Originally Posted by Kirk G 
So, I picked up a Mega Mosquito combo package from Estes during their December sale, and now that Easter is here, I'm breaking it out to do some family crafting....
As I look at the contents, it becomes clear that there is a smaller mini-mosquito in the package.
It appears that there are five parts... three mini balsa fins, a short two inch body tube, a mini nose cone, and a launch lug (soda straw).
As I sand the balsa fins, and treat them with a little sealant, I am also gluing the launch lug onto the side of the body. Then it hits me.... THERE IS NO PARACHUTE.
I read the "instructions" and find there is no mention of a chute, streamer, nor breaking system of any kind! Now I'm getting worried.
But if these small motors have a time delay, they'll have an ejection charge, and that is going to blow the capsule/nose cone off. There's no room for a parachute in the tube once the motor is inserted....(and there's no motor mount nor retension bar or clip either!)
So, how do you keep the nose cone from coming off and being lost???? And why shouldn't I roll-up a n orange streamer to try to pack into the nose cone and upper body tube, separated by some dog barf?
Anyone with experience on this mini-mite, please advise!
As I look at the contents, it becomes clear that there is a smaller mini-mosquito in the package.
It appears that there are five parts... three mini balsa fins, a short two inch body tube, a mini nose cone, and a launch lug (soda straw).
As I sand the balsa fins, and treat them with a little sealant, I am also gluing the launch lug onto the side of the body. Then it hits me.... THERE IS NO PARACHUTE.
I read the "instructions" and find there is no mention of a chute, streamer, nor breaking system of any kind! Now I'm getting worried.
But if these small motors have a time delay, they'll have an ejection charge, and that is going to blow the capsule/nose cone off. There's no room for a parachute in the tube once the motor is inserted....(and there's no motor mount nor retension bar or clip either!)
So, how do you keep the nose cone from coming off and being lost???? And why shouldn't I roll-up a n orange streamer to try to pack into the nose cone and upper body tube, separated by some dog barf?
Anyone with experience on this mini-mite, please advise!
My response:I just looked at the instructions for the small Mosquito included in the Mega Mosquito kit.
They are vague, you get just an exploded drawing with the line "Glue all the parts together"
Under "Prepare Engine" it basically says wrap with masking tape for a "Snug Fit". (I don't know if I'd want a snug fit on this one)
On the other side in the flight instructions no mention is made of featherweight or tumble recovery.
On the right side of the wrap around face card it does say "Tumble Recovery".
I would guess that Estes assumes you have built simple models before tackling the Mega Mosquito.
Take a look at the older, more descriptive Estes instructions on the JimZ website:
http://www.spacemodeling.org/JimZ/estes/est0801.pdf
With more kits instructions prepared in three languages there is less room for descriptive copy.
This complaint has come up before. Pictures and arrows don't always answer every question.
I am building a Mosquito/Mega Mosquito, and was amused by the Mosquito's 14-word assembly instructions. I suppose it's less amusing if you are inexperienced enough not to understand them.
ReplyDeleteBut I don't want to build for motor ejection, so I'm going to try making mine nose blow. I have 100# Kevlar epoxied into the nose and running to a lariat loop around the back of the motor. I'll have to use a narrow tape strip on the motor's end as a block, and I'm planning on a small amount of wadding poked loosely into the front end of the motor. The other option would be to add an MMX motor mount which would allow room, maybe, for a streamer (more for visibility than anything else.)
While the Estes kits and parts are getting much better, the instructions are more condensed. I was surprised the Mini Mosquito flight directions said to tape for a snug fit.
ReplyDeleteYour recovery upgrades sound like a good plan!
I've lost a few Streaks when I first got into rocketry.
I flew my 1970s era Mosquito first with 1/4A engines, then the 1/2A3-4t.
Something that small gets amazing altitudes with a 1/2A.
I might also add a band of chrome Mylar for reflection flash on recovery.
I have a Quark and it's the same, the ejection charge blows out the spent engine and then the Quark fall to earth like an arrow. Every time I find mine the nose cone is buried a few inches into the soil. The first time I launched it, we couldn't find it, until I walked over to where my wife was watching dejected at loosing it. Then I saw it about 3 feet behind where she was sitting, nose deep into the ground. Oh and that hot spent engine, out of three or four launches I've only found one. This is a good spring time launch bird - when everything is green, just remember your umbrella... for safety.
ReplyDeleteHi Scott,
ReplyDeleteYears back, "feather-weight" models tumbled as they fell, they didn't streamline in. They don't call if featherweight recovery any more. Now it's "tumble" recovery. Others have written in forums that the Quark does nose in like yours.
The older Centuri Lil' Herc had washers at the back end of the four fins so it would tumble in.
At some launches and competitions you have to have a streamer on ejected engines. I've never been hit by one, but I've heard them hit with a "thud"!
You should do a safe and sane, "El Mosquito" for your Odd'l Rockets. It would have better decals, engine recovery with streamer and pop top tumble or streamer rocket recovery.
ReplyDeleteYou could also make an El Quark, a Rapido (Swift) and perhaps a few more.
Ha! I crack myself up.
Thanks for the suggestions!
ReplyDeleteI probably won't be making any Mosquito style kits though, they're too "normal" for the Odd'l Rockets style kits.
I can't believe the retail price on the Mini Mosquito - $7.00?
When the Mosquito first came out it was just fifty cents!