Professor

Well after a month or so flying the tiny "ready to fly" kits in back garden, i bought 3 estes kits and decided on the "fatboy" as my first rocket as it had the lowest altitude of my 3.

Anyhow being my first build and launch i decided to not bother too much with sanding/filling and painting (kinda pessimstic on chances) so it was white cardboard and balsa all the way.

We was in a local field in a residential area (with permission) about 400ft square only and a slight breeze (5-10mph) 3..2..1 and she was off like a shot straight and fast (yes!!), ejection seemed good and out popped the chute (standard kit chute but i cut the spill hole out to speed descent) Now i lost sight of it for a split second and when i saw it, she was drifting in the wind, and drifting, oh and er drifting (bad!!) a friend rushed off at sprint pace to try keep eye on descent as it neared houses (gulp) when we cuaght up the rocket was at the top of a tree in some poor guys garden 2 roads away, very nice chap, we did recover it with some tree climbing and bamboo work!

So all in all, i am already hooked with one launch and can see this hobby going to be the one for me, on the downside really need somewhere more suitable to launch, as even with 5 motors i decided to no-more launches today as was lucky it was in a tree out of harms way. Permision to join the world of model rocketry?

But your advice, firstly how much drift from a streamer would i get? was thinking of making a streamer tomorrow at home and seeing if can get it back in same field. Even with the large spill hole i was amazed at how far it drifted. And secondly (UK guys) any ideas or recommendations on where could possibly launch from, are any parks / councils or open land sympathetic to rockets? I realise there are clubs and launch events which is great, but really to enjoy this hobby i need to launch more than a couple of times a year (dry weekends be good). For info i am in Kent / Sussex border near tunbridge wells. Would be a shame to have a interest and hobby to be ruined by not having a place to "play" (sorry luanch!) I soooo wanted to do some more launches today but didnt want to risk it again.

Anyhow i am hooked already, and will be building my other 2 rockets soon (blue-ninja and mercury redstone) after those hopefully onto scratch builds.

(apologises if read twice, posted on TRF also)

Hi

First post, so a big hello

I been playing and flying the "ready to fly" tiny 30cmish rockets for past 6months or so and felt i wanted to really dig into rocketry and build a larger model both for the challenge and satifaction of it. So i bought an Estes "mercury redston liberty 7" model which was skill level 2 (although having read a few reviews since purchase most say its more a level 3 skill) also bought launch gear etc to further my new hobby!

Anyhow to get to the point i want to make a good job of it and happy to spent time getting build and paint etc right, having looked on a few reviews of said model i seen few advice for this:

However, IF you want the quality of the rocket body to match the quality of the fins and capsule module, you need to assemble the two body tube halves, fill and sand the grooves (white Estes tube, remember?)

So my question to you experienced folk is what product do i use to fill gaps and mainly the tube spirals on a cardboard tube? I thought of getting some DIY filler and using it, but figured that would crack and add weight to rocket, i also bought some Revell model putty, but not sure thats sandable and again may add weight? So can you please advise on a product (i live in UK, but any product advice welcome) that is suitable for filling gaps in cardboard tubes and sandable.

Finally after getting the gaps sorted out, whats best paint to use on a estes cardboard tube? Domestic gloss like use in home or model enamels? Best to prime it etc?

Really appriecate your advice guys, as want my first built rocket to be a good looking succes i hope. Any links to techniques etc also be nice.