Model Rocket Building Blog
ASP D Region Tomahawk Build, Part 1, PartsI've always like the D Region Tomahawk, a clean looking sounding rocket. The first on I put together was the old Competition Model Rocket version. I remember (unsuccessfully) trying to emboss rivets on the upper bands. This Aerospace Specialty Products kit should be much easier. Smaller with less ...[Read More]
ASP D Region Tomahawk Build, Part 2, Shock Cord & Engine BlockThat craft stick is used to apply glue inside the body tube. Mark the depth for the glue bead. Apply a drop of glue and rotate the stick end in the body tube. It'll probably take a few applications to get a line of glue all the way around the inside. The supplied yellow tube is used to push the ...[Read More]
ASP D Region Tomahawk Build, Part 3, Fin ShapingHere's two fins, one right off the sheet and the second after light sanding with 400 grit on a block. The laser "smoking" should be taken off. You can round the leading edges but I'm going for the scale wedge tapers on the leading edges. TIP: To make the fin marking easier, extend the lines beyond ...[Read More]
ASP D Region Tomahawk Build, Part 4, Fin ShapingWhen sanding a fin taper it's hard to see the edges on basswood or balsa. Here's one way to give a high contrast for a sharper sanded line. You'll be using a permanent marker on the leading edge. You don't want the ink to go deep into the wood, so the edges are sealed with CA glue applied ...[Read More]
ASP D Region Tomahawk Build, Part 5, Seam FillsThe nose cone is lightly sanded before filling. TIP: Don't round off the tip! Press the nose cone tip into your fingertip so the sandpaper can't roll over the top. TIP: A bit of the CWF was brushed over the shoulder edge all the way around the base of the cone. For now, just brush CWF near the ...[Read More]
ASP D Region Tomahawk Build, Part 6, Filling the Nose Cone and FinsBoth the tube and nose cone got a good single coat of Duplicolor Primer/Filler. Before sanding is on the left, after sanding is on the right. The fins were set on a piece of cardboard. Hold them down on some masking tape, sticky side up. The root edges are together to keep the paint out. Basswood ...[Read More]
ASP D Region Tomahawk Build, Part 7, Fin Gluing and FilletsThe rear root edge fin cut is set 1/4" up from the rear end of the body tube. To make it easier to line up, a pencil line was drawn at the end of the root edge. Fins and the launch lug were glued on. Notice the fins aren't even with the end of the body tube. On a small model like this I used wood ...[Read More]
ASP D Region Tomahawk Build, Part 8, Paint and New PaintI've finally given up on Rustoleum 2X paint! Over the past year, their gloss white has been iffy - some cans seem to be fine, others spatter or spray a rough coating. Even if you wait for the paint to totally dry you can still get crazing wrinkles. Maybe they've changed their formulation. It was ...[Read More]
ASP D Region Tomahawk Build, Part 9, First MaskHere's the D Region Tomahawk picture from the ASP website. Three black fins, one red fin. The upper body tube has two red sections. Above the nose cone shoulder is a brown band. The nose cone gets a brown tip. On the left is the Scotch tape mask. The wide red band goes down 1" from the top of the ...[Read More]
ASP D Region Tomahawk Build, Part 10, More MaskingA brown band goes on the base of the nose cone, 7/32" above the shoulder lip. On the left the nose cone has been lightly marked with pencil in four locations around the nose cone. I use more than one single mark, it makes alignment of the tape line much easier. To the right is the Scotch ...[Read More]
ASP D Region Tomahawk Build, Part 11, Fin MaskingThe D Region Tomahawk has three black fins and one red fin. Here's the mask for the single red fin. On the left is the Scotch tape surrounding the root edges. In the second picture a grocery bag is taped covering the rest of the model. This is the mask for the three black fins. I had good lines on ...[Read More]
ASP D Region Tomahawk Build, Part 12, Fin PlatesI probably could have sanded and shot the black root edges again but thought I'd take the easier way out. Most of the root edges will be covered by a fin plate decal so it doesn't have to be perfect. I used a fine point Sharpie right down the root edge fillet. It took a few passes to get a dark ...[Read More]
ASP D Region Tomahawk Build, Part 14, Folding and Cutting the Fin PlatesEmboss the fold lines before cutting out the fin plates. It's easier to make the fold lines while the pieces are still on the larger paper. I'm using the tip of a butter knife, the flat area above any serrations on the cut side of the knife. Most of the straight lines were cut with a new X-Acto ...[Read More]
ASP D Region Tomahawk Build, Part 13, New Fin PlatesI looked back at the Estes Tomahawk instructions and Peter Alway's Rockets Of The World for more information on the fin plate shape. The plates are slightly raised above the body tube so I decided to print them on 60 lb. card stock. This lighter card stock will also allow the plates to be folded ...[Read More]
ASP D Region Tomahawk Build, Part 16, Fin Plate Setting and StreamerThe backs of the card stock fin plates were sprayed with 3M 77 adhesive spray. Here's how the plates fit around the curve of the tube and with the folds tucked into the fin root edges. The great thing - the fin plates covered the bad and touched up mask lines. A Q-tip was used to gently press the ...[Read More]
ASP D Region Tomahawk Build, Part 15, Fin Plate Forming and AdhesionBend the long (already embossed) sides over a straight edge. You should be able to set the metal edge of a ruler into the embossed line. Press up with your fingertips. Crease the entire length of the fold. You'll have to go back and curve the bottom again after folding the sides. Here's the ...[Read More]
ASP D Region Tomahawk Build, Part 17, Nose Cone Tip PaintJust the very tip of the nose cone is brown. The instructions say you could dip the nose cone tip in paint, it's worth a try. The same brown from the nose cone base was sprayed into a baggie set in a mixing cup. The nose tip was dipped in the paint but I couldn't get an even line. I came back with ...[Read More]
ASP D Region Tomahawk Build,FinishedAll my experiences building and launching ASP kits has been very positive. The D Region Tomahawk has always been a favorite, very clean lines. This BT-5 based model should perform well even with a 1/2A3-4t engine. Sure, it would look best with a flat finish but I want to keep the model clean.[Read More]
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