D-Region Tomahawk

[Scotty Dog]

I love to be outside and I love to build rockets.
So, I did/doing both.
FINALY getting somewhat of a break with the mosquitos after the cooler weather at night over the weekend.
It has been a HORROR SHOW this year dealing with the bugs.

Anywhoo-I got me Tomahawk out and went to it.
The plan was to use what I have on hand for pigments.
Used Satin White (Krylon) on main.
The fins got shot with DP laq flat black.
I dont have any flat red,and I dont think gloss red is going to look very good with the others.
SOOOOOOOOOOOOO, I guess Ill have to ad a can of pigment to the pile.
It would be nice to use up what I have,not buy more.
I got plans for a scratch "Purple People Eater" to use up some of me Plum Crazy,Purple and some other "P" pigment.
Next up will be an Estes Long Tom.
Going to try and bang out some kits and make room for more.
Im suffering from no box in the mail withdrawals.











View attachment Side tracked 039.jpg

 

[TopRamen]

Back in the Day, the Estes LPR D-Region Tomahawk was my most frequently flown Rocket, my Eggspress being second. I had over 30 something successful launches with the D. One day, I took it into the Field, and there was a Fog, hovering at about 300ft. I wanted to see it fly into the Fog, and see it come down on its Chute'. It went into the Fog, and never came out. I remember it like it was yesterday, but it was 1988. I loved that Rocket dearly. It is my "Most Missed Rocket", followed by my G-Force and my Mid Power Scratch Built.

 

[Scotty Dog]

Back in the Day, the Estes LPR D-Region Tomahawk was my most frequently flown Rocket, my Eggspress being second. I had over 30 something successful launches with the D. One day, I took it into the Feild, and there was a Fog, hovering at about 300ft. I wanted to see it fly into the Fog, and see it come down on its Chute'. It went into the Fog, and never came out. I remember it like it was yesterday, but it was 1988. I loved that Rocket dearly. It is my "Most Missed Rocket", followed by my G-Force and my Mid Power Scratch Built.

WOW,talk about being left in the fog...:wink: bummer. It is a good looker. I like the details in the fins and cone.
Ive eyed one (hawk) in my LHS for awhile,but at (I think) $42 it wasnt happening. I found this one on ebay and got it for a good price.

 

[Luckistrykes]

I just picked one of these up today and am very exited to start working on it

 

[kruland]

That is a great rocket. My nephew (17) came over for the weekend. We built it in 2 hours late Friday night and flew it 3 times the next day. He went home with it and a couple d12s so he can fly it with his HS physics class.

 

[mikemech]

My Tomahawk is in paint. You have a yard that big and have not built a rocket shop?! For shame!

Mike

 

[Luckistrykes]

I noticed you painted the majority of it prior to assembly is that something that is recommended? are there any adhesion issues?

 

[Scotty Dog]

I noticed you painted the majority of it prior to assembly is that something that is recommended? are there any adhesion issues?

I cant say if it is recommended or not. I did it this way cuz it look like it would be a pita to mask. I did put masking tape over the "can" where the fins attach and also scraped the overspray off the fins where they attach.

 

[Scotty Dog]

My Tomahawk is in paint. You have a yard that big and have not built a rocket shop?! For shame!

Mike

Thats just a piece of my yard. I do have a 12x16 shed I built and over the last few years have been SLOWLY turning it into a camp/fiinished room/rocket shop.

 

[T-Rex]

I enjoy my D-Region, with the exception of the fins popping off. I've tried CA and regular Testors plastic glue. I bought some Tenex-7 to use this time, we'll see how well that works

 

[nute]

I enjoy my D-Region, with the exception of the fins popping off. I've tried CA and regular Testors plastic glue. I bought some Tenex-7 to use this time, we'll see how well that works

I had a similar problem with my Tomahawk, the parachute is so small for the rocket's weight, and on it's first flight a fin popped off. With some CA it was good as new. The Fin can also ripped of while I was trying to pull out the E18 that had just misfired, along with one launch lug. this rocket really needs CA IMHO.

 

[ThirstyBarbarian]

Thats just a piece of my yard. I do have a 12x16 shed I built and over the last few years have been SLOWLY turning it into a camp/fiinished room/rocket shop.

The yard looks bigger than the field where I launch...

 

[Handeman]

I built a D Region a few years ago and made a slight mod. I lowered the MMT about a 1/2" and didn't use a motor stop or the retainer so I could fly it on composites. Turns out one of my most frequent flights is with a E9-7 (1/4" of masking tape as a thrust ring) chad staged to a D12-0. Fantastic flights!

 

[Luckistrykes]

I built a D Region a few years ago and made a slight mod. I lowered the MMT about a 1/2" and didn't use a motor stop or the retainer so I could fly it on composites. Turns out one of my most frequent flights is with a E9-7 (1/4" of masking tape as a thrust ring) chad staged to a D12-0. Fantastic flights!

So are you saying that in order to use Aerotech RMS cases I need to not use the motor stop? Im very new to model rocketry, I intended to use the Reloadables from here on out with everything 24mm that I have am I not going to be able to do this to the ones that I built if they were in fact built by instructions?

 

[nute]

So are you saying that in order to use Aerotech RMS cases I need to not use the motor stop? Im very new to model rocketry, I intended to use the Reloadables from here on out with everything 24mm that I have am I not going to be able to do this to the ones that I built if they were in fact built by instructions?

If you're using the Aerotech 24mm RMS 24/40 case, as I do, these mods are unnecessary because that case is the same size as an Estes D motor. If you will be using the CTI cases, depending on the size of the case (2,3,4 grain etc.) you may need to remove the motor block and other motor retention parts. The D region Tomahawk, and the Maxi Alpha 3 are the only rockets I have done this with in practice, but it should be possible to fly just about all of Estes' 24mm birds on an Aerotech 24/40 with no modifications whatsoever.
I hope this helps

 

[nute]

I built a D Region a few years ago and made a slight mod. I lowered the MMT about a 1/2" and didn't use a motor stop or the retainer so I could fly it on composites. Turns out one of my most frequent flights is with a E9-7 (1/4" of masking tape as a thrust ring) chad staged to a D12-0. Fantastic flights!

How exactly does that work?
I take it the D12 is actually the booster?
What exactly is Chad Staging?

 

[TopRamen]

How exactly does that work?
I take it the D12 is actually the booster?
What exactly is Chad Staging?

I want to know too.
Went and looked it up, it is CHAD, CHeap And Dirty. Basically, an example would be using Tape to hold a Booster Motor directly to the Base of a Sustainer Motor, with the Booster having no Fin Can or mount, other than the Tape.

 

[Scotty Dog]

I built a D Region a few years ago and made a slight mod. I lowered the MMT about a 1/2"
and didn't use a motor stop or the retainer so I could fly it on composites. Turns out one of my most frequent flights is with a E9-7 (1/4" of masking tape as a thrust ring) chad staged to a D12-0. Fantastic flights!

I bet that did scoot!!!
I lowered the MMT about a 1/2"?? What you saying???? I dont see how you could do this.(this=what Im thinking you mean)The mmt/stuffer tube sits in the fin body bulkhead and that sits intween the body halves. Nothing (mmt) sticks out the end.

 

[bill_s]

The retainer doesn't work with composites due to their built-in thrust ring. Some have reported using it with the 24/40, using the slots in the aft closure to allow room for the plastic tabs of the retainer, but that puts the motor way up in the retainer and it doesn't look like a good idea to me at all. I made a different retainer from a paper clip, took about 1.5 hours and, since I shaped it for the single use motors, it still doesn't fit the 24/40 right. After cracking the solder point and hurting my hands, I also have now made a slightly shortened D spacer for the 24/40 and my retainer.

None of this requires leaving out the thrust block, the only thing that would need that would be the long Cesaroni 24 mm motors (pricey!) or trying to use the stock retainer with the 24/60. Perhaps the best, simplest method would be to simply use a regular E motor hook (be sure to tape in reloadable cases), but some have instead caused the tube to stick out so they can use tape to retain the motor.

I have thought about CHAD staging, but didn't really think the Tomahawk had the stability margin for it. I have done F32 (right to the edge of visibility, about 1750'), E20s (-7 only), and F39 (amazingly, short walk that time).

 

[nute]

I want to know too.
Went and looked it up, it is CHAD, CHeap And Dirty. Basically, an example would be using Tape to hols a Booster Motor directly to the Base of a Sustainer Motor, with the Booster having no Fin Can or mount, other than the Tape.

That makes sense, but then where does the booster go after it fires?
does the upper stage motor just burn through the D12?

 

[Handeman]

I installed the MMT so it was lower then stated in the instructions. This left it extend out of the back of the rocket slightly. I didn't use the retaining ring. Instead, I use a piece of 1/2" masking tape to wrap around the MMT and the motor to hold it in. I did NOT install any motor stops.

When I fly 24/40 motors, I use the masking tape to wrap around the MMT and the thrust ring of the motor to tape the motor into the rocket.
When I fly Estes D or E motors I wrap masking tape around the bottom 1/4" of the motor 4 or 5 times and trim the excess off below the motor and then use masking tap to tape the motor into the motor tube.
Chad stating is CHEAP And DIRTY staging. In my case I wrap 1/2" masking tape around a E9 and D12-0 then cut them back apart. The masking tape makes the thrust ring on the E motor and gives me something for the cellophane tape to grip on when I tape the E9 and D12 back together with a single wrap of cellophane tape.
A note on this, I have rail buttons on the D-Regions and fly it on 7" long rails. It has plenty of rail to gain speed.

 

[Luckistrykes]

would a 30 inch chute be too large for this? and what size nomex sheet would I want for this?

 

[TopRamen]

That makes sense, but then where does the booster go after it fires?
does the upper stage motor just burn through the D12?

Apparently, the tape burns away, and the spent Booster Motor Case would fall off and away. I guess you would want to consider that a possible Fire Hazard, and make sure to take that into account.

 

[bill_s]

would a 30 inch chute be too large for this? and what size nomex sheet would I want for this?

It would fit, if thin, but why? One of the best things about this rocket is it can handle harder landings than most Estes rockets, allowing faster descent and less drift. If landing on hard surfaces and/or limiting altitude, could increase to 24". The Tomahawk comes with 18" and is 9.2 oz., compared to the Executioner with its huge fins using 24" at 8 oz.; the Exec could catch thermals which all but halted descent, as you watch it drift away. Note the PSII rockets also use 24", at 16-20 oz. this is comparable to the Toma with its stock 18".

 

[nute]

Apparently, the tape burns away, and the spent Booster Motor Case would fall off and away. I guess you would want to consider that a possible Fire Hazard, and make sure to take that into account.

Interesting, I'm surprised the Tomahawk is stable with that much extra weight, and on a D12,but I guess the rail takes care of that.

 

[Handeman]

Apparently, the tape burns away, and the spent Booster Motor Case would fall off and away. I guess you would want to consider that a possible Fire Hazard, and make sure to take that into account.

Exactly. The two are taped together with cellophane tape that breaks away. The spent booster motor just falls. I hadn't really thought of the booster as a fire hazard, we're usually more worried about how deep the mud is at the field. I do remember we restricted the use of sparkie motors once because the corn stalks that were dry enough some started burning pretty good after the first sparkie was flown. That only lasted that one weekend. Other then a couple small fires around the pads that usually burned out before anyone got out there to take care of them, I've never seen a real fire at BattlePark in the 10 years I've been there. Its all crop land that is plowed and planted every year.