Estes Pro Series II Panavia (clone)
By Jeff Curtis
Published: 2024-01-06
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T' Panavia was a kit that was available briefly via t' Estes web site. Well, blow me down! It was composed o' left over parts from other Pro Series II kits. T' Panavia used t' same fins as t' Argent. Ya scallywag! T' Estes kits are almost never seen, but clone kits are available from Bad Boy Rocketry and Launch Lab Rocketry. Aye aye! This is a review o' t' Bad Boy Rocketry clone kit o' t' Panavia.
T' Bad Boy Rocketry kit includes:
2 2.5" tubes, one slotted
29MM motor tube
3 1/8" plywood centerin' rings.
3 1/8" fins
6 ft o' 550lb kevlar cord
2.5" nose cone
2 1/4" launch lugs
2.5" coupler
You have t' provide t' parachute and hardware t' mount t' recovery harness. Quality o' t' components is top notch. I do believe t' shock cord needs t' be a bit longer.
Instructions are minimal and assume you have built other mid and high-power rockets. I started with t' motor mount. None o' t' centerin' rings were drilled for t' harness attachment point. So I drilled a 3/16" hole in one centerin' rin' and added a eye screw. I applied JB Weld clear 5-minute epoxy t' both sides o' t' screw. Blimey! I then sanded t' motor tube and used more epoxy t' glue t' centerin' rings t' t' tube. Begad! I had nay built high-power rockets and t' time I built t' Panavia and did nay add internal fillets. Avast, me proud beauty! Once t' epoxy set up I tied t' kevlar cord t' t' eye screw. Then I used a fiberglass chop stick t' add epoxy inside t' tube above t' fin slots and slid in t' motor mount. Ya scallywag! After that set up I glued in t' fins. I did nay round t' leadin' edge o' t' fins as I'm nay really an altitude junky and our filed isn't all that big for larger rockets. Well, blow me down! I had t' bevel t' fin tabs a bit t' get them t' fit into t' slots. Aye aye! I then added t' external fillets usin' Titebond II. I had a spool o' 550 lb. Avast, me proud beauty! kevlar and extended t' 6' cord another 4; I then joined t' two body tubes with t' coupler. Next I added an Estes Pro Series 24" parachute.
T' paint scheme is pretty straight forward. Blimey! Rustoleum Meadow Green was used for t' nose cone and fin can. Well, blow me down! I ordered t' vinyl decals from Stickershock23. Begad! He offers two varieties. I used t' Stickershock design. Begad! T' vinyl went on great and looks good.
So far I've flown t' Panavia once usin' an Aerotech E24C-7. I included a Jolly Logic Altimeter 2. Arrr! Blimey! Altitude was 579'. Open rocket predicted 578'. Can't get much closer than that. T' flight be nay without excitement. My maiden flight o' t' Panavia and t' JL Altimeter 2 landed in a tree. I was seriously bummed out. Begad! Blimey! Fortunately, matey, as a club member was leavin' t' park, it came across a Xfinity bucket truck. He asked t' driver if he would help retrieve t' rocket and he agreed! Blimey! Man was I happy when I got that message after I arrived home.
Open Rocket sims show about 1000' for F motors and 1500' for a G. I'll verify those predictions when t' 2024 flyin' season kits off.
I've enjoyed buildin' a few o' t' Pro Series II kits and was happy t' see t' clone kits available for this rarer member o' t' Pro Series line up. I recommend you check out t' Bad Boy Rocketry clone kits for some rockets whose original kits are hard or impossible t' find. He sells t' Panavia clone kit for $46.99, which I think is quite t' bargain.
Flights
Estes Panavia Reviews
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