The recovery tether.

The twisted Kevlar cord that was included int he kit isn't good enough IMO, so I'll instead use a length of my best 400lb. braided Kevlar. After calculating what the distance will be from the front CR to the open end of the BT101 (11.75" in this case,) I cut a 36" piece of the 400lb. braided Kevlar. I then make an overhand loop in the middle and tie a stop knot on both loose ends at 11.5" from the top of the loop above the center knot. This way the Kevlar won't extend out of the front of the BT101--but is still long enough to pull out of the rear of the engine mount if necessary.

After reaming the holes in the top CR with a Swiss file I feed the loose ends of the Kevlar tether through the holes and join them on the other side of the top CR with a square knot. I then cinch the knot and enrobe it with epoxy. I feel this part needs to be over-engineered because it will never be seen again--unless there's a disaster.

The engine mount is now ready to be epoxied into the BT101.

TBC

Inserting the engine mount.

After tucking the tether into the engine mount tube for safekeeping I apply a ring of 30 minute epoxy to the ID of the BT101 at c. 10" from the rear end of the tube.

Now for some technique: the CR's are a pretty easy fit--not too loose, not too tight. I cut a scrap piece of BT80 to exactly 2.25", which is the insertion point of the rear CR. Since I don't want the epoxy to "pool" from laying the BT101 on it's side as the glue sets, I place the 2.25" BT80 on my bench, place the engine mount assembly on top of the BT80 (registering the rear surface of the CR to the edge of the BT80, of course) and I then lower the BT101 onto the propped engine mount. I'll let this sit here for a while and let the epoxy migrate down around the top CR.

TBC

With the epoxy of the top CR cured enough to flip the BT101 over without the engine mount assembly moving, I turn it over and apply a generous bead of epoxy to the rear CR which I'll let migrate down around the outer edge of the CR to mate it with the ID of the BT101 for ever and ever.

Time for some Scotch! Good night.

TBC

I balanced my Soyuz the same way, with a simulated spent G77 engine. Weight was 1.75 ounces and case length was 4-5/8". I don't see a listing on the Aerotech chart for the G53W-7, but they show one with Fast Jack propellant that has an unfired weight of 5.15 ounces. I balance all my models with a spent engine case and a CG of 1.5 to 2 calibers and they fly straight.

Excellent! Thanks.

Prepping the BT101.

Now that the engine mount is epoxied into the BT101 it can take a some intensive handling with less danger for being damaged.

Since this is scale and very special I'll fill the spirals. I've done this with diluted Elmer's Wood Filler and then I let it dry all afternoon. This evening I sanded the spirals with 220 grit and then buffed the entire tube with #00 steel wool to eliminate the "nap" from being sanded.

TBC

Now to mark the tube, and now for some technique.

I make a copy of the tube marking guide from the instructions onto card stock paper. I then put the sheet up to my work light to reveal the image from the obverse side and I lay a ring of glue around the perimeter of the circle on the reverse side. I then press the glued side onto a piece very heavy fiberboard. After the glue dries for a short time I use the trusty OLFA circle cutter and cut the circle out of the pattern, leaving a cavity as deep as the heavy fiberboard. I then insert the BT101 through the hole and tape it flush on the underside.

Marking the tube is now a cinch! Using the widest slot of my yellow Estes tube marking fence I mark the tube for 18" and then extend the lines completely.

I freely admit that I over-engineered the preceding step. I can't help it--it's a sickness.

Time for some ethyl alcohol. Good night.

TBC

I'm back from WI and the paperwork's done so I'll put a little time into the Pershing.

I'll epoxy (2) fins on and see how strong their attachment is.

First I place and then outline the mounting place of the booster fin. Using my Herculean thighs as a work surface, I score the mating area of the BT101 with a #11 blade so the 15 minute epoxy can seep into the paper of the BT. I do the same treatment for the mounting area of the sustainer fin. I then apply 15 minute epoxy to the concave mounting surfaces of the fins and lay them in place.

As the epoxy works, I lay a 3/4" x 3/4" angle aluminum piece across the BT and register the edges of the fins' bases to it and continue holding it across my Herculean thighs until the epoxy is hard enough to let go.

I'll do a "pull" test of these fins this afternoon.

TBC

Let's talk paint. The original Pershing 1A had STICKERS, yes, stickers, for the orange stripes and thrust termination port covers. I built several Pershings that came like that. The thrust termination port STICKERS were supposed to be applied during construction, then painted over - they are not supposed to be bright orange on the finished model! When Estes switched to all waterslide decals, the point of applying the decal then painting over it was lost - a decal would essentially disappear under paint.

So, if you want to do this thing "right," cut out thrust termination port covers from light cardstock, glue them on, and paint over them so that you have a raised surface, but still the same OD Green as the rocket. Toss the orange oval decals in the trash, unless they too are stickers (in which case, you can paint over them if they're thick enough to be seen under paint)


Here is a link to a photo of the EXACT round (#31) Estes was trying to model: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MGM-3...b_16,_1966).png
No orange ovals!

Thanks for the link!

This Boyce Pershing kit has ALL vinyl stickers and they're quite thick.