All Rocketry Blogs
Rocketry Product: Estes - Mercury Redstone {Kit} (1921) [2015-]
Model Rocket Building: Estes Mercury Redstone #1921 Build, Part 1 Parts (2015-07-05)
That's a LONG ST-20 tube at 19.5"! Yes, I'm calling it a Centuri ST-20 tube. I like the single long tube instead of two pieces with a coupler. The Centuri kit had an ejection ... [Read More]
Model Rocket Building: Estes Mercury Redstone #1921 Build, Part 2, Fins A (2015-07-06)If you don't have one - get one! To shape fins a good sanding block is a necessity. This is the Great Planes Easy Touch sanding block. For specs, CLICK HERE I have the 5 1/2" long sander, plenty ... [Read More]
Model Rocket Building: Estes Mercury Redstone #1921 Build, Part 3, Fins B (2015-07-07)I used white glue to laminate the main fin halves. Why don't I use yellow wood glue? White glue holds fine. TIP: Too much glue and things get slippery! You don't want to have the fin sides slip ... [Read More]
Model Rocket Building: Estes Mercury Redstone #1921 Build, Part 4, Fins C (2015-07-08)I've explained a few times before how to sand sharp angles on scale fins. On the Mercury Redstone, the leading edges are sanded to a wedge shape. To better see the "knife edge" thickness I like ... [Read More]
Model Rocket Building: Estes Mercury Redstone #1921 Build, Part 5, Fins D (2015-07-09)I couldn't see the pencil line at the 1/4" taper width so I set down some masking tape. I don't always do this. It can help you to not sand over the high point. The fin rudder squares will ... [Read More]
Model Rocket Building: Estes Mercury Redstone #1921 Build, Part 6, Fins E (2015-07-10)The same sanding method was used on the four main laminated fins. On the left, just the leading edge thickness is sanded first. I haven't sanded down to the masking tape yet, just concentrating ... [Read More]
Model Rocket Building: Estes Mercury Redstone #1921 Build, Part 7, Fins F (2015-07-11)The fin plates will need a sharp knife to remove them from the laser cut sheet. Don't try to punch them out. Sand the edges smooth removing the black soot. To help prevent de-lamination, ... [Read More]
Model Rocket Building: Estes Mercury Redstone #1921 Build, Part 8, Fins G (2015-07-12)The fin tip plates are centered and glued down the outside edge of the fin. The flat side of my sanding block is used to square up the back of the fin and the bottom of the fin plate. I tried to ... [Read More]
Model Rocket Building: Estes Mercury Redstone #1921 Build Part 9, Decal Redraw For RED (2015-07-13)A little break from the build to draw some decals. The provided decals aren't correct. I know, who'll know the difference, right? The reds are on the pink side, the UNITED STATES font is too ... [Read More]
Model Rocket Building: Estes Mercury Redstone #1921 Build Part 10, Capsule Assembly Part A (2015-07-14)The Centuri instruction illustrations show the capsule and tower parts still on the sprue trees. In my kit most of the parts were separate. Look close at the edges and smooth over any left ... [Read More]
Model Rocket Building: Estes Mercury Redstone #1921 Build Part 11, Capsule Assembly Part B (2015-07-15)Here I'm evening up the capsule side edges before gluing. The antenna housing cap is dry fitted in place to insure the top alignment. Some "safe" plastic cements won't do the job. Try the ... [Read More]
Model Rocket Building: Estes Mercury Redstone #1921 Build Part 12, Tower Assembly TIPS, Part A (2015-07-16)I know, finally the Tower! When dry fitting, I had a heck of a time trying to get the tower sides to line up. The Estes instructions have you assemble the tower from the bottom up. In the Estes ... [Read More]
Model Rocket Building: Estes Mercury Redstone #1921 Build Part 13, Tower Assembly and Paint, Part B (2015-07-17)Again, glue the tower sides together first. Don't glue the inverted "Vs" into the holes in the antenna housing rim. I followed the older Centuri instruction to assemble the capsule and tower. The ... [Read More]
Model Rocket Building: Estes Mercury Redstone #1921 C Build Part 14, Capsule Assembly Paint Part C (2015-07-18)EDIT: This white ring was replaced with a ring of aluminum Monokote trim later on. Some pictures (and my Dr. Zooch Redstone paper wrap) looked white. I should have checked Alway's Rockets Of The ... [Read More]
Model Rocket Building: Estes Mercury Redstone #1921 B Build Part 15, Tower / Capsule Assembly Part D (2015-07-19)Here's a dry fit of the antenna cap Vs into the small dimples inside the three tower legs. The inset picture shows how the cap is turned very slightly. This is the only way I could get everything ... [Read More]
Model Rocket Building: Estes Mercury Redstone #1921 A Build Part 16, Tower / Capsule Assembly Part E (2015-07-20)The antenna cap was glued into the tower. Run some glue around the antenna cap and press into place while lining up the inverted tower Vs with the dimples in the antenna housing bottom piece. ... [Read More]
Model Rocket Building: Estes Mercury Redstone #1921 Build Part 17, Tower & Capsule Details, Part F (2015-07-21)After the last step you can see why it makes more sense to assemble the tower from the top down, not the bottom up. The tension fit and bend of the inverted Vs would make the tower gluing ... [Read More]
Model Rocket Building: Estes Mercury Redstone #1921 Build Part 18, Fin Marking Guide (2015-07-22)I didn't want to cut up the instructions for the fin marking guide. The fin, lug and DT lines were extended beyond the edges of the marking guide with pencil. A slightly smaller piece of ... [Read More]
Model Rocket Building: Estes Mercury Redstone #1921 Build Part 20, Fin Placement (2015-07-23)The body tube was roughed up down to the bare tube with 220 grit. The sides of the fin closest to the root edge were also carefully sanded for better adhesion in the fillet area. Rough up the ... [Read More]
Model Rocket Building: Estes Mercury Redstone #1921 Build Part 21, Fin Fillets (2015-07-24)The lugs were lined up with a ruler and double checked with a 3/16" rod. The kit supplied 1/8" diameter lugs were swapped out with 3/16" lugs. I felt the model was too large for the 1/8" lugs. ... [Read More]
Model Rocket Building: Estes Mercury Redstone #1921 Build Part 22, Capsule Window (2015-07-25)The first Mercury Redstone had an round window, this kit is based on the second Redstone launch and should have had a trapezoid shaped window. I can't paint the fins with all the Summer rain so I ... [Read More]
Model Rocket Building: Estes Mercury Redstone #1921 Build Part 23, Capsule Decals (2015-07-26)I went to Alway's Rockets Of The World for decal placement. The kit only gives you one "UNITED STATES". I'll set it on the opposite side of the window as shown in the overhead drawing. The ... [Read More]
Model Rocket Building: Estes Mercury Redstone #1921 Build Part 24, Fin Masking (2015-07-27)Masking a Mercury Redstone is a bit deceiving. It looks like a such simple pattern. One hour into masking you think you are close to being done, then realize there is more tape to be set down! I ... [Read More]
Model Rocket Building: Estes Mercury Redstone #1921 Build Part 25, More Decal Questions (2015-07-28)To help with decal placement, go to the older Estes instructions: CLICK HERE Decal placement is at the bottom of page 7. The single, long kit body tube is 19.5" long. The older Estes ... [Read More]
Model Rocket Building: Estes Mercury Redstone #1921 Build Part 26, Still More Decal Questions (2015-07-29)I don't know what this decal is for! It's the same length as the 1/4" middle band so I assume it simulates the bolts in the band right above the fins. The dashed line looks too thin. The older ... [Read More]
Model Rocket Building: Estes Mercury Redstone #1921 Build Part 27, Decals (2015-07-30)The kit decals didn't have the 1/8" wide lower black bar. I cut mine from old decal sheets. Notice how the MR8 decal is set over the bar, no space between it and the black band. I used online ... [Read More]
Model Rocket Building: Estes Mercury Redstone #1921 Build Part 28, Decals (2015-07-31)According to the older Estes instructions, The side of the roll pattern decal lines up with the left side of the UNITED STATES decals already in place. TIP: Notice the masking tape set ... [Read More]
Model Rocket Building: Estes Mercury Redstone #1921 Build, Finished (2015-08-01)This is a big, impressive model when finished. It's probably a good thing I converted it for 24mm engines. I'll have to get the 18mm stock model C/G and add nose weight if needed. ... [Read More]
Model Rocket Building: Estes Mercury Redstone Capsule Tether Follow-Up, Part 1 (2015-10-06)On TRF, DMKeifer posted this illustration from the old Centuri Mercury Redstone instructions. I'm posting it here because I can't pull up the Centuri instructions on the JimZ website. It was ... [Read More]
Model Rocket Building: Estes Mercury Redstone Capsule Tether Follow-Up, Part 2 (2015-10-07)Here's something extra you can do on your Mercury Redstone capsule tower line. The white embroidery thread line can be camouflaged so it isn't seen. Set the white thread down along the tower and ... [Read More]
Model Rocket Building: Which Glues for LPR Building? TIPS (2020-05-02)On TRF. Alan R wrote: I think the most asked glue question is: "What is the best glue". The answer to that is "The one that works" I only do low power stuff, short list: Paper to paper - white ... [Read More]
Bayourat Aerospace Blog: Mercury Redstone Flight Liberty Bell 7 (2010-09-04)I flew my Estes Mercury Redstone on a C6-3. I had a couple of video cameras running. Here is my recreation video of Gus Grissoms Liberty Bell Seven flight. Filmed in Baton Rouge, Louisiana at the ... [Read More]
Model Rocket Building: The Most Difficult Kit - Ever! Part A (2015-04-14)An email asked - What was the most difficult kit to build? For me it was the Estes Mercury Redstone, Kit #K-41. To see the instructions, go to JimZs - CLICK HERE "Although it requires care and ... [Read More]
Model Rocket Building: The Most Difficult Kit - Ever! Part B (2015-04-15)From those dowel sticks you made three sides for the complete tower. The long side piece is only about 2" long. After the tower was glued on you cut slits into the top of the capsule. Glue in ... [Read More]
Model Rocket Building: Dr. Zooch Redstone Pics (2015-05-19)I got a question regarding the capsule wrap shroud on the BT-50 based Dr. Zooch Freedom 7 kit. (Picture on the left.) The picture on the right is the Dr. Zooch Mercury Redstone, BT-60 based kit. ... [Read More]
Model Rocket Building: Top Ten list for 2015 (2015-12-19)Here's this year's TOP 10 . . . #10 is the worst counting down to #1 , or the best build and news of the year. (These are simply my picks, based on the build and flight experience and blog ... [Read More]
Model Rocket Building: Estes (Centuri) Mercury Redstone Tower Complaints (2016-06-29)On Facebook, I read complaints about how hard it is to assemble the tower on the Estes Mercury Redstone kit. Originally this was the Centuri Mercury Redstone. The body tube size is the first ... [Read More]
Blast From The Past: Nice Hobby Lobby Haul (2017-08-20)Last week I stopped by the local Hobby Lobby, clutching a 40% of coupon in hand, to pur chase an Estes Mercury Redstone kit. To my delight, I also found a couple of other kits marked at 40% ... [Read More]
Model Rocket Building: Decal PDFs For Patreon Support Members (2020-08-13)Here's a list of the Print at Home PDF decals available to Patreon Supporters: PATREON DECAL PDFs ESTES Estes Green Eggs Scrambler K-37, #1237 Decal .pdf Makes the Estes Green Eggs kit ... [Read More]
Rocket N00b: Liberty Bell 7 - Mercury Redstone - Finally Finished! (2021-08-18)After a long long time and one smashed capsule tower, I finished the Estes Mercury Redstone build. It was pretty frustrating at times, and I struggled, but I did it. If you don't look too ... [Read More]
Rocketeer's Corner: Finishing off some builds (2022-01-22)As the pandemic wore on and my motivation waned, three unfinished rockets - a Boyce Aerospace Redstone missile, a Skylance from an Estes rocket plan and a Glencoe Jupiter-C plastic model conversion ... [Read More]
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