All Rocketry Blogs

 Rocketry Product: Quest - X-15 {Kit} (2014)

Model Rocket Building: Quest X-15 Build, Part 1 Parts (2014-04-08)

Quest Aerospace is offering an X-15 kit parts pack HERE X-15 Parts Pack includes the following parts:   2014-1010 X-15 Instructions  2014-1030 X-15 Decal  20222 X-15 Nose ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Quest X-15 Build, Part 2, Centering Ring Laminations (2014-04-08)

When I ordered the X-15 parts pack, I also ordered four of the Quest 35mm centering rings Part # 16002. These are cut from thin, rough cardboard. They are probably strong enough by themselves, ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Quest X-15 Build, Part 3, Kevlar in the Engine Mount (2014-04-09)

This mount will get the replaceable Kevlar punches. To be sure the Kevlar tube is directly opposite the engine hook, a pencil "X" was drawn on my work area. The disk was centered and two pencil ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Quest X-15 Build, Part 4, Nose Cone Weight (2014-04-10)

The seam on the blow molded nose cone was pretty clean. There was a slight raised ridge near the tip. Sanding with 220 grit got rid of most of it. The pencil marks shown in the inset picture are ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Quest X-15 Build, Part 5, Loose Nose Cone Fix (2014-04-11)

The X-15 nose cone was very loose in the 35mm tube. In a smaller diameter tube I would just add a few wraps of masking tape around the nose cone shoulder. This larger tube will get a card stock ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Quest X-15 Build, Part 6, Balsa Filling and Tube Quality (2014-04-12)

After the balsa was filled with CWF off the model, The CWF was sanded smooth with 400 grit. TIP: After sanding down the CWF all the corner edges were very lightly run over with 400 grit. I'm not ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Quest X-15 Build, Part 7, Engine Mount Gluing (2014-04-13)

The surface of the Quest centering rings were pretty rough. I gave them a coat of medium CA keeping it away from the edges where the glue fillet will go after it's set in the rear of the body ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Quest X-15 Build, Part 8, Fin Gluing and Root Edge Angle (2014-04-14)

The top and bottom rudders and two long strakes are glued on like a four finned models, spaced at 90 degrees. The top and bottom rudders are glued 1/8" from the rear edge of the tube. The long ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Quest X-15 Build, Part 9, Fin and Wing Gluing (2014-04-15)

The back of the wings are glued 2 1/2" from the rear of the tube. The primer area was sanded off for better gluing surface. Glue the wings under the strakes. It won't feel right, but the wings ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Quest X-15 Build, Part 10, Lug and Fillets (2014-04-16)

I didn't bother trying to get a fillet between the bottom root edge of the strake and root edge of the rear fins. It's just too tight an area to apply glue or smooth it out. From the back, be ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Quest X-15 Build, Part 11, Black Paint (2014-04-17)

Here's the back end after wet sanding the first light coat of gloss black. The fillet areas were sanded smooth with 400 grit wrapped around a Q-tip. Sanded to surface, the black paint fills any ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Quest X-15 Build, Part 12, Decals (2014-04-18)

The instructions say to use the face card for the decal placement. I did some image searches and found THIS . I don't know if it is accurate or not, it's just another reference. The #66671 X-15 (kit ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Quest X-15 Build, Part 13, Decals (2014-04-18)

The NASA decal wouldn't reach all the way across the top of the rudder. All the online pictures show the NASA decal set down from the top edge. Instead of centering the decal I pushed it towards ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Quest X-15 Build, Before Part 8, Fin Gluing - Warning! (2014-04-19)

From a question on TRF: Originally Posted by Bill I bought this kit soon after it came out. There was discussion about a problem with the fin marking template or something. Anybody ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Quest X-15 Finished (2014-04-19)

  Quest did a good job capturing the feel of the X-15. Even with the longer body tube its a good looking sport scale model. Adding .25 oz. of nose weight it should be stable even with ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Quest X-15 Parts Pack Available (2014-02-26)

On YORF, Scigs30 was doing a great build of the OOP Quest X-15 kit, HERE He mentioned that the parts were still available. Quest has most of the parts including the most important, the DECALS and ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Small Parts Orders (2014-03-11)

I got my Quest X-15 parts packs yesterday. The body tube and centering rings were not in the parts pack, you'll need those Quest parts to make the model. An ST-7 engine mount tube fits the Quest ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Cox X-15 Flight Manual (2014-09-09)

On YORF, Tim Morley was looking for the Cox Nike Zeus instructions. While searching online, I came across the Cox X-15 instructions. CLICK HERE   While it was interesting to look over the ... [Read More]