given their trend at the same time of eliminating (or drastically reducing) the available parts, this marks their shift toward the impulse buyer and away from the hobbyist-builder-designer types that were their core customers.

[CPMcGraw]

First stage -- BT-60KC, 12.84" long.
Second stage -- SBT-127GC, 7.26" long.
Third stage -- SBT-123BE, 2.5" long.
Payload body -- SBT-139BJ, 2.0" long

Note -- I have no information as to what diameters these are, but they may be the same as Centuri diameters...

Craig;

SBT I take to mean "Scale" or "Special Body Tube" (not sure which). Estes made the code easy on this one as the numbers actually mean something for change: the diameters are 1.27", 1.23" and 1.39" respectively. The scale reference was the booster section, which is represented by the BT-60 piece in the kit. It works out to a 1/24.4 scale kit, which makes the "scale" body tube pieces virtually exact scale parts at this proportion. These tubes were only to be found in the Scout.

John,

Makes sense to me, and I sorta thought something along these lines. Now, who produces these tubes today?

[John Brohm]

John,

Makes sense to me, and I sorta thought something along these lines. Now, who produces these tubes today?

Craig;

Sadly, no one, as far as I know. But since our friend Carl seems to be in the business of all things retro, perhaps there's always the possibility that he might place these peculiar tubes in his queue. I'm also hoping that Carl might have a true BT-52 (OD = 1.014") made one day so that we can correctly clone the Thor-Agena.

[CPMcGraw]

K-43 / 1243 Mars Lander
Parachute tube -- BT-60FG, 6.7" long...
Motor core tube -- BT-20DJ, 4.0" long...


866 Mini Tri Pak
Some odd-ball lengths...
One (1) 6" length of BT-5...
One (1) BT-5BJ, 2" long...
Two (2) 4" lengths of BT-5...


874 Mini Scale Combo Pak
Two (2) BT-5CJ, 3" long...
Two (2) 5" BT-5 (These could be BT-5P, 5.1" long. Plans only say 5".)...


881 Mini Mars Lander
More odd-ball lengths...
Bottom body -- 1.6" length of BT-60. This replaces the paper shroud of the larger version...
Motor tube -- 1.575" length of BT-5...


1970 Der V-3
Main body tube -- Full-length BT-70, 17.5" long...
Motor tube -- BT-50W, 9.5" long...
Retainer tube -- BT-52AG (thick-body ring -- just substitute some CR-5055 rings to hold the motor hook in place, or even just a strip of printer paper overlapped across the hook)...


1973 Interceptor II
Main body tube is a full-length BT-55, 18" long...


1981 D.A.R.T.
Main body tube is the BT-60K, 7" long.


1992 Dasher
Using the catalog length of 16.875", subtract the length of the nose cone (PST-50Y, 4.375" nominally). You get 12.5" for the main body tube. It is more likely Estes used a stock tube for this design, namely the 12.7" BT-50L.


1993 Lancer
Using the catalog length of 18", subtract the height of the fin can (1.5"), and the length of the nose cone (PST-50Y, 4.375" nominally). You get 12.275" for the main body tube. It is more likely Estes used a stock tube for this design, namely the 12.7" BT-50L.


2026 Athena
Using the catalog length of 15", subtract the height of the fin can (1.5"), and the length of the nose cone (PST-50Y, 4.375" nominally). You get 9.275" for the main body tube. It is more likely Estes used a stock tube for this design, namely the 9.5" BT-50W.

[CPMcGraw]

1950 Echo
Nose cone appears to be the BNC-20AZ, which is 2.5" long. This makes the body tube an 8" length of BT-20, if you follow the catalog length.


1984 Phaser
Odd-ball length, IF the catalog length is correct...

Nose cone appears to be the BNC-20L, which is 1.375" long. Subtracting this from the catalog length of 11.5", this gives a BT-20 body tube length of 10.275"...


1986 Reliant
Body tube -- BT-20B, 8.65" long...
Nose cone -- BT-20N, 2.75" long...
Fin TE sweep -- Nominally 1.1" from tube rear edge to ground...


2010 Star Rider
Main body tube -- BT-50W, 9.5" long...
If calculated from catalog length, tube would be 9.687"; BT-50W is more likely...

[CPMcGraw]

K-44 Birdie

Had to go back to the EIRP #61 sheet for this tube...

BT-20M, 2.25" long...

Originally designed for 18mm "S"-series motors...

[CPMcGraw]

1957 Nike-Apache

Had to find my original kit, currently finless, for this measurement...

Main body tube (Nike Booster) -- 10.6" BT-55.
Upper body tube (Apache Sustainer) -- 9" BT-5.

The transition might be hard to duplicate in balsa, but a Quest Nike-Smoke nose cone might be a reasonable starting place to get the base ring...