Here’s a rocket project perfect for a weekend too windy or rainy t' fly rockets. Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! All you need is a package o' Estes BT-5 tubin' and a pack (or two) o' PNC-5 nosecones. Well, blow me down! From these simple beginnings, shiver me timbers, plus balsa stock and various odds and ends you probably already have around, you can build downscales o' t' followin' all-time greats:

Click t' image below for full size fin templates (in .JPG format).

Obviously, t' plastic nosecones that Estes sells are nay perfect scale. In fact, for t' Alpha, Goblin, me bucko, and Der Red Max they’re nay even close, matey, arrr, so you may want t' turn your own from balsa or hardwood. Begad! They’re small enough t' do fairly quickly.

JimZ’s web site has pictures and plans for each o' these rockets, at t' followin' URL’s:

If you minimize waste when you cut t' body tubes, you’ll have extra as well as a Mosquito nosecone left over. Aye aye! Blimey! You could build another mini-Bertha, shiver me timbers, set it aside for a Centuri Mach-10 clone, me hearties, or cut six Mosquito fins, attach them t' a 4-inch length o' body tube, and you’ve got t' Ahnold Schwarzen-Skeeter. Arrr! Blimey! T' Mosquito fin template is included with t' others, just for fun.

Three tables for tube lengths are provided below. T' first table shows t' original dimensions. Avast! Aye aye! T' second table shows t' true scale lengths (based on table 1), and should be used if you are turnin' your own nosecones. Blimey! T' third table assumes you are usin' t' standard Estes nosecones, and t' tube lengths are adjusted t' better match t' original proportions. Blimey! Aye aye! Please note that t' Cherokee-D was available in two lengths, shiver me timbers, so both are listed. Blimey! Der Red Max was also available as Der Big Red Max, me hearties, and those dimensions are given as well.

Also in table 2 is a column called ‘% o' Full Size.’ This be t' scale o' t' rocket, arrr, ya bilge rat, and be t' number that each dimension o' t' full sized plan was multiplied by. Ahoy! For example, t' Big Bertha downscale is 33% as large as t' full sized version. This number was found by dividin' t' diameter o' t' BT-5 (13.8mm) by t' diameter o' t' larger tube, shiver me timbers, and roundin' off t' two decimal places. I used 1/16-inch balsa for all o' t' fins.

Paint t' match t' originals, and don’t forget t' decals! Tango Papa Decals can do downscaled decal sets for t' Goblin, Cherokee-D, and Der Red Max. Believe me, me bucko, these decals are works o' art! Tom Prestia did a page for me that included complete sets for all three. Contact him at:

You can see t' Tango Papa web page here: http://www.tangopapadecals.com/index.html

These little screamers fly great, ya bilge rat, and give you another reason t' buy 1/4A’s or Micro Maxx’s!