All Rocketry Blogs

 Rocketry Product: Semroc - Starship Excalibur {Kit} (KV-85) [2013-]

Model Rocket Building: Semroc (Estes) Starship Excalibur Build, Background (2016-09-27)

I wanted to build this one since seeing the Estes plan in the early 1970s. The Starship Excalibur was a very elaborate design for the late 1960s. The only other sci-fi spaceship model to compare it ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Semroc (Estes) Starship Excalibur Build, Part 2, Engine Mount Tube Prep TIP (2016-09-28)

Here's how the engine mount tube comes in the Semroc kit. You can see it's a wedge "stab" cut made with the tip of a #11 blade. You could punch the engine hook in but you'd probably teat the left ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Semroc (Estes) Starship Excalibur Build, Part 3, Engine Mount Assembly (2016-09-29)

I dry fit the centering rings to find the center point. This is where I place the tape wrap. The rings were a little loose and would move when smoothing out the glue fillets. You can lightly tack ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Semroc (Estes) Starship Excalibur Build, Part 4, Shuttle Bay (2016-09-30)

The Shuttle Bay is a rounded balsa housing that holds and conceals the launch lug. In the old Estes plan you shaped the shuttle bay out of a single piece of wood. You then reamed out the center to ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Semroc (Estes) Starship Excalibur Build, Part 5, Crew Module (2016-10-01)

There's a long 1/4" thick balsa piece called the crew module. 100 grit sandpaper is wrapped around the BT-55 body tube and the rough tube contour is sanded into the bottom. Switch to 220 grit for ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Semroc (Estes) Starship Excalibur Build, Part 6, Reactor Bays (2016-10-03)

The Reactor Bays are split half BT-5 tube. Fill the seams now before cutting and splitting the tube in two. The tube is stronger now and will be easier to sand before cutting. Look to the right side ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Semroc (Estes) Starship Excalibur Build, Part 7, Splitting Reactor Bay Nose Cones (2016-10-05)

The BT-5 half tubes are capped by a split balsa nose cone. Don't just drive a knife through the cone like you would split a log. Chances are on something small the split won't end up being even. ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Semroc (Estes) Starship Excalibur Build, Part 8, Fitting the Reactor Bay Nose Cones (2016-10-06)

The nose cone halves are sanded to the BT-55 tube much like the crew module was. It's not necessary to sand them completely to the BT-55 contour just yet. Glue the nose cone halves into the top of ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Semroc (Estes) Starship Excalibur Build, Part 9, Fins and Rounding (2016-10-07)

I couldn't use the balsa fin sheets in either kit! I pressed a fingernail into the sheet to show how spongy it was. All the fins and trim pieces were cut from new, harder 1/8" thick hand selected ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Semroc (Estes) Starship Excalibur Build, Part 10, Fin Assembly (2016-10-08)

The picture shows a dry fit of the vane on the leading edge of the fin. I wanted rounded leading and trailing edges on the fins. Sometimes it can be difficult to get a smooth round leading edge in ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Semroc (Estes) Starship Excalibur Build, Part 11, Fin Rounding and Antenna (2016-10-09)

Here's how the rounded leading edges are joined at the "V". Angle your sanding block at 45 degrees. Sand into the "V". The block will butt up to and stop at the vane. Start the fin rounding with the ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Semroc (Estes) Starship Excalibur Build, Part 12, Fin Pods (2016-10-10)

The fin pods are glued together. There are a lot of nose cones in this kit, almost like opening up the old Estes Mars Snooper. The assemblies were hit with CWF and sanded smooth. The body tubes got ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Semroc (Estes) Starship Excalibur Build, Part 13, Reactor Bay End Caps (2016-10-11)

The reactor bay nose cones required two applications of CWF and smooth sanding. The inset picture shows the end after the final shot of primer/filler and sanding. In the back end of the half round ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Semroc (Estes) Starship Excalibur Build, Part 14, Details (2016-10-12)

I didn't realize there was a fourth fin vane when the fins were re-cut. This extra vane is glued over the longer, rear launch lug. The designer went out of his way to hide the launch lugs. This ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Semroc (Estes) Starship Excalibur Build, Part 15, Fin Pod Gluing (2016-10-13)

I would hate to see these pods break off on a hard landing. I've used "glue rivets" before, where you punch small holes in root edges with a needle. TIP: Use a sharpened dowel to make rivet holes in ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Semroc (Estes) Starship Excalibur Build, Part 16, Rear Shroud Prep (2016-10-14)

So, you think I printed up enough extra shrouds? The single kit shroud was scanned, copied and printed on some 110 lb. card stock. Why so many?  I always make up three or four and use the one ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Semroc (Estes) Starship Excalibur Build, Part 17, Rear Shroud Fit and Gluing (2016-10-15)

It takes very little glue to join a shroud tab. Smear the glue evenly over the glue tab so none can be squeezed out when the tab is pressed in place. I set the shroud over a wide dowel and burnish ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Semroc (Estes) Starship Excalibur Build, Part 18, New Decal Name Font (2016-10-16)

On YORF, Jeffy Jeep mentioned he didn't care for the Starship Excalibur name font used on the Semroc decal sheet. I had to agree! You have to realize this model was designed back in 1968! An amazing ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Semroc (Estes) Starship Excalibur Build, Part 19, Gluing On The Reactor Bays (2016-10-17)

I tried to lay the glue bead towards the inside edge of the BT-5 reactor bay tubes so when they were pressed onto the main tube there would be an inside fillet. The initial curvature fitting looked ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Semroc (Estes) Starship Excalibur Build, Part 20, Crew Module Gluing (2016-10-18)

The underside of the crew module is wide. After drawing the placement lines most all the primer/filler was scraped off with a knife. The back end of the crew module is glued 1/4" from the rear of ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Semroc (Estes) Starship Excalibur Build, Part 21, Launch Lug Gluing (2016-10-19)

These two inline launch lugs are different. They are covered or surrounded with built-up wood and dowels. The front "antenna" housing was built earlier. It is glued 1 3/8" from the top of the main ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Semroc (Estes) Starship Excalibur Build, Part 22, Fin Gluing (2016-10-21)

The fin root edges were sanded down removing most all of the grey primer filler. The first fit required some of the inside tab to be sanded off until the fin sat flat on the crew module and BT-5 ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Semroc (Estes) Starship Excalibur Build, Part 23, Cleaning Up The Lugs (2016-10-22)

There was a rough edge on one side of the launch lug opening. While the first white undercoats were not totally dry, a sharpened dowel was turned in the end, re-rounding the lug. The front lug ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Semroc (Estes) Starship Excalibur Build, Part 24, Dry Sand & Nose Weight (2016-10-24)

Some 400 grit was wrapped around a Q-tip for cushioned sanding in all the fillets. There is a LOT of fillets and joints to be sanded. A washer weight goes underneath the screw eye. I would think ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Semroc (Estes) Starship Excalibur Build, Part 25, White Coats, More Sanding (2016-10-25)

You know how frustrating it is. You think your surfaces are smooth and your fillets well rounded. The grey primer coats show things and you end up with more  sanding. Now the white coats come. ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Semroc (Estes) Starship Excalibur Build, Part 26, Ah Crap! (2016-10-26)

Right now I'm spraying gloss white and sanding between coats. I went to carefully remove the painting wand (a dowel and an engine casing) I didn't want to put any stress on the tail shroud. I ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Semroc (Estes) Starship Excalibur Build, Part 27, Ah Crap! - Fix (2016-10-27)

Small bits of white glue were pushed into and under the edges of the slot. The excess on the outside was wiped off. The card stock fibers were pressed down and into the glue with a small tweezers. ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Semroc (Estes) Starship Excalibur Build, Part 28, White Paint (2016-10-29)

After all the adventures with spray paint I decided to try something new. My can of Rusto 2X gloss white was about 1/3 full and the nozzle probably not clear. Rather than risk it, I grabbed a new ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Semroc (Estes) Starship Excalibur Build, Part 29, Decals (2016-10-30)

Here's the new name decal, printed at home. Choice #4 seemed to be the favorite. It certainly looks better than the original Dom Casual font. TIP: Never soak a large kit decal first. I cut off the ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Semroc (Estes) Starship Excalibur Build, Part 30, Decals (2016-10-31)

TIP: Never use water slide decals unless the model paint is totally dry. If the paint is even slightly tacky you won't be able to slide the decal into the final position. On the left: Wet the ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Semroc (Estes) Starship Excalibur Finished (2016-11-01)

Scratch another build of my bucket list! This was a difficult build, it probably took more time than I would have wanted. It was a bit like the Estes QCC Explorer, the fin intakes took extra work ... [Read More]