Model Rocket Building Blog

Downscale Carded A.S.P. Part 1, Background
I've always wanted to build the A.S.P or A tmospheric S ounding P rojectile since the first time I saw the Estes Plan #37. Check out the instructions at JimZs - CLICK HERE Estes did come out with an ASP kit years later but it didn't have this paint pattern. I drew up a carded BT-5 based ...
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Downscale Carded A.S.P. Part 2, Fin Prep
NOTE: Your printed fins and location of the spin tabs won't be the same as pictured below.  This is the first build before corrections were made to the PDF. Your model fin color and spin tab position will be correct. The following posts can still be used to help make the model. If you'd like ...
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Downscale Carded A.S.P. Part 3, Fin Fold and Skin Gluing
NOTE: Your printed fins and location of the spin tabs won't be the same as pictured below. This is the first build before corrections were made to the PDF. Your model fin color and spin tab position will be correct. The following posts can still be used to make the model. Cut and separate ...
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Downscale Carded A.S.P. Part 4, Fin Fold and Skin Gluing
The through cut was made on the other side. The other side of the fin (shown here) is oversize to insure there is color coverage when the fin is cut out. Here's the (larger printed area) back side of the fin. You can see how the cut is inside the ink bleed area. Cut the root edge first. ...
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Downscale Carded A.S.P. Part 5, Body Tube Wrap
The body wrap skin is wide on the left side. The pencil mark in the picture shows the extended side. Cut it to just the outside of the ink where the pencil mark is. This slight extension of the left side is the first side you glue down and ends up as the underlap. Make a straight pencil ...
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Downscale Carded A.S.P. Part 6, Fin and Lug Gluing
Using white glue, glue the fins on even with the back end of the body tube. Simply match the fin color to the facing body tube color. White glue dries clear, don't use yellow glue on the outside surfaces of printed carded models! The fillets were smoothed with finger then a Q-tip. The 1 ...
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Downscale Carded A.S.P. Part 7, Trim and Finish
Cut out the nose cone decor piece off the 24 lb. sheet. Glue it to the plastic nose cone using a glue stick. (Yes, a glue stick will hold it on.)   The finished model came out pretty good. I'll have to make another with the spinnerons on the correct side. I know it should be ...
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