Thursday, July 23, 2015

Streamer Recovery On Engine Eject Models TIP

Scott Johnson reminded of an engine eject streamer recovery method from Centuri.
In the Satellite Killer model, Centuri used the empty space in a 1/2A6-2 engine for a streamer!
I found the instructions at oldrocketplans.com.


To read it, enlarge the illustrations on the right.

It involves rolling up a streamer and setting it into the casing itself.
Don't forget the wadding set right on top of the ejection charge cap!

This method could be used in 18mm engine eject models. There isn't enough room in 13mm engines.
See the Semroc version of the Satellite Killer below for a 13mm idea.



On the Semroc Satellite Killer reissue,
A streamer is wrapped between the 5/20 centering rings.

The original Centuri Satellite Killer used 18mm engines, the only recommended engine was a 1/2A6-2.
On the Semroc model, 13mm engines are used. This gives you some room around the engine mount tube for a rolled streamer.


TIP: A streamer just rolled around an ejected mount or engine might not unravel.
Instead of rolling the streamer around the tube, roll back and forth. Wrap around the tube for one turn, fold over the streamer and roll one time around the other direction. Continue until the streamer is fully wrapped.
Folding a wrap around streamer in a accordion "zip-zag" style will open easier and faster at ejection.
It will take an extra minute or two to get right, but most odd-ball type models take extra time to prep.

1 comment:

  1. I saw another method for tumble recovery rockets as well. The current Estes Mosquito has you rocket air foil its fins (symmetric air foil), which just turns it into a fire and forget lawn dart. However, I saw old plans (it was an old mosquito like rocket on YORP or Semroc) where the fins were airplane foiled (asymmetric air foil), which would cause the rocket to rotate on liftoff and perhaps tumble during recovery.

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