LAUNCH LUG

MATCH
www.estesrockets.com LINES
ESTES INDUSTRIES TM FIN
1295 H Street
Penrose, CO 81240
PRINTED IN CHINA

FLYING MODEL ROCKET KIT INSTRUCTIONS

EST 1261 KEEP FOR FUTURE REFERENCE.

FIN

FIN

ASSEMBLY TIP
Read all instructions before beginning work on your model.
Make sure you have all parts and supplies.
TEST-FIT ALL PARTS TOGETHER BEFORE APPLYING ANY
GLUE. If any parts dont fit properly, sand as required for FIN
precision assembly.
MATCH
LINES
PARTS:
Locate the parts shown below and lay them out on the table in
front of you. DO NOT USE THIS DRAWING TO ASSEMBLE
YOUR ROCKET. TUBE MARKING GUIDE AND SHOCK CORD MOUNT

HELPFUL HINT: IF NOSE CONE/COUPLER FIT IS. . .

TOO TOO
LOOSE TIGHT
Launch Lug (1)
(38175)

Body Tube BT-60 (1) Nose Cone (1)

(30400) (71020)

ADD
MASKING TAPE. SAND FOR FIT.

Mylar Retainer Green Engine Shock Cord (1) Engine Hook (1)
Ring (1) Block (1) (38374) (35021)
(30168) (30162-2)

Blue Engine
Mount Tube (1) Centering Ring Card
(30326-1) RA-2060 (1) (30128)

(01/02) P/N 37713

Decal Sheet (1) Die Cut Balsa Sheet (1) Assembled 12 (30 cm) Parachute
(37713) (32393) (35801)

SUPPLIES In addition to the parts included in the kit you will also need:

OR

SCISSORS PENCIL RULER FINE CARPENTERS MODELING MASKING PRIMER SPRAY PAINT: SPRAY CLEAR 1/32 (1 mm) WHITE PAINT
SAND PAPER GLUE KNIFE TAPE (WHITE) BLACK & WHITE COAT WHITE PEN
(#400-600 GRIT) (OPTIONAL) PIN STRIPE TAPE
 1. ASSEMBLING ENGINE MOUNT
A. Measure and mark Engine Tube. C. Apply glue around tube just ahead of D. Slide Mylar Retainer Ring onto Engine
the 1 1/4 (32 mm) mark. Position Hook. Mount Tube up to 1 1/4 (32 mm) mark.
B. Cut 1/8 (3 mm) slit at
2 1/2 (64 mm) mark.

1/8
(3 mm)

1/2

UE
BLUE (13 mm) MYLAR

GL
ENGINE 1 1/4 RING
(32 mm) 2 1/2
MOUNT (64 mm)
TUBE

E. Apply glue inside front of Engine Mount F. Apply glue around tube at 1/2 (13 mm) mark and G. Apply glue fillets to both sides of Centering
Tube. Insert Green Engine Block. slide notched Ring into place. Let glue set. Apply Rings. Let glue dry completely.
glue around end of tube and slide unnotched
Centering Ring in place flush with tube end.

NOTCHED UNNOTCHED
UE

FRONT CENTERING
GL

CENTERING
RING RING

GLUE (FILLET) BOTH

GREEN SIDES OF EACH RING.
ENGINE FLUSH
BLOCK 1/2 WITH
(13 mm) END OF
TUBE

2. PREPARING FINS
A. Sand Die Cut Balsa Sheet B. Cut Fins free with hobby knife. C. Stack Fins and sand edges.
with fine sandpaper.

3. MARKING FIN AND LAUNCH LUG LINES

A. Cut out Tube Marking Guide from front page. Tape Tube Marking B. Remove the guide and save for step 6. Connect C. Extend Launch Lug line 3 3/4
Guide around Body Tube. Mark Body Tube at arrows and Fins and Launch Lug lines (arrows) using door (95 mm) from end of tube.
Launch Lug line LL. frame as shown.

TAPE LL
DOOR
LL FRAME
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B

4. INSERTING ENGINE MOUNT

A. Use finger to smear glue 2 (51 mm) inside rear B. Align Engine Hook with Launch Lug line and insert C. Use a scrap piece of balsa to apply a glue
of Body Tube. Engine Mount until Engine Tube is even with Body fillet to Centering Ring/Body Tube joint.
Tube end.
2
(51 mm)
LL
LL

LL

BODY
GLUE TUBE SCRAP
BALSA
ENDS EVEN

page 2
5. ATTACHING FINS
A. Apply thin layer of glue to edge of Fin, wait one minute. Apply second B. Check alignment of Fins C. Stand rocket on flat table until
layer and attach Fin to Body Tube along one of the Fin lines. Repeat as shown. Allow glue to glue dries completely.
for remaining Fins. set.
FIN
FIN LINE 90

90

90
FIN LINE 90

FINS SHOULD
FIN PROJECT STRAIGHT
FIN FROM THE BODY.
FIN
NOTE: FINS MUST BE ATTACHED CORRECTLY FOR A STABLE FLIGHT.

6. ATTACHING SHOCK CORD

A. Cut out Shock Cord B. Apply glue. Fold C. Apply glue. Fold D. Squeeze tightly E. Glue mount 1 (25 mm) inside Body Tube.
Mount from Tube forward. forward. and hold for one Hold until glue sets. Let glue dry completely.
Marking Guide. minute.
GL GL
UE
GL
UE 1
(25 mm)
UE
G
LU

1
H
C
N
U

#2
LA

#1
FIN

FIN

#4
FIN

2 3
K
O
O
H
E
IN
G

3
EN

#3
FIN

SHOCK CORD

7. ATTACHING PARACHUTE & SHOCK CORD

A. Scrape excess flash from B. C. D. E. DOUBLE
Nose Cone and clean the KNOT
eyelet of the Nose Cone.
CAUTION: Do not cut off
eyelet of Nose Cone.

EYELET
SHOCK
CORD

8. ATTACHING LAUNCH LUG

A. Glue Launch Lug centered B. Apply glue fillets along
onto LL line where shown. LL Launch Lug and Fin/Body
Tube joints, smoothing each
fillet with your finger. Let
glue dry completely.

2 1/2
(64 mm)

PAINT SCHEME
First spray rocket with white primer, let dry and sand. Repeat until rocket is smooth. Follow the paint scheme on the front
panel or design your own.

WHITE BLACK Peel decals from backing sheet and apply where
BLACK shown. Rub down to remove bubbles.

WHITE 1/32 (1 mm) PIN

STRIPE OR PAINT PEN

DECAL BLACK
BLACK

WHITE * OPTIONAL - Clear Coat entire rocket when complete.

page 3
 ROCKET PREFLIGHT E. Wrap lines
A. Insert 3 or 4 loosely crumpled loosely, insert
squares of Recovery Wadding. Parachute,
Shock Cord and
Nose Cone into
B. Spike. C. Fold. D. Roll. Body Tube.

A.
To avoid serious injury,
read instructions & NAR
Safety Code included with
engines.
PREPARE YOUR ENGINE
ONLY WHEN YOU ARE
OUTSIDE AT THE LAUNCH
SITE PREPARING TO LAUNCH!
If you do not use your prepared B. TIP MUST TOUCH C. D. E.
engine, remove the igniter before
storing your engine. PROPELLANT. F. Insert Engine into rocket.

COUNTDOWN AND LAUNCH

2...
1... 3...
KEY ALWAYS OUT UNTIL
FINAL COUNTDOWN!
M)
1 5 F T. ( 5
LAUNCH SUPPLIES
(sold separately):

Porta-Pad II Launch Pad 4...

Electron Beam Launch Controller
Recovery Wadding
Igniters (w/ engines)
Igniter Plugs (w/ engines)
Recommended Estes Engines: A8-3, B4-4, INSERT KEY.
B6-4, C6-5. PUSH DOWN
AND HOLD.
4... 3... 2...1...

HOLD KEY DOWN AND PRESS

LAUNCH BUTTON UNTIL LIFT-OFF!
LAUNCH
BUTTON

PRECAUTIONS
FLYING YOUR ROCKET
Choose a large field (250 ft. [76 m] square) free of dry weeds and brown grass. The larger
NAR Safety Code the launch area, the better your chance of recovering your rocket. Football fields and
playgrounds are great. Launch only with little or no wind and good visibility.
Always follow the National Association of Rocketry (NAR) SAFETY CODE.

MISFIRES
TAKE THE KEY OUT OF THE CONTROLLER. WAIT ONE MINUTE BEFORE GOING
NEAR THE ROCKET! Take the plug and igniter out of the engine. If the igniter has burned,
NO DRY it worked but did not ignite the engine because it was not touching the propellant inside
GRASS the engine. Put a new igniter all the way inside the engine without bending it. Push the
plug in place. Repeat the steps under Countdown and Launch.
OR WEEDS

page 4 2002 Centuri Corp. All rights reserved. PN 82137 (1-02)