All Rocketry Blogs

 Rocketry Product: Quest - Nike Smoke {Kit} (2007) [1994-]

Model Rocket Building: Quest OOP Nike Smoke Build Part 1 (2010-07-16)

I've always liked the Nike Smoke with it's clean, rakish lines. That long nose cone and fluorescent fins really set it off. The parts available from Quest are very reasonable. The Nike nose cone is ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Quest OOP Nike Smoke Build Part 2 (2010-07-16)

The original instruction specs say the rocket is 19.5" long. The plastic nose cone is 8 3/8" exposed. The fin can is 2.5" tall. For everything to add up to the overall length of 19.5", I cut some ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Quest OOP Nike Smoke Build Part 3 (2010-07-17)

Here's the fin can as it came out of the box. It's pretty clean, except for the edges. All four fins will have to be squared up with a sanding block. To make it easier, I'll mask and paint it off ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Quest OOP Nike Smoke Build Part 4 (2010-07-17)

Two strips were cut off the Popsicle stick, 3/16" X 1 1/2" The original Nike Smoke kit had a thick plastic lug measuring 1 1/2" long. Both were glued together with white glue. Clothespin clamps held ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Quest OOP Nike Smoke Build Part 5 (2010-07-18)

Just to test paint adhesion on the plastic, I lightly sprayed the fin can with gray primer and let it dry. I stuck masking tape down on the dried paint and pulled the tape off quickly. I didn't lift ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: OOP Quest Nike Smoke Build Part 6 (2010-07-18)

Those bright orange centering rings won't look great on a scale model. Well, if on any rocket, the orange might go along with the fluorescent red and yellow fins on the Nike Smoke! Still, I didn't ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: OOP Quest Nike Smoke Build Part 7 (2010-07-20)

The nose cone replacement came quickly from Quest. When I joined the two sides there was a pretty evident seam. I don't know if it's an old piece of plastic or an old mold. There was a warp and the ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: OOP Quest Nike Smoke Build Part 8 (2010-07-20)

Here you can see the deep seams down the sides of the nose cone. I'm going to fill the seams the same way I did the scratches on the fin can. Before filling, I used 220 grit sandpaper on a block, ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: OOP Quest Nike Smoke Build Part 9 (2010-07-21)

That dried CA is very hard and will take some careful sanding with 220 grit on a block, followed by 400 grit. While sanding the CA down to the seams I took a little off the plastic "transitional" ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: OOP Quest Nike Smoke Build Part 10 (2010-07-21)

Here's the nose cone sprayed white and finished. One of the filled seams is facing the camera, right above and next to the light relection. Filling the seams was a more work than I would have liked ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: OOP Quest Nike Smoke Build Part 11 (2010-07-22)

This is a complicated fin mask. With all the angled tapering at the root edge and the ends, there is eight masking lines on each fin. Or to put it another way, each fin will have eight pieces of ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: OOP Quest Nike Smoke Build Part 12 (2010-07-25)

Here's the complete mask, ready for the fluorescent Red/Orange. As I mentioned before, this is a complex mask. It required twenty pieces of Scotch tape just around the fin root edges. On top of ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: OOP Quest Nike Smoke Build Part 13 (2010-07-25)

Here's the dry fit, awaiting the stenciled "UNITED STATES" decal. The decal has been drawn up on Corel Draw. I'm waiting on another project so I can print for two rockets on one decal sheet. After ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: OOP Quest Nike Smoke Finished! Decals (2010-08-22)

I finally printed off the Nike Smoke decals today. Usually I'll wait until a few models are ready for decals, three rockets were combined on one sheet so there wasn't much waste. The decals were ... [Read More]

Rocket Dungeon: Finding the speed of Quest plastic (2010-07-07)

Not long ago, I decided to fly all my 'collectable' motors.  Next up is a G125-15.  I think I'll put it in my 29mm Quest Nike Smoke .  I'm going to try to restrain myself and keep ... [Read More]

Rocket Dungeon: Reviews: Three Nike Smoke-like objects (2011-01-27)

This post describes: a Quest Nike Smoke modified for 29mm motors; a cloned, stretched Smoke with a functional nose cone; and some Nike Smoke parts merged with a Tiny Tim booster. Nike Smoke (29mm) ... [Read More]

Rocket Dungeon: The Dungeon's Top 10 of 2013 (2013-12-24)

Here is my annual list of things (mostly rocket related) that made me happy and captured my imagination. As usual, in no particular order: 1. Estes released the 29mm E16 and F15 BP motors. ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Krylon Disappoints - Again! (2015-05-01)

Months back I searched everywhere for fluorescent red-orange and found it at Lowe's. It was Krylon, a brand I rarely use. No other brand I found had the red-orange color. The can is new, never ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Nike / Evader? (2016-02-15)

Sometimes the burst mode on a cheaper camera can distort the images. That's why so many of my posted launch shots haven't cleared the launcher. On the left is my MPC / Quest Nike Smoke on a Quest ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: NARCON Manufacturers Forum (2021-01-30)

The "virtual" NARCON is actually a great value at $25.00, considering you usually pay for  gas, hotel and food.  The Zoom style broadcast had some issues. T he format is fairly new to all ... [Read More]