or the Star Blazer and the Wolverine, my favs.

So anyway Peace Man, and just let it slide Clyde. Heavy

__________________
Bernard J. Herman Ohio RLS

Starport Sagitta Rockets
email bherman@sagittarockets.com

NAR # 97971 SR

What's your idea on the best way to change Washington D.C.?
Let us know at the Cantina
Sagitta Cantina

We're looking for a few good Catos, please tell us about any you may have had. Survey of Anecdotal Malfunctioning Engines or S.A.M.E.

Nice mini-brutes Mark. I built many as a kid, mostly because they were cheaper. My favorite 3FNC mini-brute has to be the Screamer. So, when are you going to show us your 2-stage Beta?

__________________
Paul
If we weren't all crazy, we would go insane - Jimmy Buffett
NAR #87246 www.wooshrocketry.org

You need to clone the greatest mini-brute of all but one of the shortest lived, the 2-stage TK Astron Midget that was reduced from the original Midget BT50/BT20 size to the BT20/BT5 size for the mini-brute Midget.

Those are GREAT looking clones you have !

__________________
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 !

Great looking birds, and equally great pics! I love the Mini-Brutes. I've cloned the Condor, Rogue, Beta, Wolverine, Hornet and EAC Viper in the past, and have an Eclipse waiting for paint. (Original decal. Cloned bird.) A bunch of my current collection are Ebay refugees, an alarming amount, in fact.

This is the Rogue clone. Hasn't flown lately because I need to get that goofy hook off. Homemade decals, as you can probably tell by the "33", but I like to keep my hand in it.



The Star Blazer is an Ebay bird. I was the only bidder. Vintage glue can't take the modern ejection charges, so it's retired.

__________________
Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Centuri Design Contest F-150 Hurricane Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion Estes F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II Semroc Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark, Groonie Der V 1/2

The Mini-Bomarc is also an Ebay bird. I think I've flown it twice, and both times the pods have blown off at ejection. It's also retired.





Notice the "peace sign" decal. I'm going to try to size the other one to make an iron-on for a baseball cap.

__________________
Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Centuri Design Contest F-150 Hurricane Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion Estes F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II Semroc Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark, Groonie Der V 1/2

I've got two Betas, but can only locate one at the moment. It's the right one, though.
Also an Ebay bird, I've flown this one on several occasions. Gotta love the paint/decal/body wrap. Very 70's.



The EAC Viper is also an Ebay bird. Previous owner apparently broke off and lost a fin, then decided to just convert it to a 3 fin bird with 4 finlets. I've flown it, and it doesn't hurt the performance any. I cloned another one, flew it in primer at VOA, and lost it on the first flight.



You got me thinking, so I started checking at Ninfinger and was shocked at how diverse the Mini-Brute lineup became over the years. I'm up to 1984 which had the Starliner, Star Dart and Airborne Surveillance Missile grouped as Mini-Brutes.

__________________
Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Centuri Design Contest F-150 Hurricane Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion Estes F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II Semroc Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark, Groonie Der V 1/2

Thanks to both Mark and Bill for sharing pics.

If ever there was a need for laser cut fins, the Beta is a perfect example. Trying to hand cut fins wherein the boosters conform to the trailing edges of the sustainers is about impossible to do (and get a nice, tight, gap-free fit). If I were to clone one of these, I'd definitely pay for some laser cut fins.

In fact, my experience is that you gotta be extra careful even with laser cut fins. Squirrel Works has a kit with similar fins, and, even taking extra care to sand very lightly, I still ended up with tiny gaps

All that said, this old kit begs for an upgrade to three stages. Call it the Theta or Treyta

Doug

.

__________________
YORF member #11

I always thought the best way to do it would be cutting them all as s single fin unit, then making the second cut and keeping the pieces clearly marked so that the mates wouldn't get separated.
I like the third stage idea. Might look ungainly, but it'd be a cool flight.

__________________
Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Centuri Design Contest F-150 Hurricane Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion Estes F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II Semroc Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark, Groonie Der V 1/2

It makes me weep to see a mini bomarc in this condition

Dide you check the grain direction on the nacelle struts to see if it was perpendicular?

__________________
Bernard J. Herman Ohio RLS

Starport Sagitta Rockets
email bherman@sagittarockets.com

NAR # 97971 SR

What's your idea on the best way to change Washington D.C.?
Let us know at the Cantina
Sagitta Cantina

We're looking for a few good Catos, please tell us about any you may have had. Survey of Anecdotal Malfunctioning Engines or S.A.M.E.