Model Rocket Building Blog
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 1 PartsHere's the big one, the The Launch Pad PERSHING MGM-31A. It's about the same size as the old Estes Maxi-Brute Pershing at 39.75" tall. The Estes kit was 41" tall, BT-101 at 3.938" diameter. Lots of parts, balsa strips and nine centering rings. Below the ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Builld, Part 2, Engine MountThe black Letramax centering rings should be wiped off with a paper towel before handling. The laser burnt edges will get black soot on everything. The fit of the rings was very tight over the engine mount tube. It took some sanding with 220 grit for a friction fit. This is a dry fit of ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 3, Engine MountAnytime you install a replaceable Kevlar tube, cut it back away from the top of the engine mount tube. It doesn't have to be flush with the top of the centering ring. The engine mount is glued into the BT-80 "Exhaust Tube". Recess the lower ring 1 3/4" up from the end of the tube. My square ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 4, FinsThe fins and upper built-up fin pieces are cut out of the balsa. There is sheet balsa and strip balsa provided. You'll need enough parts for the three lower fins and pieces for the upper fin frames. The upper wedge shaped fins: I centered and glued the interior support pieces on first. I ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 5 Upper Fin FramesI cut some 110 lb. card stock a little oversize. This shows the larger creased overlay skin set over the original kit card stock. Instead of gluing on the skin with white glue, a glue stick was used. I was concerned about the white glue shrinking and the card stock being pulled into the ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 6, Upper Fin Frame CoveringFor easier sanding, the card stock overhanging the fin frames got a coat of medium CA glue. I didn't cover the entire fin covering, just a little beyond the overhanging edges. This stiffens up the card stock for easier sanding and removal. When the card stock is sanded thin it will fold ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 7, Body Tube SeamsOn a tube this big I should have used the George Gassaway technique of masking and exposing just the seams for a shot of primer filler. I used my standard Titebond M&TG on a old knife blade to get the filler into the seams. The seams were wider than normal, that should have told me there ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 8, Shrouds!The Pershing profile is made up of three separate sections. From the bottom up, the BT-100 lower body tube, the middle section is made up of three nested shroud sections, the top is a conical balsa nose cone. I didn't want to use the three kit supplied shroud sections and take the risk of ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 9, Shrouds!I thought the TLP Pershing long taper would be one piece like the old Estes Maxi Brute Pershing. On the Estes version, the nose cone was a huge blow molded thing. The entire nose cones was ejected. On the TLP Pershing, only the balsa nose cone at the top is ejected. The three shrouds are well ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 10, #1 Top ShroudThe three shrouds and centering ring supports make up a well supported assembly. The top smallest shroud is flush with the top of the interior BT-60 tube. A centering ring is slid in until it butts up against the inside wall of the shroud. You've got to be careful not to press the ring in too ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 11, Chute DiskA "Parachute Compartment Disk" is glued in 3" from the back of the upper BT-60 tube. It's not a baffle but keeps the parachute from sliding rearward during boost. This keeps the C/G forward. A few years ago I had a terrible time trying to get one of these parachute disks into position. I ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 12, #2 Shroud, Interior Rings and TubesThe second shroud is set with the seam turned 120 degrees from the top shroud seam. This is for strength and a smoother finished large cone. It helps to mark the seam position on the upper shrouds. Dry fit shroud #2 into shroud 31. It will fit into the base of #1 about an inch. Turn the ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 13, Shroud Rings and FittingTIP: Enlarge the picture at the right to see the slight notch recess cut into the outside of the centering ring. The notch allows for a better fit underneath the glue tab overlap. It'll be hard enough to fill this raised tab without it being any higher than it needs to be. Under a ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 14, Low Shroud Fit and TrimI wanted to use very little white glue on the centering ring / shroud joint. To remove most of the glue a Q-tip end was "sharpened" by rolling between my fingertips. It would be very hard to remove most the glue, the joint is very tight and hard to get to. A little glue was applied to the tip ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 15, Shroud Seam FillsWhen filling and sanding the seam filler you've got to be careful! The overhanging edge of the above shrouds will be sanded down slightly when the filler is sanded. After the first round of filler sanding some CA glue was brushed over the upper shroud lip only . This still left the card stock ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 16, Primer Sand on the ShroudWhile the instructions don't say anything about filling the steps between the shrouds, the instructions do say to coat the 110 lb. card stock shrouds with CA glue to strengthen them. Think ahead - The CWF filler is water based and won't stick to the CA sealed cardstock. I waited until the ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 17, More Primer Sanding on the ShroudHere's the big shroud after the first primer sand. From the top down you can see the white centering rings. The ring below the beige filler is the area of most concern. That's the one you could possibly sand through. Just be aware of that area and be careful when sanding around it. Lightly ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 18, Nose Cone WeightTwo large washers are provided for nose weight. These are glued together. On the left you can see a raised lip on the inside circle. I lightly filed down the raised edges for better flat glue contact. The instructions recommend a "quality white glue" to glue them together. You would ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 19, Tunnels, Before and AfterThe next two posts cover shaping the upper, flat tunnels. On the left is the fit before sanding the underside contour. The instructions give dimensions but don't mention fitting it to the body tube. The inset picture shows the tunnel after sanding the curve. The fit is much better and ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 20, Tunnels ContourTIP: Sometimes you get a better fit sanding the underside curve on a smaller body tube than what is used in the kit. The only large (smaller) tube I had was on my Estes V2. (That V2 will get repainted someday.) A smaller diameter tube takes more balsa off of the underside center making a ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 21, Face Card PhotoThe three shroud seams take extra time to fill. On the face card you can see a shadow in the middle area, probably the tab of shroud #2. The instructions show where decals and trim will go. The face card shows a bold Press Roman serif style. The instructions show an Ariel or Universe ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 22, Front Fin PlatesIn this TLP kit the fin plates are 1/16" thick balsa bent and glued around the contour of the body tube. I wanted my plates thicker and flat, closer to the Estes Pershing plates. I cut new fin plates pieces from 1/8" and 1/16" thick balsa. I don't have scale data and couldn't any online. ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 23, Rear Fin ShapingThe rear fins on the Pershing are tapered. The instructions show the center line of the taper in one drawing but don't mention to shape them. I've been looking online for more scale data but didn't come up with much. The face card picture shows the fins flat and squared. I'll take extra time on ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 24, Rear Fin ShapingThe upper and lower tapers are sanded first concentrating on just the edge. The blackened edge gives more contrast making it easier to sand the knife edge evenly. So far I've only sanded a taper about 3/16" off the leading and trailing edges. Now sand towards the penciled center line. ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 25, More Scale Data!Thanks to links from Eero Fluge, I have a good scale drawing of the Pershing! This is from the January 1970 issue of Model Rocketry magazine - CLICK HERE Looks like I'm going to have to remake the fin vane pads. I was pretty much guessing and going by what I could see in the Estes ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 26, New Thicker FinsMuch of this was probably covered when the first set of fins were shaped. I'll try to cover other points of the fin shaping. This style of this fin is important, it comes up often on scale rockets. The first try at the fins looked too thin after sanding the diamond wedge taper in the 1/8" ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 27, New Thicker FinsAs you sand the upper half you will sand through the pencil center line towards the outside tip. (Shown here in a dashed line) The pencil line below is what was sanded off. When the bottom half is sanded the center line should become straight again. When sanding a fin of this shape it will ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 28, New Fins and PadsOn the left is the first try with the 1/8" thick fins. On the right is the laminated 3/16" thick basswood. The 1/16" thickness difference gives better definition of the wedge shape especially down the high center line. All three fins finished - Whew! These took a while to shape but the ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 29, New Fin Vane PadsI used the 2" machine square to mark the fin pads for sanding. The machine square has been indispensable in my model building for marking and checking 90 degree angles. To get the curve at the top of the pad, 220 grit sandpaper was wrapped around a BT-60 tube. The vane was held at a 90 ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 30, Primer/Filer and SandAfter sanding down the CWF on the vane pads the edges were coated with medium CA glue. The CWF is brittle and would break off the edges. After the CA glue dried the pieces were sanded smooth with 400 grit. The fins and pads were stuck down to a board for primer spraying. The fins were ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 31, Fin AssembliesThe fins were very lightly glued to the pads to mark them for primer coat removal. I only used enough glue to hold the fin on for a pencil line around the edges. The fins were removed and the primer scraped off just inside the pencil lines. I tend to sand off most of the gray primer so there ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 32, Really Odd InstructionA little backtracking . . . Usually I follow instructions - but not this time. Step 31 tells you to glue on the fins, let dry then bend them until they break loose. After the fins are glued on, "You will probably find they have a bit more play than they should. (Mine didn't show any "play" or ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 33, Thinner PadsLook at the fin pad thickness on the old Estes Maxi Brute Pershing kit, #1268. I made mine about the same thickness, this is what I remembered them to be. You can see the Estes instructions at Jim Z's: CLICK HERE Doing web image searches I finally found a close shot of the forward ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 34, Thinner Pad ProblemDid you ever have one of those kits you just can't get right? This is not a problem with components supplied with The Launch Pad kits. It comes from me trying to enhance and add to a perfectly fine kit. I've spent some time correcting my errors. When I went back to thin the thickness of the ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 35, Fin GluingThe fins positions were marked using the kit provided marking guide. The fin pads were held in place and a pencil line traced around the edges. For better adhesion, 220 sandpaper was used to rough up the fin pad area inside the pencil line. The fin pads were glued on. The upper cable ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 36, Detail Wrap and Engine MountThe Estes instructions and my scale data show a retention band right below the upper stage fins. I'll use a card stock wrap just under .10" wide. There was a second band even with the top of the body tube. I won't be adding the upper wrap. On this model the nose cone shroud assembly goes over the ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 37, Small Cable TunnelsThe thinner rounded cable tunnels are glued between the upper and lower fins. Sight down the body tube and double check alignment. The thinner balsa tunnel is easy to set down crooked. One tunnel set goes between two fins as shown above. The other tunnel set is in line with the fins. All ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 38, Dang!I play guitar so I've got fingernails. I try to be careful when sanding but I scratched and scarred a balsa fin pad! TIP: A water based filler (like CWF) won't stick to the gray primer. Squadron Putty has solvents (sticks and fills plastic model joints) and was used on the scratches. While the ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 39, Launch LugsOkay, I'm a low power guy, I still use launch lugs. I know, I should be using rail buttons. This model will get 3/16" lugs. The TLP instructions don't mention the position of the lug. Forum posts have said that TLP leaves that up to the builder. The kit supplied lug looks like a plastic soda ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 40, Paint!A light shot of white shows some lines running down the Titebond M&TG fillets. The inset picture is after some light sanding with 400 grit wrapped around a Q-tip for cushioned sanding. Light sanding takes down the ridges. The paint that is left even helps fill the slight furrows. You can be ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 41, More Paint!The Rustoleum green wasn't close to olive drab. With a 40% off coupon for Hobby Lobby I bought some Model Master paint at a reasonable price. This is probably the best hobby paint out there. Great coverage and the small can goes pretty far. With the body tube at about 4" diameter you can fit ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 42, More Paint ProgressHere's the lower body after spray painting with the Testor's olive drab. That little three ounce can covered the entire lower body and there should be enough left for the lower nose section. The orange strips are next. I'll use the Estes Pershing instructions for guidance. Decals could be ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 43, The Orange Bands - Part 1A strip of paper was wrapped and pressed into the tunnel joints to get a width estimate for the orange bands. The orange bands were cut off the painted orange self adhesive label sheet. The Estes kit band decals were 1" wide. Everything in this slightly smaller (BT-100) Pershing was ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 44, The Orange Bands - Part BThe backing was peeled off and the orange strips set in place, the ends against the lower tunnels. I was concerned about the Avery label paper being advertised with "Ultrahold Adhesive". It did allow for placement, lifting and re-positioning before being burnished down with a Q-tip. Why did I ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 45, Upper Orange Band - Part CThe upper orange band is broken up into six segments on one side, the band is solid on the other. A line of masking tape was used for horizontal alignment. TIP: Before setting the alignment masking tape on the model, it was pressed on my pant leg and removed a few times to cut back on the ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 45A, Self Stick or Decals?A comment from Jim on April 3, "Found a build thread on the rocketry forum for the Estes Pershing complete with pictures of the kit parts and the orange decals are clearly the peel and stick type. However the author mentions that the instructions describe the stripes as water slides!" Thanks ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 46, Nose Section Mask AThe lower part of the long nose section is painted olive drab. I did a tracing of the curved bands from the Estes decal scan to get near the proper curve for the masking strip. This slightly down scaled decal scan will also be used to make a template for the upper, horizontal orange bands. ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 47, Nose Section Mask BTIP: Notice how the tape is being pulled away - down and away from the mask line! I get the cleanest mask lines this way. It's worth a try, anyway. Where the Scotch tape strips overlapped there was a small bleed under the edge. This would happen even with the most expensive masking tapes. ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 48, Testor's Model Master Paint! TIPA post featuring a paint can? This paint is that important. And the weiner is - The single , small 3 oz. can of Testors Model Master paint was enough to paint the entire LARGE Pershing model! There is probably enough left to paint the cardstock charge ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 49, Upper Section Black BandsWhen I printed up the nose cone marking guides from JimZs, it ended up too large. I tried to use it anyway, extending the marks to the center. Using a knife and straight edge, wedge cuts were made. This was slipped over the nose section to give an idea how the back vertical strips will be ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 50, Upper Section Orange BandsThe horizontal orange nose bands were scaled and traced earlier. This template was simply taped to more of the orange sprayed label paper and cut out. Three were made. Directly below the left side of a black vertical stripe, the low olive drab section was marked for the left edge of the ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 51, Charge Retainer, Part AEarlier on, I took a break from the orange bands to figure out the size of the charge retainer. These will be cut from card stock, painted olive drab and glued in place over the U.S. ARMY name. The charge retainers were on the Estes centering ring card sheet. The centering ring scan on the JimZ ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 52, Charge Retainer, Part BAfter cutting out the double thickness cardboard there is some raised edges. First, roll the edges down with a burnisher. The edges will have to be sanded flat and clean. The edges got a run over with medium CA applied with a Q-tip. This hardens the sides and allows for sanding with 400 ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing , Finished - For Now!The model still needs the white vinyl U.S. ARMY on the upper section. That will be added after I figure out the font and where to get it cut locally. When the "U.S. ARMY is placed, the card stock charge retainers are set on top of ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 53, Applying VinylI got the vinyl lettering, so back to finishing up the TLP Pershing: I saw an Ebay listing for custom vinyl. For around $10.00, RapidVinyl.com cut two sets of U.S. ARMY lettering for me. When applying vinyl sometimes you tape one side and make a "hinge". In this case I marked the outside ...[Read More]
TLP Pershing #K046 Build, Part 54, Gluing the Charge RetainersHere's how the vinyl lettering looks with the shroud back in place. I'll glue the shroud base and install the parachutes now. The kit supplied a 30" oval shaped Mylar parachute. I might change it out for two 18" Odd'l Rocket chutes. The charge retainers glue right over the vinyl type. ...[Read More]
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