Designer's Challenge: John Boren Thinks Outside the Box with Design2Fly

Estes designer John Boren approached the Design2Fly Challenge with a goal of creating something completely different. Rather than using only the parts inside the kit, John turned the packaging itself into a central part of his design.

The result is a square-profile spacecraft with detailed exterior panels, a distinctive window, and an uncommon rear-ejection recovery system. We asked John to share the inspiration, planning, and creative decisions behind his original Design2Fly Builder Kit creation.

What inspired the concept for your rocket, and how did that initial idea evolve as you began building?

I knew I wanted to use the actual box that the parts came in for much of the outer shape of the model, since I wanted something completely different.

I also wanted a model that wasn’t round, so I searched the web for spaceships that had a square profile and a cool feature. I settled on this design because I loved the nose of the spacecraft and the shape of its window.

How did the parts included in the Design2Fly Kit influence the shape, features, or overall direction of your design?

Since I used the actual box for the outer shape of the model, most of the parts would be used inside the model for items such as the engine mount and the stuffer tube running up the center of the model.

I did, however, use most of the printed material included, such as the printed fin template, shock cord mount, and pages from the booklet, for all of my exterior panel details and the engine mount system.

Did any of the parts spark an unexpected idea or lead you in a direction you had not originally planned?

The design of my model didn’t lead to any unexpected ideas based on the parts that were contained in the box. Before building the model, I pretty much knew what each item in the box was going to be used for, except for the parachute recovery system.

For this, I was forced to braid together the shroud lines of a parachute to create the attachment line for the shock cord between the model and the rear-ejection recovery system.

Which detail or design choice are you most proud of, and what makes it special to you?

I can’t really say I am most proud of this choice, but the rear-ejection recovery system is seldom used by modelers. I felt it would make the model easier to build since I didn’t have to create a removable nose section.

It’s also just cool, and I haven’t built one in over 15 years.

What advice would you give someone opening a Design2Fly Kit and creating a custom rocket for the first time?

I would think ahead and determine what your actual goal is.

Do you want to create as many different models as possible from the included parts? Is it more important to create something very different from what you’ve done in the past, while the number of models you can create isn’t really that important to you? Or are you simply happy to have a nice selection of parts at your disposal for whatever modeling needs arise in the future?

From Packaging to Spacecraft

Explore the gallery below for a closer look at how John transformed the Design2Fly packaging and included materials into a completely original spacecraft, from its internal structure and exterior panel details to its rear-ejection recovery system.

Follow John’s build from the first structural components to the finished square-profile spacecraft.

What Will You Create?

The Design2Fly Builder Kit gives you an assortment of rocket parts and the freedom to decide how they will be used. Take inspiration from John’s unconventional approach, look beyond the expected, and create something entirely your own.