What's your experience with the CC Express?

[TheSamurai]

From memory, I don't see a reason why not. But my whole motor mount system was slightly altered so it could take an extra 2" of engine. Looking at the manual, I don't see a problem though.

https://www.estesrockets.com/media/instructions/001302_CC_EXPRESS.pdf

Ok. And I don't plan on making the booster an E but would like the option for the sustainer to be an E. So what do I need to do in order to make the sustainer capable of taking an E?

 

[Green Jello]

Ok. And I don't plan on making the booster an E but would like the option for the sustainer to be an E. So what do I need to do in order to make the sustainer capable of taking an E?

That would involve making the motor mount tube exactly 1" deeper/longer and then flying it with an adapter in there when you are using D engines. It looks as though the stock motor mount tube is long enough and you'd just need to install the engine block (green piece I) further in. You can make your own E to D engine adapter if you have a spent engine you can clean out the inside and cut a 1" length of it.

 

[TheSamurai]

That would involve making the motor mount tube exactly 1" deeper/longer and then flying it with an adapter in there when you are using D engines. It looks as though the stock motor mount tube is long enough and you'd just need to install the engine block (green piece I) further in. You can make your own E to D engine adapter if you have a spent engine you can clean out the inside and cut a 1" length of it.

Alright. Thanks!

 

[Green Jello]

In this step, just simply change that distance from 1 1/2" to 1/2" and that should do it. Also, you can't use that F piece as your guide to push the engine block in and you'd need something longer.

 

[TheSamurai]

In this step, just simply change that distance from 1 1/2" to 1/2" and that should do it. Also, you can't use that F piece as your guide to push the engine block in and you'd need something longer.

View attachment 140128

So I CAN'T use the F piece right? It almost seemed like you wanted to say CAN but then at the end you said I'll need something longer so I am just double checking. : )

 

[Green Jello]

So I CAN'T use the F piece right? It almost seemed like you wanted to say CAN but then at the end you said I'll need something longer so I am just double checking. : )

Yeah, with that F guide piece you are supposed to make a mark on it 3/8" in and push it to that mark for D engines. So it will be too short for you to use. The best thing to use would be an E engine if you had one and use that. It really wouldn't be hard no matter how you do it. You just need that block to be exactly 1" further in than what say.

 

[TheSamurai]

Yeah, with that F guide piece you are supposed to make a mark on it 3/8" in and push it to that mark for D engines. So it will be too short for you to use. The best thing to use would be an E engine if you had one and use that. It really wouldn't be hard no matter how you do it. You just need that block to be exactly 1" further in than what say.

Ok. I'll take a look at it tonight or tomorrow morning. Got stuck at the club manager's house talking rockets for two hours. lol

 

[Gus]

There is no reason to put a coupler between the booster and sustainer. The two are held in place by the motors just fine. Just build it according to the directions and it will fly very well.

 

[tmacklin]

Oops. Fixed.

Thanks! Very nice video of a great flight. I love the smell of black powder in the morning. :wink:

 

[TheSamurai]

Thanks! Very nice video of a great flight. I love the smell of black powder in the morning. :wink:

Indeed. It was a very nice flight.

 

[Green Jello]

There is no reason to put a coupler between the booster and sustainer. The two are held in place by the motors just fine. Just build it according to the directions and it will fly very well.

I assume you have built one Gus? Because many people here who have think that it's much BETTER if you add the coupler and that is why we suggested it.

 

[AfterBurners]

I assume you have built one Gus? Because many people here who have think that it's much BETTER if you add the coupler and that is why we suggested it.

The coupler is a small investment for this kit. ESTES's should have considered it as part of their design. It also allows the rocket to be displayed with both sections attached.

 

[Nathan]

They're great, I've built 3 of them. And lost or destroyed all 3.

and here is a pic of that CC Express on the left at the moment of staging:

 

[TheSamurai]

In this step, just simply change that distance from 1 1/2" to 1/2" and that should do it. Also, you can't use that F piece as your guide to push the engine block in and you'd need something longer.

View attachment 140128

Is there a reason it has to be pushed in from that side? If I mark the tool at 1/2" and put the block in from the front won't that suffice as well?

 

[Green Jello]

Is there a reason it has to be pushed in from that side? If I mark the tool at 1/2" and put the block in from the front won't that suffice as well?

I think they just suggest that way so there is no glue pushed down into the tube interfering with the motor. If you are careful, it won't matter.

 

[Dipstick]

Is seeing the booster stage difficult when it pops off or does it come off low enough that it isn't difficult to see?

lol, I had a CC Express where the booster motor mount tube was a little too loose after a bunch of flights. It would launch, leaving the booster on the pad. So essentially we were chad staging it (and it flew perfectly)

 

[Wayco]

My only issue with this model is how hard it is to find the sustainer. Don't bother modifying it for an E motor, my modified "EE Express" sustainer is still out in the desert somewhere, I've looked for it several times. If you put an E motor in the booster, it will almost always break a fin when it lands. Even if you modify it "through the wall" like I did here:
https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?40769-E-E-Express

 

[AfterBurners]

My only issue with this model is how hard it is to find the sustainer. Don't bother modifying it for an E motor, my modified "EE Express" sustainer is still out in the desert somewhere, I've looked for it several times. If you put an E motor in the booster, it will almost always break a fin when it lands. Even if you modify it "through the wall" like I did here:
https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?40769-E-E-Express

You could use streamers or better yet a chute and paint it a neon color. Regardless all my rockets are some neon on them just for that reason. Scaled rockets/models on the other hand don't for obvious reasons.

 

[bill_s]

I saw one fly. Sort of like using a motor with a really weird thrust curve. It kind of lumbered up until the second motor lit, then it booked.

 

[TheSamurai]

Everything is going good so far. Getting ready to put the retaining motor mount in the main body tube. Then the fins.

 

[AfterBurners]

This thread makes me want to build one.

 

[TheSamurai]

This thread makes me want to build one.

It's been a fun build so far. I don't plan on too many launches with the height that it will get and it being so small.

 

[Nathan]

Here's an onboard video I did last year of a CC Express with streamer recovery. It got stuck high up in a tall tree. The beeper beeped for 3 days until the battery went dead. 26 days later the shock cord broke and the rocket and keychain camera fell to the ground. The camera was still fine after getting rained on many times, and I recovered this video.

[video=youtube;9l1NcjOUHVU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9l1NcjOUHVU[/video]

 

[Nathan]

...I don't plan on too many launches with the height that it will get and it being so small.

They are easy to lose. If you can see a little CC Express 1800 ft up then you have better eyes that me.

 

[Gus]

I assume you have built one Gus? Because many people here who have think that it's much BETTER if you add the coupler and that is why we suggested it.

Dave,

I'm sorry if my offering a different opinion annoyed you. I have, indeed, built a CC Express. In fact I've built quite a few of them. My first post on this forum about the CC Express was in November of 2004 and I've made a number of posts about it since. My favorite configuration for the CC Express is a D12 to E9, reducing the total fin count on each stage from 4 to 3.

I feel quite comfortable with my knowledge of the rocket and how it flies. It flies very well without a coupler between the stages. The booster and sustainer are held together in perfect alignment very nicely by the taped together motors. It stages very nicely with this arrangement. Other than holding the two stages together without a motor inside for display purposes (I've always found an expended motor works just fine for this), I don't see what advantage adding a coupler offers.

 

[Nathan]

Actually you don't even need the booster stage. It will fly just fine with the 2 motors taped together and the booster motor sticking out the bottom. I've done it.

 

[TheSamurai]

Dave,

I'm sorry if my offering a different opinion annoyed you. I have, indeed, built a CC Express. In fact I've built quite a few of them. My first post on this forum about the CC Express was in November of 2004 and I've made a number of posts about it since. My favorite configuration for the CC Express is a D12 to E9, reducing the total fin count on each stage from 4 to 3.

I feel quite comfortable with my knowledge of the rocket and how it flies. It flies very well without a coupler between the stages. The booster and sustainer are held together in perfect alignment very nicely by the taped together motors. It stages very nicely with this arrangement. Other than holding the two stages together without a motor inside for display purposes (I've always found an expended motor works just fine for this), I don't see what advantage adding a coupler offers.

I haven't decided yet if I am going to use it. Even if it isn't necessary to have it for launching purposes, as someone else noted, it is nice to have for displaying purposes.

 

[TheSamurai]

I have done everything there is to do except paint it!!! Really excited to see this baby fly.

 

[boomtube]

I launched my “CC Express” using D-Power. I now call this rocket “Long Walk to Recover”.

 

[AfterBurners]

Dave,

I'm sorry if my offering a different opinion annoyed you. I have, indeed, built a CC Express. In fact I've built quite a few of them. My first post on this forum about the CC Express was in November of 2004 and I've made a number of posts about it since. My favorite configuration for the CC Express is a D12 to E9, reducing the total fin count on each stage from 4 to 3.

I feel quite comfortable with my knowledge of the rocket and how it flies. It flies very well without a coupler between the stages. The booster and sustainer are held together in perfect alignment very nicely by the taped together motors. It stages very nicely with this arrangement. Other than holding the two stages together without a motor inside for display purposes (I've always found an expended motor works just fine for this), I don't see what advantage adding a coupler offers.

I think another option for the coupler is to reinforce the booster stage itself if it hits the ground hard, the coupler will keep the body tube from getting dented or mashed.