ESTES BANDITO User Manual

COUNTDOWN AND LAUNCH

4" (10.1 cm)

KEY ALWAYS OUT UNTIL
FINAL COUNTDOWN!

2...

2...

SLIDE ROCKET
DOWN OVER
LAUNCH ROD.

3...

3...

LAUNCH SUPPLIES (Sold Separately)

• Porta Pad® II Launch Pad

• Electron Beam® Launch Controller

• Recovery Wadding

• Igniters (with Engines)

• Igniter Plugs (with Engines)

• Recommended Estes® Engines:
1/4A3-3T, 1/2A3-2T, A3-4T, A10-3T

www.estesrockets.com

ESTES INDUSTRIES

1295 H Street

Penrose, CO 81240

PRINTED IN CHINA

ASSEMBLY TIP: Read all

instructions before beginning work
on your model. Make sure you
have all parts and supplies.

TEST-FIT ALL PARTS
TOGETHER BEFORE
APPLYING ANY GLUE!

If any parts don’t fit properly, sand
as required for precision assembly.

0803

FLYING MODEL ROCKET KIT

INSTRUCTIONS

KEEP FOR FUTURE REFERENCE

1...

1...

Masking
Tape

15 FT. (5 M)

4...

4...

5...

5...

4... 3... 2... 1...

HOLD KEY DOWN AND
PRESS LAUNCH BUTTON
UNTIL

LIFT-OFF!

INSERT KEY.
PUSH DOWN
AND HOLD.

KEY

PARTS:

Locate the parts shown below and lay them out on the table in front of you.
DO NOT USE THIS DRAWING TO ASSEMBLE YOUR ROCKET.

BT-20

Body Tube BT-20

(1) (30333)

Plastic Frame A

(1) (60598)

Plastic Upper Ring

(1) (60597)

Plastic Frame B

(1) (60599)

Plastic Lower

Ring A

(1) (60595)

Plastic Frame C

(1) (60600)

Plastic Lower

Ring B

(1) (60596)

BT-5

Engine Mount Tube BT-5

(1) (30309)

Plastic Nose Cone PNC-20

Plastic Fin Style A

(3) (60602)

(1) (72702)

Plastic Nose Cone Insert PIN-20

(1) (72603)

Plastic Engine Cap

(2) (60594)

Shock Cord (1)

1/8" x 12"

(38373)

PRECAUTIONS

NAR Safety Code

LAUNCH
BUTTON

NO DRY GRASS
OR WEEDS

FLYING YOUR ROCKET

Choose a large field (500 ft. [152 m] square) free of dry weeds and
brown grass. The larger the launch area, the better your chance of
recovering your rocket. Football fields and playgrounds are great.
Launch only with little or no wind and good visibility.

Always follow the National Association of Rocketry (NAR)
Safety Code.

MISFIRES

TAKE THE KEY OUT OF THE CONTROLLER. WAIT ONE MINUTE
BEFORE GOING NEAR THE ROCKET! Disconnect the igniter clips and

remove the engine. Take the plug and igniter out of the engine. If the igniter
has burned, it worked but did not ignite the engine because it was not
touching the propellant inside the engine. Put a new igniter all the way
inside the engine without bending it. Push the plug in place. Repeat the
steps under Countdown and Launch.

© 2003 Estes-Cox Corp. All rights reserved.

P/N 60605 (09/03)page 4

©2003 Estes-Cox Corp. All rights reserved.

Decal Sheet (1) (60603)

SUPPLIES

In addition to the parts included in the kit you will
also need:

SCISSORS

PLASTIC
CEMENT

CARPENTER’S

GLUE

PRINTED IN CHINA

PN 60603 (9-03)

HELPFUL HINT: IF NOSE CONE/COUPLER FIT IS. . .

ADD
MASKING TAPE.

Plastic Launch Lug

TOO
LOOSE

(1) (60601)

TOO
TIGHT

SAND FOR FIT.

Assembled 12” (30 cm)

Parachute

(1) (35801)

3

MOUNT

SECTION

SHOCK CORD

SECTION2SECTION

1

G

LU

E

1. ASSEMBLE ENGINE MOUNT

G

L

U

E

G

L

U

E

PLASTIC

CEMENT

A. Apply plastic cement

to Lower Ring B then
insert Lower Ring A.
Let Dry.

PRESS

TOGETHER

D. Apply plastic cement to

Engine Mount Frame C.
Attach to Engine Mount
Tube. Let Dry.

PLASTIC

CEMENT

2. INSTALL ENGINE MOUNT

A. Apply plastic cement

inside rear of slotted
Body Tube.

C

P

E

L

M

A

E

S

N

T

T

IC

SLOTTED BODY TUBE

COMPLETED

ASSEMBLY

T

IC

N

T

E

S

M

A

E

L

C

P

B. Apply plastic cement inside plastic

assembly. Insert engine mount tube
until it stops. Let Dry.

E. Glue remaining Engine

Mount Frames A&B to
Engine Mount Tube.
Let Dry.

B. Align fin slots with openings. Insert

Engine Mount. Let Dry.

T

N

E

M

E

C

TIC

S

A

L

C. Apply plastic cement

P

inside front of Engine
Mount Tube. Insert
Upper Ring. Let Dry.

FRONT

IC

T

T

N

S

E

A

M

L

E

P

C

IC
T
S
A
L
P

REAR

T
N
E
M
E
C

COMPLETED ENGINE

MOUNT ASSEMBLY

COMPLETED

ENGINE TUBE

ASSEMBLY

6. ATTACH SHOCK CORD

D

R

CO

NT

3

K

U

C

N

O

O

IO

M

T

H

C

S

E

2

S

N

IO
T
C

E

1

S

N

IO
T
C

E
S

A. Cut out Shock

Cord Mount
from FRONT
PAGE.

3

1

2

SHOCK CORD

C. Apply glue.

Fold forward.

D. Apply glue.

B. Crease

7. ATTACH PARACHUTE AND SHOCK CORD

3

Fold forward.

E. Squeeze tightly

and hold for
one minute.

F. Glue mount at least 1” (25 mm)

inside front of Body Tube. Hold
until glue sets. Let Dry.

D.

1”

(25 mm)

NO

Tie Shock
Cord on with

TWO RIBS ALIGNED

WITH HOLES

A. Form loop in Shroud

Lines and push
through hole in Nose

B. Pass 'Chute

through loop.

C.

Pull tight.

double knot.

Cone.

8. APPLY DECALS

FIN SLOT

3. ATTACH FINS

A. Apply plastic cement to tabs

on fin and insert fin into fin
slot. Let Dry.

CEMENT

PLASTIC

B. Repeat for remaining

Fins. Let Dry.

Peel decals one at a time from backing sheet and apply where shown.
(Use photo on package panel for reference). Rub with finger to remove bubbles.

PREPARE PARACHUTE FOR FLIGHT

A.

NOTE: FINS MUST BE ATTACHED

CORRECTLY FOR STABLE FLIGHT.

4. ATTACH LAUNCH LUGS

A. Apply plastic cement to

TABS

PLASTIC

B. When completely dry, twist Engine Cap

clockwise onto end of Engine Mount.

CEMENT

NOTE: Only Estes Wadding

(EST 302274) Recommended.

tabs on Launch Lug.
Attach to mounting holes
on Body Tube. Let Dry.

COMPLETED ASSEMBLY

5. ASSEMBLE NOSE CONE

A. Apply plastic cement inside Nose Cone

and push insert in until snug. Let dry.

page 2 page 3

COMPLETED NOSE CONE

PREPARE ENGINE

To avoid serious injury,

read instructions & NAR

Safety Code included with

engines.

PREPARE YOUR ENGINE

ONLY WHEN YOU ARE

OUTSIDE AT THE LAUNCH

SITE PREPARING TO LAUNCH!

If you do not use your prepared

engine, remove the igniter before

storing your engine.

A.

Remove
Engine Cap.
Insert engine.

Insert 2-3 squares of

loosely crumpled
recovery wadding
into rocket.

B.

Replace

Engine Cap.

B.

C.

Spike.

Separate
Igniter and
Plug.

D.

C.

Fold.

Drop in
igniter.

TIP MUST

TOUCH

PROPELLANT!

D.

Roll.

E.

Wrap lines loosely. Insert ‘Chute, Shock
Cord and Nose Cone into Body Tube.

F.

Firmly push all

the way in.

E.

Insert Igniter

G.

Plug.

Bend Igniter Wires
back as shown.