Model Rocket Building Blog 
Model Rocket Building Posts
Rocketry Product: Starlight Rockets - Jay Hawk {Kit} (4353)
Starlight Jayhawk Build Part 1 Parts (2011-03-22)
This build will be a little different. I wanted to replicate the look of the older Centuri Jayhawk . While the Starlight version doesn't have a tail cone, we'll add one . A flare tube with half nose ... [Read More]
Starlight Jayhawk Build Part 2 Engine Mount (2011-03-23)With the addition of the cut shroud, here's the supplied engine mount parts from the kit. The engine hook won't be used. The Starlight 20/50 centering rings aren't as thick as I'm used to. The ... [Read More]
Starlight Jayhawk Build Part 3 Engine Mount (2011-03-24)The three shroud copies were rolled and glued. I usually pick the best fitting shroud from the three made. The other two are thrown away. The line you see is pencil showing the tab overlap. TIP: ... [Read More]
Starlight Jayhawk Build Part 4 Engine Mount (2011-03-25)The engine block is glued flush with the top of the engine mount tube. The older Centuri instructions have you apply glued to the tube and slide the centering rings over and onto the glue. I ... [Read More]
Starlight Jayhawk Build Part 5 Fin Fitting (2011-03-25)With the addition of the tail cone assembly, you'll have to cut 1.4" from the supplied BT-50 tube. This will get you close to the slightly upscaled Centuri version. The engine mount / shroud assembly ... [Read More]
Starlight Jayhawk Build Part 6 Fin Fitting (2011-03-26)After setting the root edge of the fin on the body tube and shroud, a tick mark was made at the start of the shroud taper. One side of some scrap balsa was sanded square and then glued to the fin's ... [Read More]
Starlight Jayhawk Build Part 7 Fin Cuts (2011-03-27)Looking at the original size fin templates from the Centuri kit, the Starlight version looks to be an accurate (slight) upscale. The corner angle on the added balsa piece needs to be trimmed. I ... [Read More]
Starlight Jayhawk Build Part 8 Fin Taper (2011-03-28)Referring back to the Centuri Magnum Jayhawk instructions, I had a better idea how the leading edges of the fins and tips should be sanded. I tapered the main fin leading edge 0.20" from the front ... [Read More]
Starlight Jayhawk Build Part 9 Fin Taper (2011-03-28)The rudders had a different taper front and rear. The outside leading edge was only tapered facing the outside (one side) to just over 0.10". The trailing edge had a narrower taper of about 0.08"on ... [Read More]
Starlight Jayhawk Build Part 12 Half Flare Tube (2011-03-30)To get a close approximation of the tunnel size and diameter, I up sized the Centuri Magnum Jayhawk drawings on my computer monitor. This gives a rough visualization for the flare tunnel size and ... [Read More]
Starlight Jayhawk Build Part 13 Flare Tube Half Cone (2011-03-31)For the flare tube you'll need a half nose cone for the top. I used a Quest MicroMaxx (#9528) nose cone. I've drawn a pencil line around the nose cone where I want it to split. Rather than just ... [Read More]
Starlight Jayhawk Build Part 14 Flare Tube Fit (2011-04-01)Here's the final fit of the flare tube at the front. You can see I've got some paper rolled into the top to keep the gray primer out of the tube. This is the back end. Notice the second rear piece ... [Read More]
Starlight Jayhawk Build Part 15 White Undercoat (2011-04-03)I went ahead and did a primer and white undercoat before gluing on the fins. There is just too many areas around the tailcone and flare tube I wanted to be sure were smooth and filled. The fin lines ... [Read More]
Starlight Jayhawk Build Part 16 Rudder Fillets (2011-04-04)The rudders are glued on the main wings. To get a good bond, I used the "double glue" method. Here's the view from the rear. That's the rear of the flare tube on the top of the main tube. My friend ... [Read More]
Starlight Jayhawk Build Part 16A FIX! (2011-04-05)I don't know how this happened. In handling the model, I broke off a small piece of the tapered leading edge of a wing fin. I used some Carpenter's Wood Filler to fill the broken edge. I would have ... [Read More]
Starlight Jayhawk Build Part 17 Canard Placement (2011-04-06)To get a "near" correct position of the canards, I looked at the old Centuri Magnum instruction drawings. I kept messing with the enlargement until I got it to match the length of the model. Notice ... [Read More]
Starlight Jayhawk Build Part 18 Canard Placement (2011-04-07)Using the same small pin vise, a hole was drilled into the root edge of both canards. While drilling, keep turning and checking the canard to make sure the drill is going in straight. Two pins ends ... [Read More]
Starlight Jayhawk Build Part 19 Canard Placement (2011-04-08)This shows the canards in place. The canard on the left is set in it's hole, no glue yet. Here's the dry-fit Jayhawk up 'till now. I'm still deciding whether or not to paint the nose cone before ... [Read More]
Starlight Jayhawk Build Part 20 Orange Masking (2011-04-08)Sorry this shot is so out of focus! This is the white mask for the orange to follow. Clear Scotch tape went down first along the large wing/fin root edges. Masking tape went over that. All the edges ... [Read More]
Starlight Jayhawk Build Part 21 Nose Cone Masking (2011-04-09)The old Centuri instructions have you paint the entire nose cone black. After it dried, you stick the top into the engine mount then spray the entire rocket orange/red. I'm not convinced that's the ... [Read More]
Starlight Jayhawk Build Part 22 Nose Cone Masking (2011-04-09)When the ring reached the color separation point, it was slid down fairly tight against the nose cone surface. Not too tight - I didn't want the ring to mark up or scratch the white paint. The back ... [Read More]
Starlight Jayhawk Build Part 23 Nose Cone Masking (2011-04-10)After the tape was removed, I cut off the centering ring with wire cutters. after cutting, it lifted off easily. I didn't want to slide the ring off the front and smear or scratch the paint. After a ... [Read More]
Starlight Jayhawk Build Part 24 White Decals (2011-04-10)The Starlight kit includes decals, but these were printed on clear decal paper. The stars and bars decal on the wings need a white overcoat when set on the orange background paint. Someone on TRF (I ... [Read More]
Starlight Jayhawk Build Part 25 White Decals (2011-04-11)The tricky part was precutting out the white back ground just inside the stars and bars decal edges. The decal was taped down and the white sprayed decal paper set next to it. Using my straightedge ... [Read More]
Starlight Jayhawk Build Part 26 White Decals (2011-04-12)The white rectangle was set down first, followed by the white circle. TIP: I learned the trick to layered decals - let them dry before laying down the second and third layers! The three layers were ... [Read More]
Starlight Jayhawk FINISHED! (2011-04-13)The finished JAYHAWK This build was a good stretch. Adding the tailcone shroud, flare tube, moving the canards up on the nose cone and adding white to the decals took extra time but I think the ... [Read More]
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