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Sport Rocketry / Scale Models / Honest John
New Estes Honest John Released (2015-10-02)
Estes has just released the new BT-60 based version of the Honest John. Retail price is $26.99 To see it, CLICK HERE Some Specs: Skill Level 3 Length: 22.9 in. (58.2 cm) Diameter: 1.64 in. (42 mm) ... [Read More]
The BIG Fix, Estes Honest John, Part 1 (2016-12-07)I hope I'm not the only one who has done this! My first D12-5 flight of the Estes Honest John looked great! I picked it up and walked it back to my car. I didn't notice this until I got home. It was ... [Read More]
The BIG Fix, Estes Honest John, Part 2 (2016-12-08)I'll have to make a coupler that will fit around the TTW fins tabs right above the cut engine mount tube. A short segment of BT-50H was cut into quarters. The sides were trimmed more to allow space ... [Read More]
Estes Honest John to EAC Firecat? (2020-03-18)After looking closer at the Estes E.A.C. Firecat kit, I thought at first the fins might be from the old K-27 Honest John kit. The instructions have you cut up the HoJo die-cut balsa to make the ... [Read More]
Old OOP MPC Launcher & Controller Part 1 (2011-04-11)This is a recent Ebay purchase. Here's how the box looked after I opened the outside shipping carton. The cardboard was water damaged. It looked like it had been stored in a barn with a leaky roof! ... [Read More]
EBAY Auction Cox Starter Set (2011-05-12)Here's another rare EBAY find. This is the complete shrink wrapped Cox Model Rocket starter set. It featured their RTF Honest John. The Cox rockets were made from the same tough plastic as their ... [Read More]
EBAY Auction Cox Starter Set (2011-06-14)Here's another rare EBAY find. This is the complete shrink wrapped Cox Model Rocket starter set. It featured their RTF Honest John. The Cox rockets were made from the same tough ... [Read More]
TRF Forum Bully? (2011-06-29)Before I go on, I should clarify something about the building techniques I use. Here's a condensed version of what I wrote in the first blog post, almost one year ago: "Everyone has their own ... [Read More]
Tampa TTRA Launch November 19. 2011 (2011-11-21)I almost didn't go to the Tampa TTRA launch today. I had a evening show scheduled and realized the venue was only ten miles from the TTRA site! So, it was a launch in the afternoon then banjos at ... [Read More]
Mini Honest John Build Part 1 Parts (2012-02-05)The Mini Honest John parts are all pretty standard, except for the blow molded nose cone which is as long as the main airframe tube. The laser cut fins seem very small. Some TRF posts have talked ... [Read More]
Mini Honest John Build Part 2 Engine Mount (2012-02-06)Here's the parts for the engine mount. I marked the yellow space tube at 5/16" from one end. Instead of putting glue in the BT-5 motor mount tube and pushing the block into place with the yellow ... [Read More]
Mini Honest John Build Part 3 Engine Mount (2012-02-07)The fit of the thick adapter rings was very loose on the BT-5 engine mount tube. A line of white glue was applied to the inside of the ring to build up the edge. After it dried, the ring had a ... [Read More]
Mini Honest John Build Part 4 Engine Mount (2012-02-08)This kit uses the standard tri-fold shock cord mount. That method works okay, but could obstruct the parachute at ejection especially in smaller diameter body tubes. I upgraded to Kevlar and an ... [Read More]
Mini Honest John Build Part 5 Nose Cone (2012-02-09)The blow molded nose cone was very well made. A slight seam was down the length both sides. This seam could be easily sanded smooth with no gap filling. It's hard to make out in the picture, but the ... [Read More]
Mini Honest John Build Part 6 Laser Cut Fins (2012-02-09)At group launches, sometimes you'll see flying models with the burnt laser cut edges under the paint. The tabs haven't even been sanded off. If the tabs are left on, the root edge gluing surface ... [Read More]
Mini Honest John Build Part 7 Fin Shaping 1 (2012-02-10)From the instructions: "Use alternative fin profile for a more scale like appearance." (That's the way it's worded.) The dimensions are wrong. 5/32" or 40mm? They meant to say 4mm. 17/32" or 135mm ... [Read More]
Mini Honest John Build Part 8 Fin Shaping 2 (2012-02-10)While the pictures show one side of the fins being sanded, here's what the leading edge would look like. As mentioned before, I don't sand to a knife edge but leave the top a little square for ... [Read More]
Mini Honest John Build Part 9 Fin Shaping 3 (2012-02-11)When sanding the upper and lower surfaces flat, it helps to set the block edge to the side of the high point pencil line. While sanding, constantly check the diamond shape profile on the root and ... [Read More]
Mini Honest John Build Part 10 Engine Mount Install (2012-02-12)Gluing an engine mount doesn't get much easier than this. Apply a light bead of glue with the end of a dowel 1 1/2" inside the end of the body tube. The instructions show a glue bottle being used to ... [Read More]
Mini Honest John Build Part 11 Gluing Fins (2012-02-13)The trailing edges of these fins glue even with the end of the body tube and centering ring. Extend the pencil marks around the back and onto the centering ring. When fins are glued even with the ... [Read More]
Mini Honest John Build Part 12 Paint Problems (2012-02-14)I've been using the Rustoleum 2X Painter's Touch paint with good results - up until now. After fillets, the HoJo was primed with Duplicolor Gray and sanded smooth. I followed that up with a nearly ... [Read More]
Mini Honest John Build Part 13 Fin Mask (2012-02-14)Looking at the Peter Alway drawings, three of the HoJo fins are painted black. With the wedge taper of the fins, this is not one of the easier masks. I used my standard Scotch tape strips to mask ... [Read More]
Mini Honest John Build Build Part 14 Fin Mask Reveal (2012-02-15)This is two facing fins where the masked came out clean. Not all the fins came out this good! I will have to go back and touch up some masking "tears." There wasn't any bleeding under the tape but ... [Read More]
Apogee Peak Of Flight Article Newsletter #306 (2012-02-15)My third article for the Apogee Peak Of Flight newsletter was published yesterday. You can see it HERE This article explains how to create that sharp paint line around the perimeter of a nose cone. ... [Read More]
Mini Honest John Build Part 15 Scale Factor for Masking (2012-02-16)The real M-50 Honest John diameter is 23". The model diameter is a BT-50 at .976" 23" divided by .976" = a scaling factor of 23.56 All the measurements on the Peter Alway drawings will be divided by ... [Read More]
Mini Honest John Build Part 16 Nose Cone Mask (2012-02-16)To really get a grasp of how to mask a nose cone, go to the Apogee Peak Of Flight newsletter HERE I wrote an article in much more detail on how to do a nose cone mask. The article shows a simple one ... [Read More]
Mini Honest John Build Part 17 Nose Cone Masking (2012-02-17)The mask for the black band around the nose cone was a little more complicated, it has a masked on both curved sides. The Scotch tape was cut on the window as before and marked with a wide permanent ... [Read More]
Mini Honest John Build Part 18 Nose Cone Masking (2012-02-17)As this mask was closer to the tip, the masking strip of tape wasn't very wide. Even though the mask strip was cut in a smaller tighter curve, I had to cut it to about 1/8" wide to conform to the ... [Read More]
Mini Honest John Build Part 19 Body Roll Pattern (2012-02-18)John Boren from Estes R&D posted the original proposed decal pattern for the Mini Honest John on YORF a while back. You can see the PDF HERE All the bars are right at .25" wide. A copy was ... [Read More]
Mini Honest John Build Part 20 Body Roll Pattern (2012-02-18)For a reference, two copies of the HoJo body decal were printed on 20 lb. paper, not decal stock. One was used to keep track of the roll pattern. The top third of the second sheet was cut off and ... [Read More]
Mini Honest John Finished (2012-02-19)The model is still due for a coat of dullcoat. If you haven't tried the blackboard Contact Paper yet, it is a great trim material. The six foot roll was about $6.00 at Michael's crafts. I'll tie in ... [Read More]
Micro Bullying on TRF (2012-08-14)This is a copy of a message sent to a "Micro" Rocketry Forum member. I sent this letter after many negative responses to forum posts I've made over the past five years. ... [Read More]
Questions? Good Questions and a Tip (2012-11-24)Here's some questions and answers to Dana who wrote me at: oddlrockets@bellsouth.net Question 4 is actually pretty cool idea from Dana - Hi Dana, Thanks for writing, I'll do my ... [Read More]
Honest John K-27 Decals (2013-10-30)I was thinking about building a clone of the Estes Honest John, K-27. Years back it was a challenge to build with the nose cone shroud, diamond tapered fins and spin nacelles. I found a ... [Read More]
FlisKits MMX Crayon Build Part 1, Parts (2014-02-02)I haven't built a MMX rocket in a while. They are great first launch of the day models to test the controller, rod angle and winds. This one is almost a minimum diameter and should be fast with good ... [Read More]
ModelRockets.US Instructions (2015-02-09)I like seeing a sample of kit instructions before buying a kit. Sometimes I won't buy a model if the instructions aren't good. I found this page showing the instructions for the ModelRockets.US ... [Read More]
The Micro Fleet (2015-04-24)Here's the active MicroMaxx fleet. I built and flew a lot of Micro models when I got back into rocketry. They are perfect small field flyers. I just wish the delays were a little longer. Any ... [Read More]
FlisKits Honest John Build, Part 1, Parts (2015-05-14)I've built one of these before, it is one of my favorite MMX models. A reliable, high flyer. My first HoJo has over 20 flights and is showing it's age. The kit parts are high quality. The body ... [Read More]
FlisKits Honest John Build, Part 2, Engine Mount (2015-05-15)Here's the parts for the HoJo engine mount. You'll need a MMX engine casing to place the engine block. The engine block center is removed. Be careful, it peels out like a Pillsbury flaky biscuit. ... [Read More]
FlisKits Honest John Build, Part 3, Engine Mount Kevlar (2015-05-16)The MMX kit Kevlar seemed a little thin. I've had this thin cord burn through before. I replace it with thicker Kevlar. A simple overhand knot was pressed into the glue fillet. The ... [Read More]
FlisKits Honest John Build, Part 4, Fin Shaping (2015-05-17)Glue the small launch lugs to the standoffs. When setting parts this small it helps to use tweezers. I found it easier using very little white glue. Once that dried, fillets were added. There ... [Read More]
FlisKits Honest John Build, Part 5, Fin Shaping (2015-05-19)Use a sanding block to shape these diamond shaped fins. This the top edges first. Don't thin it to a "razor edge", leave a little of the squared top. With the edge black you can see how thick the ... [Read More]
FlisKits Honest John Build, Part 6, Primer, Fin Gluing and Paint (2015-05-20)The fins and lugs were stuck down on their root edges for a shot of primer. The body tube was set on a dowel end for a primer coat. The kit supplied marking guide ends didn't quite match up. I ... [Read More]
FlisKits Honest John Build, Part 7, Decal Re-Draw (2015-05-21)I drew up some decals the first time I made the MMX Honest John. These were a downsize of the old Estes kit decals I didn't space them accurately, there was a lot of cutting apart and moving ... [Read More]
FlisKits Honest John Finished (2015-05-22)On the left is my older Fliskit Honest John, it has 21 flights. On the right is the new replacement. Since the first Honest John build in 2010, my decals are turning out better. The ink is ... [Read More]
FlisKits Honest John Build, Part 8, Mask and Decals (2015-05-23)Whoops! This one should have gone in earlier - after Part 7 and before "Finished". After a day or two I'll get them in order. Here's the mask for the black paint. The same is repeated on the ... [Read More]
Coming Soon from Estes (2015-06-27)Estes has some new kits unveiled in their Coming Soon page - CLICK HERE A larger Maxi-Brute sized HONEST JOHN was shown at a past NARAM. This one is smaller, BT-60 based. To me, a more ... [Read More]
Top Ten list for 2015 (2015-12-19)Here's this year's TOP 10 . . . #10 is the worst counting down to #1 , or the best build and news of the year. (These are simply my picks, based on the build and flight experience and blog ... [Read More]
New Estes Kit? (2016-04-28)I don't know what this is . . . When you go to the Estes website and look at the Upcoming Nike Smoke kit, this comes up as the parts picture. CLICK HERE and go to "Additional Images". That is a ... [Read More]
Cox Nike Zeus Starter Outfit On Ebay (2019-01-28)Here's a rare, mint item on Ebay - Complete Cox rocket starter set in their boxes. The plastic wrap is gone - Nike Zeus rocket (early gap staging), Cox launcher and controller and ... [Read More]
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