I've been a big fan of the original Custom lineup since I found a Stealth Interceptor in a hobby shop on the way to NARAM 43 in 2001. I've since built Dynamic Carrier and Satellite Drone kits, and cloned the Bullet and Lamprey, but I'm always on the lookout for any of the big birds I missed. The Matra was one I missed. I won one in an auction recently, so it gets to be my Memorial Day weekend project.



The Matra is an oddball bird. As designed, it has four fins at the tail, and three in the transition section near the top. There is an upper section that is just barely big enough to allow the nose cone to fit in it, not to mention a parachute. Well, no way I'm having a seven fin rocket, so I decided to scale it back to six fins, and since I was making changes anyway, I decided to lengthen the upper section of BT-60 to give the chute some room to breathe and install a longer motor tube to allow the use of E9s and E12s.

__________________
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

Sounds like a good plan, Bill.
I just bought a Satellite Drone myself on ebay and am looking forward to building it. I missed the Stealth on Ebay a few days ago.

That Matra ought to go super-high on those E's.

Allen

Construction has gone slower than I expected and I had some issues pop up. The main body tube looked fine in the bag, but it was pretty badly crushed on the side facing the inner label. No way to have seen it unless you turned everything around in the bag. I went and picked up a Vagabond yesterday at Hobby Lobby with the 40% off coupon. It has a full length BT-60, plus the other piece to lengthen the front tube, PLUS the E mount. I should be adding to this as the weekend goes on.

__________________
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 built this rocket several years ago and added a fin to the upper section. It screams on D's.

As I mentioned, I used the second piece of BT-60 to lengthen the forward recovery tube. This is the dry fit with the full length tube.



This is the rocket complete except for the launch lug. It currently has the longer recovery tube that I'm trying to decide the finished length for. Any opinions?

__________________
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

Depends on how close to the original you want it to be. What you have looks good, but obviously shorter will match better

Not that concerned about keeping the original looks. It already has the E engine mount, a replaced body tube and one fewer fin than it originally had, so I'm going for functionality.

__________________
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

In that case, replace the NC with a ram-jet style like the one used on the Wolverine!

It's a BT-60 or I'd consider it. I have an extra Strike Fighter cone, but that's BT-55.

__________________
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

Did Carl ever make one like it for BT-60? That would be an interesting mod.

__________________
Craig McGraw

BARCLONE Rocketry -- http://barclone.rocketshoppe.com
BARCLONE Blogsite -- http://barclone.wordpress.com
BARCLONE Forum -- BARCLONE Forum

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SAM 0044
AMA 352635