Modification S.W.A.T. Satellite Interceptor

Manufacturer:

Modification

Contributed by Bill Eichelberger

Brief:
1) Replaced the stock 24mm motor mount with a 3 x 18mm cluster.

2) Replaced the S.W.A.T. decals (!?) with upscaled Satellite Interceptor decals.

3) Two piece body tubes replaced by single length of BT-60

Modifications:
The cluster was built the old fashioned way: no motor retention clips. I glued three pieces of BT-20J together (with a heavy line of wood glue to seal the hole left in the center of the tubes,) then glued an engine block into one end of each. I then glued a CR-5060 to the top of the tubes, both to act as a centering ring and to seal off the three holes left around the outer edge of the tubes. When the glue on the completed mount was dry, I cut a slot into the outer edge of the centering ring and slipped a 36" length of Kevlar shock cord into the slot, knotting it behind the ring and securing it heavily with wood glue. When that was dry I ran a thick patch of wood glue all around the inside of the main body tube about 2" in.

I pulled the Kevlarback through the rear of one motor tube to keep it from getting glue on it, then slid the whole structure into the tube in one smooth motion to keep it from sticking. I left about 1/4" of the end of the motor tubes sticking out (just because I like the way it looks.) I then rotated the tube while looking in from the forward end and let the excess glue fill coat the centering ring and inside of the body tube to guard against any possible spots where the ejection charge could possibly escape. The tube was then stood straight up and allowed to dry.

The decal modifications were a bit less involved. I blew the original scans up by 1.67 and printed it out on two sheets of Bel Decal Paper. This was then coated with Testor's Decal finish.

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