NEFAR Launch Bunnell, FL, April 22, 2017

I arrived around 11:00 a.m. counting 75 cars already there, more were arriving.
The two-day Bunnell Half Blast is turning into a big event.
On these two day launches the LPR and MPR launches are independent of each other. You can load and launch LPR without waiting for the larger rockets to fly.
Surprisingly the LPR launchers weren't busy until later in the afternoon. This was the first hot day of the Summer launch season.

Take a look at the new LPR launch controller designed by Steve Ghoto.
It is smaller than the picture lets on, the footprint is about 8" X 8". A very clean layout, the labeling is to be added soon.
Its wireless and transmits a launch signal to the relay switch near the rack.

Even thought the Goony G-16 is still being built on this blog, I flew it twice and was very stable.
First up with a Estes B6-4 it got to an estimated 300'. It touched down on hard dirt and cracked a fin. Gary had some white glue for a quick repair.
The second launch was with a Estes C6-5. Same straight flight boost but to approx. 500 feet. This time it landed softer with no damage.
A good start for an Odd'l prototype.



Boost gliders have never been my strong suit. I've had them shred on boost or glide away. The only B/G success I ever had was with the original Citation Bomarc, a pop-pod boost glider.
The Estes SKYDART is a classic, I've never flown one until now.
I did a dozen test tosses making slight adjustments on the elevon set screw.
Loaded with an Estes C6-3 it arced to the East to 300' and ejected the pod. It settled into a fast circular glide pattern. The glide was flat and I was counting. After ejection it did glide for 25 seconds!



My older Estes MINI SHUTTLE was flown with a German Quest B6-4.

There's not much room for the 12" parachute. The shock cord is pushed into the hollow nose cone first. The folded chute follows, half in - half out.
At ejection the shock cord (usually) pulls out the chute.
Altitude was an estimated 300' with no damage on recovery.

I delivered 10 of the new Odd'l Rockets F-16 kits on site to Roger and Bracha of JonRocket.com. Roger listed them right away, via his cell phone.

Here's Jim Lytle with his F-16 kit, he was the first to buy one!
As I was driving out Bracha stopped me to say through website sales the F-16 were already sold out! Thanks everybody - they'll be mailed out on Monday.
Apogee will have an allotment in a few days - I've got to make more kits!

The NEFAR field is large and my chance to fly larger engines. (Well, large for me anyway.)
The New Way N-20 DEMON was launched with a D12-5 engine to an estimated 700'.
There was no parachute at ejection! It fell slowly enough and landed with one shroud line draped over the corner of a range tent. Damage was minimal, a slight crease in the body tube.

This was one of the better launch days. A new Odd'l kit, two good prototype flights and a decent glide time with a filled and painted Skydart!

Odd'l Rockets F-16 Kit Now Available!

Well it's about time! This one took a while . . .
Too many prototypes, some trashed canopies, design revisions and lots of test flights.
Jon Rocket will have them today (Saturday), Apogee will have kits in a few days.
Thanks for your patience, I think this one is worth the wait!

Odd'l Rockets Goony G-16 Build, Part 5, Wings, Fins and Bomb Gluing

After filling the balsa parts with CWF and smooth sanding, all the parts were taped down to a scrap piece of cardboard for a good shot of  primer/filler.

Shoot one side, flip them over and shoot the other side.

Here's a wing and small sub fin after sanding off most of the primer/filler. There's not much of it left on the surface. I don't use this as a primer but more as a filler to finish any remaining grain or body tube seams.

Here's what's glued together so far. It looks better than I thought it would

Some primer filler was scraped off to make a gluing area for the bomb support piece.








The back end with the bombs and missiles glued on.
The rear sub fins are just under the rear of the intake tube.

Finished Estes Patriot on Ebay

I've listed a finished Estes PATRIOT on Ebay.
To see it and make a bid, CLICK HERE
Lots of upgrades on this one:

• D engine mount
• Clean build, no balsa grain or body tube spirals
• Replaceable Kevlar through rear of the engine mount
• Yellow tube area is a payload section
• Nose cone is tethered, it will stay with the rocket at ejection.
• No stick on decals, black trim is vinyl with custom water slide decals.

Make a bid and support the blog!

Odd'l Rockets Goony G-16 Build, Part 4, Details

On most short Goonys you recess the engine mount to move the C/G forward.
The mount was pressed in until the low bend on the engine hook was even with the bottom of the BT-60 tube.

Here I'm applying and smoothing the rear fillet with a Q-tip. Both inside ends of the main airframe tube got a wipe of CA glue to strengthen and seal the edge.


The Goony launch lug "missiles" are wider than the Odd'l kit at 3/16" diameter.
One end is cut at a 45 degree angle.
TIP: To be sure the cut angles are consistent, I drew some guide lines in my work board.




The dowel bombs felt a little heavy. I don't want too much weight at the back end.

I drilled out a 3/16" diameter hole in the rear. I only cut .02 oz. from each dowel, but that could still help.

The bottom intake tube was cut from a BT-55 tube.
The launch lug was glued inside and in line with the engine hook position.

Odd'l Rockets Goony G-16 Build, Part 3, Engine Mount - TIP

Boy, I really need to buy some 20/60 rings! This isn't the first time I've had to make my own.

TIP: The next time you are at a framing store, ask if they have any scrap mat material. It's perfect for centering rings or fiber fins. It's thicker than the centering ring material you'd find in a kit. You should be able to buy some very cheap.

I'm tracing around the BT-60 main body tube with a mechanical pencil.

Center a BT-20 on the circle you just drew. It isn't easy to get it perfectly centered and may take a few tries. Trace around the BT-20 engine mount tube.

Cut out the center first, right on the pencil line.
(Inset picture) You can cut the outside ring with scissors, cut just inside the pencil line.

You can use some 220 grit wrapped around a finger to slightly widen the inside hole until the BT-20 slides in.
(Left picture) Stack the two rings on the BT-20, sand and round the outside until it slip fits into the BT-60.




Here's the rings before and after using the rotary punch.
This rocket will have the replaceable Kevlar line, that's the small hole at the bottom of the rings.

Notice the faint pencil lines near the center of the ring. Always mark before making any punches.






Here's the finished mount with the Kevlar line running through the Q-tip tube.
The Kevlar and tied on elastic are rolled up and inside the engine tube for gluing into the main airframe tube.

Two More Estes Clearance Kits -

From TRF, Malbar 70 found two new clearance kits on the Estes website:

The QCC Explorer is on sale for $8.99 - CLICK HERE
The Conquest kit is priced at $10.99 - CLICK HERE

The QCC is a sharp looking rocket, but I don't want to fill those intakes again!
The Conquest has two of the same intakes underneath.
Here's my build of the QCC Explorer - CLICK HERE