Launch! Schoolyard August 9, 2013

I've wanted to fly these two in the same launch session to compare the flights.
The Quest MMX SATURN V is on the left, the new FlisKits MMX SATURN V is on the right.

Even with added larger clear fins, the Quest Saturn wiggled on the way up. Without the extra fin area (cut from a clear blister pack package) my previous Quest Saturn flights were unstable.
I would guess the altitude was about 30 feet. The mylar streamer did eject. I didn't roll it around the central post, it was folded in a zig-zag pattern.

The Fliskits Saturn V looked like it got twice the altitude. It hadn't quite reached apogee when the streamer ejected.
The Fliskits Saturn V easily wins the comparison flights.


I did fly a third MMX model today.
If you ever try Micro Maxx, this is a must have - the FlisKits HONEST JOHN.
It seem to be indestructible.
Altitude must have been 100 feet with full streamer recovery.
This is how MMX models should fly.






My Estes SUPER ALPHA had a great ride on an Estes B6-4.
Altitude was an estimated 300 feet.

I did reef the 18" parachute but that was probably not needed.
No damage on recovery.

A "C" engine is safe on this field if flown in an odd-ball, high drag model.
The CD SPOOL flew to around 300' on an Estes C6-3.
I know, booster engines should be used in saucers. On this one, the ejection always happens when it is plenty high in the air.

After boost it did turn over and just start to spin when the ejection fired.
With the shiny silver CDs it catches a lot of sun reflection when fast spinning to the ground.
One CD had a small crack in it from previous flights. The crack is across half the lower CD now. I'll simply tape it closed and fly it again.
If landing on grass, the CD Spool rockets are stronger than you might think.

Estes Constellation Build Part 2 Engine Mount

Instead of a tape wrap, an engine strap is cut from printed card stock.
This wrap almost goes all the way around. I marked the center and set that right over the engine hook.
TIP: I always turn the printed side in, especially on shrouds. Sometimes paint won't cover the wording printed on the outside.

TIP: On this model, the rear centering ring is even with then of the BT-50 tube.
Sand one side flat (the lower exposed side) so the finished appearance will be smooth and square.
Centering rings are typically cut at a slight angle. It'll take very little sanding to square up the low side.

A notch is cut out of the rear ring to allow movement of the engine hook.

TIP: The inset picture shows the (exaggerated) angle of the cut. It isn't really cut this much to the left.
I'm trying to make notch a square as opposed to an angled pie shaped notch.
The angle cut is reversed on the right side.

For better support, set the ring over an old engine casing when cutting.

Here's how the lower ring should end up after cutting at a slight angle.
It's square and perfectly fits the up and down movement of the engine hook.
The lower (exposed) side of the low centering ring is facing in the picture. You can see how it is flatter and square after sanding.

Estes Constellation Build Part 1, Parts

The finished model is now being auctioned on EBAY!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/151095540173?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649
Support the blog and make a bid!

Here's a classic, the Estes Constellation. It was Kit #K-35

This is one of the Semroc X-kits. No instructions are included, they are printed off from the Jim Z website.

I had built this one years ago. I'm hoping to have better luck with the teardrop shaped landing pods this time.

The parts of interest:
The decal sheet doesn't have any white ink, the face card picture shows three white fins. The old catalog pictures had one black fin with a white "1" decal on it. I don't know where the four black rectangles (next to the red USAs) would go.

Middle left is the tape strips used when gluing on the clear payload tube to the balsa coupler and nose cone.
I was surprised the engine hook wasn't spring steel. It was easily bent and will be replaced.
An 18" long old style rubber shock cord was included.

Not shown: A dowel was included for a launch lug standoff. This standoff wasn't really needed, the payload  section wasn't a larger diameter than the lower end of the model.
Back then, Estes had some kits designed for their C rail.

MMX Saturn V Comparison

Here's the two smallest, flyable Saturn Vs out there.

On the left is the recently finished Fliskit Saturn V.
On the right, the Quest plastic Saturn V.

Without an engine installed - 
The Fliskit Saturn V weighs .08 oz
The Quest Saturn V weighs .23 oz, almost three times heavier!

The Fliskit Saturn has a slightly smaller diameter than the Quest model.
With the rear shroud of the Fliskit model, they are almost the same height. Flis advertises their theirs as the smallest flying Saturn V.
It is slightly smaller and much lighter. It will certainly get better altitude.
Regarding the longer vertical black bars at back end of the FlisKits Saturn V -  Earl Cagle made a recent post on TRF:
"There was one Saturn V (the 500-F facilities checkout mockup Saturn V from May, 1966 timeframe) that had the lower roll pattern . . . but no flying Saturn V did."
Earl

I thought the lower roll pattern was taller than I remembered.
It's an easy fix, just cut the tops down a little above the "U" in the vertical red USA.
The roll pattern on the Quest Saturn model is closer to the truth.

FlisKits MMX Saturn V Finished

This was not a level 1 build!
The nose cone tapers were a challenge to get right.
The fin skirts took a lot of coaxing to stay shaped when gluing.

The finished model does look good. The decals add the right amount of trim.
It's flown twice already - very stable.
It falls slowly after ejection of the streamer. The tail cone really slows the descent.

New Mini Engine Hook from Estes

From John Boren on TRF - 

"Nothing earth shattering here but I thought I would share a couple images of the new mini engine hook that will be used on all mini engine kits from this point on from Estes. It could take some time before you see this new hook in all the kits since there could be a years supply of some of the older kits on hand.

As you can see the biggest change is the rear portion of the hook. It is NO longer in front of the Nozzle. so less of the exhaust gases we be hitting the hook. Also the overall length of the hooked end has been reduced so it won't look so out of place on these smaller sized models."

John 

The old hook is on the bottom, the new smaller hook is on the top.

Scale Bash Book

NAR Technical Services is again carrying the Peter Alway book:
SCALE BASH
Build and Fly Scale Models from Non-Scale Commercial Kits
Plans and patterns for 78 models of 29 real rockets.

Originally printed in 1998, this second printing is from this year.

You can order it HERE 


Mr. Alway has done all the research work for you -
Using available 3:1, 4:1 and 5:1 conical nose cones you can build 24 models of different sizes using the standard Estes BT tubing.
Note: The 3:1 shape means the height of the nose cone is three times the base diameter.
The 11 degree conical nose cone is used for six more models.

Original size drawings and colors are included.
On the right are the fin patterns for the Hydac rocket.
On this one, four fin sizes are included for BT-5, BT-20, BT-50 and BT-55 versions.