As many of you guys and gals know, one popular competition event we have in NAR Sanctioned contests is Plastic Model Conversion. We have this event coming up next month
at the Gulf Coast Regional Meet at the Johnson Space Center.

For this, I've pulled out of storage my long awaited Lindberg product of the Star Probe
U.S.S. Explorer. This model was kept in the box for some 30 years awaiting for such an
opportunity.

I'll be posting every now and then as the build moves along. For now, I'm including several
scans of the front and back of the model's instruction sheet so you can see what this thing
looks like. Looks pretty cool, doesn't it?!

Attached Thumbnails

   

__________________
Dave, NAR # 21853 SR.

That does look cool! Keep us informed as the 'conversion' progresses..18mm or 24mm?

__________________
Jon
SAM #0396
BAR 02/07
NAR 86940
KF4GUL
Aim high, fly straight!

24 mm; the kit's weight ("dry") is 2.6 oz., but since you have to factor in the modifications
and nose weight, it could go a lot higher. Will use the D12-5 and have the two sections
return separately so there's no chance of them snapping back (shock cord) and causing
damage (a no-no in flight points for the Plastic Model Conversion flight points scoring).

__________________
Dave, NAR # 21853 SR.

I have not been to any sort of rocket event/meet that has flown any PMCs since the late 70's early 80's.

What I do remember about those flights back then was about a 90% POWR-PRANG rate resulting in total destruction of the PMC.
Usually they were either grossly underpowered or totally unstable.
I did see a successful flight of a PMC using the giant Revell Saturn V kit....I think it flew on a Composite Dynamics full 80n-sec 24mm Pro-Jet F.
It was a successful flight to about 300', but I have no idea how that did not violate the then weight limit of 16oz for model rockets.

Usually back then you got to see an exciting disintegration of some attempt at flying an unstable hunk of plastic when ANY PMC was flown.

__________________
When in doubt, WHACK the GAS and DITCH the brake !!!

Yes, there is such a thing as NORMAL, if you have to ask what is "NORMAL" , you probably aren't !
Failure may not be an OPTION, but it is ALWAYS a POSSIBILITY.
ALL systems are GO for MAYHEM, CHAOS, and HAVOC !

Sounds like a really fun event....as long as it wasn't one of mine.

The Plastic Model Conversion event draws a lot of interest (both contestants and spectators
alike) as all, of course, want to see which entry survives the launch attempt, and which turns
into a pile of plastic....

__________________
Dave, NAR # 21853 SR.

About 90% of those I have seen flown are completely "re-kitted" at the end of flight and use "post-flight" TRASH BAG recovery.

__________________
When in doubt, WHACK the GAS and DITCH the brake !!!

Yes, there is such a thing as NORMAL, if you have to ask what is "NORMAL" , you probably aren't !
Failure may not be an OPTION, but it is ALWAYS a POSSIBILITY.
ALL systems are GO for MAYHEM, CHAOS, and HAVOC !

Got most of the build out of the way; just have to do the addition of the noseweight and
installation of the recovery system & launch lugs. Still trying to decide if I should paint
all of the model or just portions, as the white overall color still looks pretty good "as is."
The decal sheet has more decals than what the instructions specify, so I'm trying to
figure where many of the decals belong on the model.

Launch date for this plastic conversion is now just eight days away....

__________________
Dave, NAR # 21853 SR.

We had the Gulf Coast Regional Meet this weekend at JSC, and I went today (one day only)
to fly in all the scheduled events. Since I was very busy during the days/weeks leading to
this meet, I got the "chance" to finish my PMC Star Probe USS Explorer early this morning.
However, due to the age of the decal sheet that came with the kit, the first (and only) attempt to apply one piece of decal showed the color layer would just dissolved as soon as
I tried to slide the decal on the model. So, I pretty much left the model unpainted with the
exception of my Team's number on one side.

The USS Explorer model, in its launch configuration, weighed nearly 6.25 oz. Most of the
weight was in the forward nose area. I had the model rigged to return in two separate
pieces, and the model was powered by a D12-5 (after the flight, wished I used the D12-3).

However, at launch, the model went pretty straight up for about 50 - 60 feet, then made
an impressive "S" type pattern (going squirrely) before it peaked out to about 200 feet
and started falling a bit. The ejection charge went off by the time it fell to about 100 feet.
Because of the way I had the two 18' parachutes installed, the chute for the main body
section got stuck in the insdie of the upper section ("second stage") and the shroud lines
to the lower section's chute was stripped off. The other 18" chute for the second stage/
spacecraft section deployed. Thanks to the soft ground & grass here at JSC, both sections
were recovered with no damage.

Pics below of the model before and after launch (sorry, didn't try to take any launch pics,
since I needed to be 100% alert during the launch).

Since I "saved" about 95% of the decal sheet, I'm going to check with Tango Papa Decals
and see if my USS Explorer's decals can be "refurbished" for use. Then (since my PMC did
live to fly another day) I can fully finish it to make it look better.

Attached Thumbnails

             

__________________
Dave, NAR # 21853 SR.

Here's a few more pictures of the USS Explorer's launch & flight taken by Warren Benson,
contest director of the Gulf Coast Regional meet.

Note: Sorry about the order of the way the pictures are posting; for some reason, they're
not posting in the proper sequence from the way I've loaded them. Can anyone explain this
to me?!

Attached Thumbnails

       

__________________
Dave, NAR # 21853 SR.