Estes DOM PeeWee
 

I was looking through my collection of old DOM plans and found one called the 2 stage PeeWee. When I took a closer look, it listed a BT-3 for the body. The data I found ofr that tube from Fliskits and from Semroc give an ID of 0.349. A BT-5 (13mm motor) has an ID of 0.515.

Question: are these the same BT-3 tubes mentioned in the Estes DOM plan?

If so, what did they fly on since a 13mm would not fit?

Thanks,

No, not the same at all. Take a look at the 1962 Estes catalog, pages 3 & 4. In 1963 or 64 the designations were changed.

BT-1 = 13 3/4" long, ID = 0.765", OD = 0.825" (wall thickness 0.030")
BT-3 = 9 1/4" long, ID = 0.725", OD = 0.765" (wall thickness 0.020")

Estes did not have 13mm motors at this time.

(BTW -- Love the tagline... :chuckle: )

So would that correspond best to the Semroc BT30 tube currently listed?

I'm guessing that I would just need to give the motor an extra wrap of tape.

Thanks,

That's the closest match, being the same ID but slightly larger OD (0.002"). The 62 catalog says these were "ivory-colored tubes", and I think another discussion said they might have been hand-wound and parallel-wrapped.

Additional information to overload your brain cells... :D

The BT-2 tube had the same diameters as BT-1, but had a different length (shorter, I think). The 62 catalog suggests this to be the case, as it offered PNC-1 and PNC-2 nose cones together with the BT-1 tube. The BNC-1A nose cone fit the BT-1 tube. However, the BNC-1 nose cone fit the BT-3 tube. Clear as Mississippi mud, right?

BT-3 was the original tube for the Scout...

The closest nose cone to the original BNC-2A looks to be the SEMROC BNC-30C (spherical). I think the length of 1 1/8" listed in the 62 catalog included the shoulder length.

BT-1 = Semroc/Estes BT-40 (also MMI BT-1), and Quest now has a version of it (for a limited time!) that they're using for their commemorative Aerobee-Hi kit.

BT-3 = Semroc/Estes(and other vendors) BT-30.

Thanks for the info. I think I'll try to build this one.

I just placed an order with Semroc.

I better go check the mailbox and see if its here yet.

I love those old E.I.R.P. plans from the early '60's! This was the kind of stuff that was in the literature that I received from Estes Industries when I got into rocketry in '67. You get the feeling that these were the kinds of designs that they were flying right at the dawn of the hobby, when Vern Estes and Harry Stine and a small group of other fliers were still figuring things out. Nothing too terribly big or complicated, these early plans have a quaint kind of home-brewed quality about them. It is as if they were made when the total number of model rocketeers was still just in the dozens, not even in the hundreds yet, and everyone was trying everything that they could think of (within reason) to see if any of it would actually work. It must have been a very heady, very exciting time. Looking at these old plans gives me a sense of that, and I want to build and launch many of them in order to get the actual feeling of it, too.

You will show us pictures of your build, won't you, John? ;) :D

Mark \\.

I share your feelings about the allure of these early designs. I like old things. I still use a straight razor and an one of the few Methodists around who likes the Tridentine Mass (Latin).

The parts came in from Semroc and its rather forward in my priority list. This time of year though is really busy for me. Its made worse in that we are scheduled to move into our new church on 21 Dec.

I'll be happy to post pics of the build. This is one of my regular site but I usually post my builds on TRF maily because that seems to be the place to do that sort of thing. For this one, though, YORF is probably a better choice...or am I wrong in my perception?

Yeah, there are things in life that are more important then rockets, or so my wife tells me. :chuckle: I can see how things could get very busy in your job, which must include helping souls in their lifelong preparation before they make another kind of launch at some point in each one's future. I just wanted to say that I like your choice of a new rocket project, and that I will be quite interested in seeing what you build. I have often thought about building some of those old EIRP plans, but so far, the only one that I have done is the Li'l Augie. I haven't flown it yet, though, or even painted it, even though I finished it some months ago. Some others that I would like to build right away include the Sky Bird II, the Arrow C and the PeeWee. I wonder if the PeeWee might have been the inspiration for the Astron Midget?

I have enjoyed reading many of your build threads over on TRF (and your reviews on EMRR, too). But what better place to post a thread describing how you built one of the best examples of Ye Olde Rocket than on Ye Olde Rocketry Forum?! :D

Mark \\.