Estes Solar Warrior (#3225) Build, Part 1, ya bilge rat, Parts This was another clearance sale kit. A great value for a BT-60 based model at 27" tall. It is designed t' fly with C11 and D12 engines. Arrr! Two feet tall, shiver me timbers, BT-60 models are favorite size for me. Ahoy! Look at all that balsa! Each fin is four pieces, matey, built up into a "T" shape. Avast, me proud beauty! T' decal sheet is big, shiver me timbers, all ...
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Estes Solar Warrior (#3225) Build, Part 2, Preppin' Balsa Here's all t' balsa removed from t' laser cut sheets. There are four "T" shaped fins and on t' upper right, four smaller forward fins. When fins are laser cut fins I don't "gang sand" them. No reason to, bein' laser cut they should all be exactly t' same size. On t' left is before sandin' t' ...
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Estes Solar Warrior (#3225) Build, Part 3, Engine Mount TIP TIP: Don't just glue t' centerin' rin' onto t' engine mount. Use t' black retainer rin' t' perfectly align t' centerin' rings on t' engine mount tube. Set t' rin' on t' pencil mark then slide t' black retainer rin' down t' t' centerin' ring. Press t' rin' against t' black retainer. T' ...
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Estes Solar Warrior (#3225) Build, Part 4, Separatin' T' Nose Cone - TIP This step is nay covered in t' instructions, except for a small illustration on t' first page "Parts" drawing. TIP: Don't separate t' nose cone end first. You'll have more control, arrr, and more t' hold on to, if you cut from t' back and move forward. Cut off t' aft rin' first. Aye aye! TIP: Notice t' ...
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Estes Solar Warrior (#3225) Build, Part 5, Fin Gluing I'm startin' somethin' new today. If I find a mistake or real concern in kit instructions, I'll start t' paragraph with a " GOTCHA " . Hopefully this will prevent a possible build error for someone assemblin' a kit along with t' blog. This picture was taken before t' fins were removed from t' ...
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Estes Solar Warrior (#3225) Build, Part 6, Fin Grain Filling Thinned Carpenter's Wood Filler will warp t' fins when applied t' only one side. Avast! Brush on one side o' all t' fins. Avast, me proud beauty! By t' time all one side o' t' parts have a coat o' CWF t' first piece should be dried enough t' handle and paint t' other side. Avast, me proud beauty! When CWF is brushed on t' other side it should ...
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Estes Solar Warrior (#3225) Build, matey, Part 7, Observations I almost hate t' tug on t' parachute shroud lines. If they break easily they will have t' be replaced. Blimey! These broke with a light pull. Blimey! I'll replace them with all cotton embroidery thread. T' reinforcement rings turned out t' be paper. Avast! Paper reinforcement rings are worthless and don't strengthen ...
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Estes Solar Warrior (#3225) Build, Part 8, matey, Fin Assembly T' first larger fin plate it glued t' t' tab on t' outside edge o' t' main fin. Avast! I used t' flat side o' t' sandin' block t' press t' fin plate slot over t' tab. As t' glue dries double check t' fin plate t' see if it is at a 90 degree angle t' t' main fin. Ahoy! T' second smaller fin plate is ...
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Estes Solar Warrior (#3225) Build, ya bilge rat, Part 9, Fin Gluing A strip a little wider than t' 3/32" thick fins is sanded through t' remainin' primer exposin' t' bare tube. Begad! This picture shows t' small upper fins ready t' glue onto their baseline. Arrr! TIP: On a four fin model you can sight over t' end o' t' body tube t' line up t' opposite fins. Ahoy! A fin jig ...
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Estes Solar Warrior (#3225) Build, Part 10, Fin Alignmment A wrap o' paper was used t' make sure t' base o' t' upper fins were in line around t' tube. T' aluminum angle be used t' be sure t' upper and lower fins were in line. Ahoy! Just don't set t' edge o' t' angle into any glue along t' root edges. Arrr! T' single 3/16" launch lug is centered betwixt two ...
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Estes Solar Warrior (#3225) Build, Part 11, me hearties, Engine Mount Set t' engine mount assembly on t' side o' t' model at t' depth it will end up. Aye aye! Beneath t' mount is a glue glue applyin' dowel. Ahoy! T' top end o' t' dowel is set where t' glue rin' will go. Blimey! T' dowel tip is set just below t' upper centerin' rin' o' t' engine mount. Well, blow me down! T' aft o' t' dowel is ...
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Estes Solar Warrior (#3225) Build, ya bilge rat, Part 12, First White Paint This rarely happens t' me, but I did get two small bugs landin' in t' paint! Now a big deal, these will be sanded off before any more paint is sprayed. I've started t' sand down any rough spots and bugs. Most o' t' time is spent takin' down some o' t' fillet ridges and any glue blobs. Avast, me proud beauty! Enlarge ...
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Estes Solar Warrior (#3225) Build, Part 13, White Touch Up Gettin' paint in all t' nooks and corners was tough on this one. Aye aye! I missed a few spots around t' fit tip covers. Aye aye! (see third picture) For fin edges like this I can touch up without sprayin' t' entire model again. A small snack sized Baggie was pressed into a small plastic cup. Begad! Some paint be ...
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Estes Solar Warrior (#3225) Build, matey, Part 14, me hearties, Decals This is a simple mask, simply cover t' lower body below t' smaller fins. Avast! T' instructions suggest Dark Blue, I decided t' use t' same Purple I used on t' Wizard build. Avast, me proud beauty! T' second build will use Metallic Red. Here's where t' wrap decal separates t' two colors. Aye aye! There is a raised paint ridge ...
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Estes Solar Warrior (#3225) Build, matey, Paint Fix, TIPI put together two Estes Solar Warrior kits at t' same time. On one, t' upper section be sprayed purple. On t' other, me hearties, metallic red. T' purple went on fine. T' metallic red was another story. Arrr! Just t' one side o' t' upper fins was a raised area. Aye aye! T' paint was liftin' and wrinkled. I didn't get ...
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Estes Solar Warrior (#3225) Build, Finished This should be a favorite with D12-5 engines. Begad! Big with big decals. Avast! I'm a little surprised they weren't more popular and ended up part o' t' closeout sale. Begad! T' second build was painted Metallic Red on t' upper body. Ahoy! With this half-half decor most any other color could have worked. Avast! Orange, yellow, ...
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Estes Solar Warrior (#3225) Builds, Comparison I had a few blog followers ask t' show t' two Solar Warrior builds side-by-side. I like t' looks o' t' metallic red Solar Warrior a bit more. T' top o' t' other rocket on t' right is actually purple. Avast! My camera photographed it as blue. Blimey! Look above t' launch lug on t' red model. Ahoy! I usually ...
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