FT MONSTER RETRO ROCKET BUILD SUPPLIMENT

The FT Monster Retro Rocket is a combination of Buck Rogers, art deco, and our favorite acme rocket combined together to make something even the Wiley coyote would be proud to fly. The retrorocket is a passion project of Josh Bixler to create a jet that is only limited by your imagination. The goal was to bring the beautiful lines of the golden age of flight and combine them with unique experiences that anyone can enjoy whether you’re a beginner pilot, an aerobatic pilot, or you have a need for speed.  

The Monster Retro can be built as a prop driven pusher that is both maneuverable and capable of incredible aerobatics, especially when coupled with our FT thrust vector system. This gives the pilot the ability to have control under power which enables flats spins and pinwheels all while using our Monster FT Radial 4030 motor and FT 80 Amp ESC.

If the classic looks and sound of a jet or what you’re passionate about, the FT retrorocket can easily accept a 120mm EDF fan and can deliver amazing performance, efficiency, and speed on a 12s 5200mAH battery.  With this configuration, you can expect great speed and performance with an incredible sound due to the large side, intakes that guide air directly to the motor

The  Monster Retro Rocket kit includes our unique supersized landing gear system, which can easily be removed or installed with a simple click. With the wide wheelbase, the retrorocket is a joy to takeoff and land and super forgiving with the included 4.3” wheels

Details:

Weight: 10.5 lbs with battery (EDF version)

Weight:  7.75lbs (motor version)

Recommended Battery 2X 5200 6cell  in series with adapter to make 12s (EDF Version)

Recommended Battery  5200 6cell

Flight time:" 3-5 min (edf version)

Flight time:" 6-10 min (prop version)

Wingspan:61.5"

Length: 53.2" (nose to back of fin)

Center of gravity: 19" from Trailing edge of wing (see marks on wing)

Control Deflection: 16 degrees

Use this Article in parallel with the Classic Retro Rocket build video to complete your very own Monster Retro Rocket!

REAR FUSE INTAKE SPACERS

1. Locate the 2 intake spacers in your kit.  

2. Fold along the score line to 180 degrees and glue

3 Test fit and glue your spacers between the ducts and the rear fuse skin. The angled edge will point down and line up with the bottom of the fuse

LOWER FUSE WING SUPPORT DOUBLER

1. Locate the lower Fuse wing doubler.  This doubler gives reinforcement to the lower ducts and the wing mount area

2. Test fit and align the lower wing mount doubler on the inside of the lower duct area. Doubler should align to the inner sides of the ducts

3. Glue in place and hold till glue has fully cooled.

3D Rudder Assembly

1. Locate the 2 rudder sides and 2 inner rudder spars

2. Peel the paper from the inside of the rudder halves.  leave the paper intact around the spar etch marks.

3.Test fit and glue the spar halves to the inside of the rudder fin.  use the score cuts to allow the spars to bend flat against the fin tabs.

3a. Now would be a fantastic time to add LEDs to your fin.  (TIP: You will need to slot in the upper LEDs into the foam fin halves for a perfect fit.

4. test fit and glue the top fin half to the spar.  make sure to align your bottom and top halves to each other so your fin is symmetrical

5. with a drop of glue, pin the front, rear, and top tips of the fin halves together and check for symmetry.  

6. Once you are satisfied with the symmetry of the fin, lay a bead of glue inside the fin halves one at a time and use the table to press the fin leading and trailing edges together to create a straight and true fin. 

7. Your rudder fin is now ready for test mounting on your Fuselage and for testing options like LEDs

ATTACHING RUDDER FIN TO THE FUSELAGE

1. Test fit your rudder to the fuse by aligning the rear tabs to there holes.  The center tab/spar will protrude lower that the front and rear tabs.

2. check to make sure the fin is perpendicular to the lower wing mount and fits flus the the upper fuselage skin.

3. Mark the edge of the fin onto the fuse 

4. lift up the fin, apply glue inside the marks on the fuse, and reinstall the fin while making sure it is still perpendicular to the lower wing mounts

5. Reinforce fin with a bead of glue around both the top and also the inside of the fuse where the tabs are exposed.

TRAILING EDGE WING DOUBLERS and TOP WING SKIN PREP

1. locate the rear wing doublers in the kit for the left and right wing along with the top wing skin front pieces

1a. For the top wing skin front triangles, Test fit in place and when satisfied, tape over the seam on the non-scored side and glue together on the inside.

2. Test fold and glue the trailing edge doublers together.

3. Align the doublers to the inside trailing edge of the left and right wing.  Glue in place once satisfied with the fit.

FRONT SPAR INNER PLYWOOD REINFORCEMENT

1. Locate the front inner plywood spare reinforcement for the left and right wing.

2. test fit and glue the inner spar taking care to not have it protrude out of the center section.  Trim off extra foam protruding from the edge.

2a. Now would be a fantastic time to add optional LED lights to the wing halves

FRONT HATCH REINFORCEMENT FOR NOSE GEAR

1. Locate plywood front hatch reinforcement

2. align reinforecment plate onto lower hatch half.  Once happy with alignment, glue in place

3. fold over foam hatch halve to align with upper portion of plywood reinforcement.  Once happy with alignment, glue in place

4. match the angel for the front of the nose with the hatch tab and glue in place. There will be a gap by the plywood.

WING FENCE MOD

The wing fence will have a bit of reflex to give a nicer look to the trailing edge of the wing.  

1. Test fit and glue the main section of the wing fence in place per the build video.  

2. Bend the trailing edge of the wing up to the wing fence and glue in place

CONGRATULATIONS!

You know know all the special tips to complete your own Monster Retro Rocket!