Orders, Orders Orders!

Another BIG order of kits and accessories going off to Apogee!

This has been the busiest Summer of kit bagging so far -

National When Pigs Fly Day!

Featured on the Apogee Facebook page:

Celebrating 'When Pigs Fly' Day! Ever been told your idea is crazy, or that something will happen 'when pigs fly'? Today's your reminder that determination and a little bit of innovation can make even the most impossible-sounding dreams take flight. Just like the Pigasus rocket you'll find on our website. You can do this, we can help!

Odd'l F-16 Spotted

From the Estes Model Rockets Facebook page - 

"Built the SR-71 back in August, decided it needed an escort. The plan was one. Haha

Top left is Odd'l rockets F-16 with a few changes and extras. Loved this kit. Well thought out. Decals were ok, a bit thick.

Odd'l Adeptor Post from The Rocketry Forum

I recently purchased the Odd'l Rockets Adeptor in a batch of things I ordered from Apogee.

Unfortunately, I have bad legs and squatting or kneeling down on the ground requires assistance getting up most times.
I was concerned about how it would go for me with my old Estes basic launch stand...
When shopping around, I saw the Adeptor, and thought it could be a solution for me.

The Adeptor is one of the greatest gadgets I have purchased throughout my on-again-off-again affair with rocketry.
Take a look:

This may not be news to anyone here, but it appears it will be a life-saver for me!

That's an old tripod that I got way, way back in my college days that has been one of those things that I've always kept with me, thinking that it may prove useful one day.
Standing there with no legs extended lifts the launch platform well up into my bend-down zone. And the crank-it-up is still there to be used yet if needed.

You can see the remnants of the old Estes launch stand there, and how much better this "new" launch stand will be for me.

A big THANK YOU goes out to Odd'l Rockets !

Thanks for listening!
smp

Alex Palm's Blue Angel F-18 Hornet

Alex Palm posted pictures of his Odd'l Rockets F-18 on the Estes Model Rocket page on Facebook - 

"My latest build. The Odd'l Rockets F-18 Hornet. Blue Angels version."

Where did you get the Blue Angels decals?

• "I was able to order them from Ebay 1/72 scale. Just do a keyword search for Blue Angels decals. I also saw them in 1/48 scale too."

I searched on Ebay and may have found the decals Alex used:

CLICK HERE

Little Green Man's Cousin?

From the Facebook group - Estes Model Rockets - 

Tom Flint posted:

"Since the Odd’l Rockets Little Green Man is no longer available, I made my own using BT-80 size tube."

Note from Chris:

The Little Green Man is available again through your favorite vendors.

Odd'l Rockets F-104 Starfighter Recovery Suggestion

 

This is similar to a suggested recovery on the original Centuri Fighter Fleet Jets.

Alternative Recovery:

To have the jet recover horizontally and lessen the chance of fin or wing damage:

1. Glue the engine mount in so the engine hook is at the top, nearest the rudder.

2. Tie the nose cone onto the shock cord, leaving two inches of 

the elastic cord. Tie the parachute shroud lines to the end of the elastic.

3. Tie the excess shroud line (you will have some left over) to the engine hook and then to the shock cord at the balance point, where the model hangs horizontally.

The string should be long enough to lay outside and down the body tube during boost.

Busy, Busy, Busy at Odd'l Rockets

I've been busy printing decals, cutting tubes, printing instructions, bending springs and vacu-forming jet canopies.

The past two weeks has included production of:

14 Heavy Duty Engine Mounts (HDEMs)

12 Adeptors

6 Break-Away kits

9 Birdie kits

14 Sputnik kits

8 Cyclone kits

19 Single Raise Springs

7 Raise Spring 10 packs

10 F-16 kits

13 F-104 kits

36 F-18 kits

This may not seem like a lot compared to a big vendor, but it's just me!

It took over 10 years, but here I am with sometimes more work than I can handle.

NEW F-18 Hornet Kit

Coming to a vendor near you - 

After a year of tweaks and test flights,

The third in the Odd'l Rockets Fighter Fleet series is the new

F-18 HORNET!

The kit features a very different fin and engine placement, 3D printed missiles, 

water slide decals and a vacu-form canopy.

Kit Review -

I'm beating my own drum - but I just got a great review on the NAR Facebook page:

National Association of Rocketry

David Julie Koo 

"Look what just arrived at my door!! This F16 finishes my fleet of Odd’l rockets. As a relatively new kit maker, I am always astonished at the level of detail and care Chris puts into each one. These unbuilt kits are truly a work of art in themselves (especially those instruction manuals)."

A disclaimer:

David Koo 3d printed the missiles in the kit. David is also the head of "Really Koo Stuff" (reallykoostuff.com) producing the 1/100 scale N-1 kits.

Overpriced? OOP? Odd'l Kits on EBAY

 It was bound to happen sooner or later - 

Over priced Odd'l kits on EBAY!

 

$49.95? Sheesh!

This kit is not out of production. I sent a message to let him know.

Another overpriced kit. 

These two Odd'l Fighter Jets are popular, but not worth that much!

Please purchase (for much less) from a real vendor.

Rob C's Odd'l Sputnik

From the Model Rocketry Fanatics Facebook page:

July 17, from Rob C.:

"My Odd'l Rockets Sputnik debuted today, as well.

It's been a reliable little flier so far - 

It sure was the king of "low stress builds."

" . . . AND I found it can double as a hat! 

I should add to the kit promo that the Sputnik now "Doubles as a hat!"

Pigasus With A Smoke Trail!

Les Bradshaw posted on the NAR Facebook page:

"Yesterday I supported the Kopernik Observatory Rocketfest. One activity was setting up a display of part of my collection."

An Odd'l Rockets PIGASUS is the first to greet guests atop that smoke trail!

Paul W's F-16 Build

 Paul W. posted on the Facebook Model Rocket Fanatics page:

"Finally finished the Odd’l Rockets F-16. This was a Christmas present two years ago from my oldest daughter so it will be a wall hanger. Nice challenging build with great instructions."

Revisions to the F-18 Hornet Prototype

Trying to design a stable model rocket from a jet will present some compromises.

The two jet engines extend beyond the back end. The front of the intakes are a partial circle. The back of the tubes are full circle and notched to overlap the end of the main body. 

Four tries (and 40" of scrapped BT-5) gave me a workable design. These tubes might also help stabilize the model.

On the next prototype the engine hook will be on the top side, away from the BT-5 tubes.

You might notice the underside of the BT-50H is rough. I've cut off four intake tries and had to sand off some glue.

The decal draws are turning out very well!

New Odd'l Kit Design?

Last Sunday was a "free" day for me, vendor orders were filled and I had some down time. Most of the day was spent drawing, cutting balsa and body tubes.

I've been looking for a interesting new Fighter Fleet kit design and may have found it.

This is the F-18 Hornet, the same jet the Blue Angels use.

I use original scale drawings to draft the wings and fins. Design adjustments are made with the goal to capture the spirit of the original jet and still be stable. The wings are a bit smaller and set back. 

I'm always surprised how many changes are made from the initial drawings to finished flying model.

 

This F-18 is very different from the two other Odd'l Fighter Fleet kits, the F-104 and the F-16.

You'll rarely see me fly a "naked" rocket, this is a test model for the many test launches using different 18mm engines.

BIRDIES!

The Odd'l Rockets Birdie is a popular kit!

When the kits were first produced, I'd buy Badminton Birdies in six packs at a sports shop. I didn't want to be stuck with a few hundred "birds" if the kit didn't sell.

Hundreds of kits later, I now buy in bulk. Two boxes equals 288 Birdies!

L.G.M. Spotted . . .

Peter Giesige posted on the

Facebook Model Rocketry USA page:

"Love the Odd'l kits!!

Thanks Peter!

Looks like you did a GREAT job on the build!

Colin's F-16 Launch

An email and picture from Colin Kaul - 
"Here is my Odd'l F16 on its first launch. It is kit number 165. I can't wait to get an F104 Starfighter!"

Thanks Colin!
Your picture caught the launch right after ignition!

Odd'l Cyclone from Bob Portnell

Hi, Mr. M!

Just wanted to report that Cyclone #251 has completed assembly and been turned over to my younger daughter (18-1/2 years old) for marker decoration action.

Thanks Bob!

Markers keep it light for a longer spinning flight duration.

That Cyclone is a strange looking bird - 

But there's a good reason why. 

Wait until you see the maple seed recovery!