Flying Pyramids

[GrossApproximator]

Do flying tetrahedrons and flying pyramids behave like flying cones? I want to build an 8 sided or maybe 6 sided pyramid (forgive my poor geometric vocabulary) rocket, and I'm not sure about the stability. I'd like most to build a flying cone, but I think it would be easier to make a flying pyramid-type-thing. Also, I'd be able to use foam board for a flying pyramid.

[MarkII]

Yes.

http://www.rocketreviews.com/cgi-bin/search/searchall.cgi?pyramid

Mark K.

[Gillard]

sunward do two pyramids, they both fly great, but if you are scratch building you will need to add quite a bit of mass up top, both the sunward kits have alot of clay added, and the motor mount is recessed from the base to help shift the CG higher.
Art applewhite does card pyramids which also fly great, but then again all of Art's rockets fly great

[MarkII]

sunward do two pyramids, they both fly great, but if you are scratch building you will need to add quite a bit of mass up top, both the sunward kits have alot of clay added, and the motor mount is recessed from the base to help shift the CG higher.
Art applewhite does card pyramids which also fly great, but then again all of Art's rockets fly greatArt's (http://www.artapplewhite.com/) Qubit, Stealth, Scimitar (all based on cubes) and Cinco (pentagonal pyramid) rockets are all pyramid (http://www.mathsisfun.com/geometry/pyramids.html) designs. (Well, OK, the Qubit-style kits are really hexahedrons (http://www.mathsisfun.com/geometry/hexahedron.html).) As mentioned in the cone rocket thread (http://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?t=10360), the CPs of such designs are usually behind the rocket, and they are quite stable without the use of any nose weight. Art also has a plan on his "Free Stuff" page for a square pyramid that flies in 13mm motors. I have built versions of nearly all of his designs (including the 29mm Priority Stealth) and indeed, they all fly straight and true. I don't know if Sunward's two pyramid (http://www.sunward1.com/khufu.htm) kits (http://www.sunward1.com/kingtut.htm) employ nose weight, but I doubt that they would actually need it if they did.

In addition to his eponymous Cone rockets, Art Applewhite's saucer-style rockets are also technically cone rockets. (His Hourglass (http://www.artapplewhite.com/hourglass.html) rockets are another type of rocket that takes advantage of base drag: the spool rocket (http://www.rocketreviews.com/cgi-bin/search/searchall.cgi?spool+rocket). More info on spool rockets here (http://cdspoolrocket.info/).)

BTW, another great cone rocket is Semroc's The Point. (http://www.semroc.com/Store/scripts/RocketKits.asp?SKU=KV-58)

http://www.semroc.com/Store/ProdImages/point-sm.jpg

Mark K.

[hcmbanjo]

Check out the upcoming WEDGIE on the kits page:

http://www.oddlrockets.com/KitsPage2.html

The development of this kit was anything but normal. It's a 3 sided Tetrahedron, taller and narrower than a regular pyramid. It flies higher than a shorter four side pyramid would on a C6-3.
When it's ready to ship, you'll be able to download and print five different "skins" and apply them to the sides. There's even a NAR logo (used by permission) and a blank skin so you can customize. A great flyer and crowd pleaser.

I know, the website transfer lost a few pictures, but I'm working on it!