Ye Olde Rocket Forum - View Single Post - Estes #2037 D-Region Tomahawk

On the way home from today's PSC Launch, I stopped in at our local HS and discovered that the new Estes Tomahawk was in stock. So I picked one up; I'll be incorporating the relevant info into the lists in due course.

Having had a chance to peel the thing a part, a couple of observations:

- the airframe is in fact a new one (HBT-1800). Mine measured 1.800" (1.798" exactly, using the circumference method), which means that it is different than the Aerotech T-1.88 tube. It also means that Estes has tried to hit the 1/5 scale parameter spot on, and have done well with this in my opinion. The Estes HBT-1800 tube is exactly that, heavy duty, with a wall thickness of 0.031".

- for packaging reasons, Estes supplied the airframe in two pieces; means a mid-body seam to fill unfortunately.

- The nose is blow molded and includes the instrumentation section. The mold also includes representations of the fasteners and other fittings; really a reasonably well detailed part.

- the fins are also molded with the leading edge cap lines and fasteners.

- yes, the decal is waterslide, and looks like a good print.

- Fin Can: this is where I feel some compromises were taken. The fin can is a two piece styrene affair (like the Blue Ninja), but in its defence, its mold is also well detailed and includes things like molded representations of the fasteners. But the compromise is with the fins: they are short tabbed, and glue in exactly like the Blue Ninja. There will be sadness with this arrangement when the occasional hard landing occurs.

- And because it's another classic Estes two piece fin can, guess what we use as an engine retainer? Yep, that famous screw in Blue Ninja engine lock. Simple and effective yes; but not so scale.

All in all, I applaud Estes for this effort. In many ways, I feel they've listened, and have produced a reasonably well detailed, large scale kit (the thing will be large when built!). Apart from the noted compromises (which I imagine the more serious modelers will find a way to deal with), they've done a good job, and have introduced a new, heavy duty airframe tube in the process. We can hope that Estes will plan to find other uses for the new tube, and not have the thing become a one hit wonder. Photos following: