Mega Mosquito Build Part 1, Parts This should be a fun one . . . The parts - Clockwise from the upper left - 18" pre-assembled parachute, BT-80 slotted tube, Blow Molded Nose Cone Launch lugs Laser cut balsa fin sheets, Instructions, Engine Mount parts, Mosquito decal, Tri-fold mount, Rubber Shock Cord
Parts of ...
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Mega Mosquito Build Part 2, Engine Mount
The BT-50H engine mount tube was marked for the centering rings and engine hook notch. TIP: Notice the centering ring marks are to the side of the engine hook. I've learned not to make all the marks in one line. If all the pencil marks were in line the centering ring positions would be ...
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Mega Mosquito Build Part 3, Engine Mount and Fin Prep
Here's the finished engine mount.
Kevlar was added under the upper centering ring. The corner of the fin tab was sanded off to fit around the Kevlar line loop. This is the thicker center fin layer. The middle pieces are removed to reduce the weight.
Here's how ...
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Mega Mosquito Fin Gluing Notes Part B So I went and re-read Mustangs Mega Mosquito build thread on TRF. The finished product looks great! Very clean work. I found the picture of the outside fin edges pretty interesting. (Photo at right by Mushtang) All three of his fins had the center core piece slightly recessed when looking from the ...
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Mega Mosquito Fin Gluing Notes, Part A Before the fins are glued together, check out some construction questions from TRF: There seems to be confusion on how the laminated Mega Mosquito fins are glued up. From a posted answer on TRF:
Originally Posted by Mushtang
You should line up the root edge of the ...
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Mega Mosquito Build Part 4, Fin Laminations
Here's how I glued up the middle piece. Use enough to get a good bond but not so much that the outer layers will be slipping around when pressed together. Go light on the glue near the root edge tab. Any extra excess dried glue will hamper the fit against the body tube.
After the fins sat ...
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Mega Mosquito Build Part 5, Engine Mount Gluing
The nose cone seam wasn't too bad. Sanding with 220 brought down the high spots, a bead of medium CA filled the remaining recess.
The fin grain was filled before they were glued on. It's easy to get filler on the root edge. Wipe it off with a Q-tip.
The centering rings were pretty ...
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Mega Mosquito Build Part 6, Launch Lugs and Fillets
The 1/4" diameter lug seams were filled before gluing on the model. The two lugs were big enough to use two Q-tips for a handle.
I don't have a 1/4" rod to line up the lugs. A 1/4" rod would probably be to heavy to use like this anyway. Instead, the aluminum was used to check the two ...
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Mega Mosquito Build Part 7, Fins!
This primer sprayed fin is posted for good reason. Enlarge the picture and check out the raised grain! This has happened once before in newer Estes kits with "laser cut wood". Estes no longer lists laser cut balsa in their descriptions. I think this denser "balsa" is probably Tung wood. Tung ...
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Mega Mosquito Build Part 8, Yellow Paint and Black Mask
This one is a easy mask, just two colors and no masking tape in tight root edges. Here's the model after the yellow coats. The paint used was the Rustoleum 2X Yellow.
Looking at the face card picture, the black paint goes about 7/8" above the leading edge of the fin opposite the launch ...
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Mega Mosquito Build Part 9, Black Mask and Decal
Here's the vertical Scotch tape masks in place. The rest of the body was covered with cut up plastic grocery bags held in place with brown masking tape.
After the black was shot and the tape pulled the lines are sharp. Mentioned earlier, this was an easy mask. All the tape was set down on ...
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Mega Mosquito Finished
Like the earlier Mini Mosquito build, I was trying to duplicate the 1973 catalog picture. I did add a second "bug" decal to one side of the other yellow fin. The back side of the model needed something. I didn't really like the decals supplied in the Mega kit. That Dymo Lettermaker font looks a ...
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