Winter 2022 Builds

Frank asked about Winter builds in the thread on BMS and I thought I would start a new discussion for it. What is everyone building? Any cert attempts?

Here is my list which I also posted about on facebook. 

4 Projects for the winter:
1. 7.5" Loc Goblin. 98 mm motor mount and highly reinforced interior and two flight computers for apogee deployment. Planning to use a chute release for the main. Planning to fly it on a K1999 at either RIMRA or a bably L at Metra. The rocket is finished except for paint. I coated the fins and body tube in West Systems epoxy as well to give it a nicer finish than the cardboard. 

2. 4" Fiberglass Nike Tomahawk. Two stages with electronics and GPS tracking in both stages. Large range of motors possible. Initial flight will likely be a H550 to a G74 to keep the altitude low. Planning to fly it at CMASS Amesbury or RIMRA. If it flies well, I could try a K550 to a I284 at a high-waiver field. I only started sanding the fins and centering rings on the upper stage. 

3. 4" Fiberglass 1/4 scale patriot. I finished it over the holiday break except for painting. It is heavy at 7.1 pounds without recovery. It really needs a full H or baby I with a lot of thrust to fly well. I may get an I211 for RIMRA or CMASS Amesbury. I could try an I284 but that may be too much for a first flight.

4. 7.5" Fiberglass reinforced 1/2 scale PML patriot. 98 mm motor mount and otherwise a fairly standard build. Planning to fly it on a K1999 at either RIMRA or an mid M at MDRA or Potter. I have made no progress other than looking over the parts. 

Unfortunately I do not have a convenient place to build rockets in the Winter and I may not get back to work until the Spring. 

Cheers, Alex
 

That is an impressive list of projects. Best wishes for success.

I am working on some spinning cluster rockets and am continuing development of the "tractor helix" rockets with two and three spinning motors.

Also, inspired by those Thai pinwheels (which even mention of is banned on some FB groups due to egregious safety violations), I am working on a spinning saucer. But just to set expectations, this will be something much different (and safer) than the Thai spinning things. Using Estes motors, they will burn out quickly. But even with a small cant angle, the thing should spin like a banchie.  Also, it will have two BT-70 tubes for parachute deployment

 

Wow Alex, that is some list.  A 1/2 Scale Patriot!!!  How are you going to transport that?  Does it break apart enough to become manageable? 

I do have a couple scratch build plans that I am going to turn into reality soon. 

1) I just designed a Patriot using BT-80 the other night.  It comes in a 1:6.15 Scale.  I'll make it with a 29MM motor mount.  I have everything kicking around, except for the nose cone.  In this case, the nose cone looks like it will be easy to get, plastic and inexpensive, compared to my balsa BT-80 nose cones on my Titan.  The most expensive part should be the decals from Stickershock.

2 & 3) A 3-Stage model rocket where the top stage can be switched out to be either a Javelin (Argo D-4) or a Trailblazer-1.  Both used an Honest John booster as the first stage and a Nike Ajax/Hercules booster for the second.  I'll make the model/s 24MM/18MM/18MM.  Very simple, very light, especially in the case of the Trailblazer 1 top. I'm not going to worry if I loose it, because it will be so cheap and easy to replace.  Flight sims say I could get close to 4500 ft, even with good ol' Estes engines.  I'll be sure to keep them under any wavier!

Tim

Those sound like interesting rockets! Have you thought of using any of the long-duration motors from Aerotech?

Hi Tim, Nice list as well! Are you using motor burn-through for staging or electronics?

The 1/2 Scale Patriot should come apart. I have a minivan and it will fit with the back seats out. It is a big rocket though and near the limit of what I can transport.

Cheers, Alex