June Best Rocket Competition!

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Pantherjon

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This is the official location of The Rocketry Forum Best Rocket Competition. This is a monthly event to show off your "stuff" and find out who has THE BEST ROCKET OF THE MONTH! When entering, make sure you follow the criteria listed below and you will do fine. From the 21st(or thereabouts) until the end of the month we'll be polling to see who should win the Best Rocket Competition.



Da Rulez

1. Header of picture must include, name, what kit or was it custom, LPR, MPR or HPR.
2. A BRIEF description of rocket details. Anything that would make it apparent to somebody that yours is THE BEST.
3. Only ONE entry per month.
4. No extended off topic conversations.
5. Rockets made at any period of time may be used.Preferably one that is STILL in your fleet at the time of the competition!
6. Rocket may be entered into the competition only ONE time!
7. If there is a monthly specified type of contest (such as red, white and blue themed), you can only enter rockets that are applicable.
8. Entries will be taken first 3 weeks of month and after the 21st of every month the contest closes.
9. The last week of the month will be polling on who should win in each class.
10. Winners get bragging rights for a month!



THEME
The theme for this month? Super easy! ANYTHING! Pretty much a 'Free For All'!

PRIZE(S)
Our sponsor for this months competition is KandSRockets! And the prize that is up for grabs this month is a $35 shopping spree! :D Need chutes? Need recovery harnesses? Need chute protector bags? KandSRockets has you covered! ;)

So, show us your awesome builds!


Remember detail, details, details! So don't be shy, include extra photos of the little bits that make YOUR model extra special!
If you entry is a kit, let us know who's kit it is!
__________________
 
I will make this even a little more interesting. Anyone that enters and wins with one of K and S Rockets kits will get an extra $10 added to the prize. Time to see who has built the kits we sold....:D
 
What a prize! Enter your rocket in the contest and be eligible for a $45 shopping spree if it is a K and S rocket! ...Hmmmm, maybe I should hurry up and get that Wrath of Fire kit put together!..Oh, wait, I am RUNNING the contest, I can't enter..:roll:

So, come on guys(and gals) lets see those rockets! :D
 
Well, I guess I better get in on this one.

I'm entering my 5.5" Der Red Max.

Check out the thread here. make sure you go to the second page and check out the launch pictures.

I think there is enough info about the rocket in the original thread
https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?t=1947

Just a recap.

5.5" Scratch built scale Der red max.
54mm cetral 3 29mm outboards.
Perfect flite hialt for duel deploy, and minit timer for airstarts.
Custom decals by Stickershock23.com :D

Next schedueld flight, June 13th Rocstock SoCAl.
central K695.R
Airstarts, 3 H180W

here's a launch pic as a teaser.

edit:

New launch pics added. another successful flight to 3800 feet! would have gone higher but the wind made it turn... but was till very cool! :D

IMG_4399.jpg

rocstock4 small.JPG

red max liftoff small.JPG
 
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Well, here's my entry. It's a scratch build based on Public Enemy's 3" Performer. It was stretched a bit to make it a little more stable using a variety of motors. I used chrome monokote trim for the nose cone and payload. The flames and "Hot Flash" graphics are from Stickershock23.com. It has flown once so far on an I285R to 3443'.

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I'm going to try with my K&S Heavy Hitter IV.

An old build thread on this one can still be found in the TRF archive here: https://www.rocketryforumarchive.com/showthread.php?t=45825&highlight=Heavy+Hitter

This one caught my attention because is is staged and a cluster. I had some issues with the first build because I put in the WRONG motor in the delicately balanced sustainer. It was my first real lesson on what happens when a ticklish CG/CP relationship. It was also exciting because it was launched on a field owned by Alamo Fireworks just before the 4th of July!:eek: THe sustainer ignited and headed right for the warehouse.

I rebuilt and did get a succesful flight and my memories are quite specific on the revocery as well. People who put up barbed wire fences for their livestock are fine; you have to keep your cows in. People who use electric fences for the same purpose are good too. People who hide an electric wire at the bottom of a barbed wire fence should be consigned to the lowest levels of hell but that's another story :jaw: :bangbang:


BTW, thanks to Dave Hein for capturing the drama of the original launch on film.:)

NOTE TO OTHER MODS: Hell is used here in the theological sense and not as a matter of cheap invective. Besides, you'd feel similarly if you had gripped the hot wire, camouflaged with rust, while crawling through the gap of the spread barbed wires.:hot:

ignition.jpg

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Well I may as well give this a shot, here is a link to my Upscale Quest Superbird. 29mm motor mount decals from Stickershock, I think it looks pretty darn good!

That looks nice. :)

My stock Superbird was the first rocket I ever built in which I had pride in the appearance. it got lost when it weathercocked and went away for good.:(
 
That looks nice. :)

My stock Superbird was the first rocket I ever built in which I had pride in the appearance. it got lost when it weathercocked and went away for good.:(


Thanks John, I have flown the crap out of my stock SB and rebuilt it twice. Love the way it flys.
 
What a prize! Enter your rocket in the contest and be eligible for a $45 shopping spree if it is a K and S rocket! ...Hmmmm, maybe I should hurry up and get that Wrath of Fire kit put together!..Oh, wait, I am RUNNING the contest, I can't enter..:roll:

So, come on guys(and gals) lets see those rockets! :D


I think you should be able to enter, it's not like the polling would be unfair :confused2:
 
Here is my entry:
Aziz is a scratch built MPR/HPR with a 29mm MMT. I built it with leftover parts from my 4" Photon Probe. Only the Aerotech nose is new. It is comprised of a leftover 14" section of 4" LOC tube, 3.9" - 29mm mmt sent by mistake, and maximized scrap finstock.

As the rocket is a 4FNC I named the rocket "Aziz" from the boy in "The 5th Element." Aziz was in charge of reflecting light on a wall so that an archiologist could decipher some pictograms. As Aziz would drift off to sleep, his relective plate would slip and the archiologist would lose his light. So many times he would have to call back, "Aziz, LIGHT!" stirring Aziz back from his slumber. The fins are decorated with the four elemental symbols found on the stones in the movie.

Below you can see the rocket on the pad and boosting on a G71. You can see the video of the flight here: https://www.nefar.net/gallery/2009-05/index.html
It's the 24th down on the list. Listen carefully to the end of the countdown.
 
Ok, here is my entry. I scratch built this Wolverine upscale from an Estes Stormcaster kit obtained at the local Michaels. Everything but the big fins are from the kit. It's BT-60 based and the MMT is 24mm with a 18mm adapter. The nosecone was cut and reshaped. The decals were made on my laser printer at work. Flies great on a C6-5 and the maiden flight was on May 31st at FooseFest III.

Kinda afraid to fly in on a 24mm as it goes way up on a C6!

Wolverinestand.jpg

Wolverinenose.jpg

wolverinegrass1.JPG

wolverineignition.jpg

Wolverineliftoff.jpg
 
My entry is a modified Pershing 1A by The Launchpad. The kit arrived with the main tube creased and to repair it required the use of two of the supplied centering rings. To support them I extended the BT-80 stuffer tube all the way through the body. I had planned to double up the paper shrouds and use epoxy, so the extra weight made more power necessary. I added three 18mm tubes to the main ring and plugged them. The base fins were made as paper and balsa and all the fin pads from 1/8 balsa sanded to fit.
I've flown it twice on one D12-3+three C6-0 to about 800 feet recovering with two 18 inch nylon chutes. The C6's eject at burnout(on dirt only). The next flight will be with an AT E15+3xC6-0. Videos of the flight can be seen on youtube under "dedleytedley".

tlp pershing 1A.jpg

TLP Pershing1A custom cluster.jpg

Pershing 1A All dressed.jpg

Pershing 1A other side.jpg
 
My entry is my favorite rocket "Thor-X".

Pictures are launching on a J520 Loki motor and was a perfect recovery with the main opening at 700 feet and a great picture of the main starting to open. Built like a brick S#@$ house, dual-walled thru out and had a very nice whistle going on after burn out.

Don_Ball_s_Thor_X_on_a_Loki_J528_at_Orangeburg_a.jpg

Don_Ball_Thor_X_Loki_J528_2nd_Picture_a.jpg

Orangeburg_Thor_x_ejection.jpg
 
My L3 rocket/flight....a scratch built 6" upscale of the Estes Astron Bandit. Flight on a AMW M1350WW. First use of a deployment bag....worked perfectly. Awesome flight. The last picture clearly shows the nose cone decending on its own chute (with D-bag attached) the rest of the rocket decending on a SkyAngle Cert3 large chute.

L3 - flightcloseup.jpg

L3 - Flight2.jpg

L3 - Chute2.jpg
 
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Here is my entry into the contest - my upscale Enerjet Nike Ram. It is built with Semroc 225 tubing, an upscale Semroc nose cone, and a 29mm motor mount. I cut the fins and centering rings out of 1/8' ply and used epoxy construction throughout. It is also set up for dual deploy recovery. So far it has logged 3 flights on a G64 (1200 ft), H165 (2200 ft), and an H180 (3100 ft). I built it with the intention of having a smaller rocket that could fly on 29mm H engines (or maybe an I). You get the thrill, altitude, and technicality of high power, but can fly on cheaper 29mm engines. If I were to build another one, I may fiberglass the tubes and couplers as well as upgrade to a 38mm motor mount (more engine choices).

NikeRam2.jpg

NikeRam H165.jpg

NikeRamH180.jpg

NikeRamUnderChute.jpg

NikeRam3.jpg
 
Have got some really nice entries in this months contest! :D Entry period will be closing at 12:01AM Tuesday June 23rd, so get your entries in!


Note on entry closing time: It is all contingent on what time I get home from work Monday night. It may be after midnight, so that will give you a little extra time to get your entries in!;) If I get home before midnight contest will close at midnight..All times listed are Eastern Time zone..
 
I'll enter 'You Gotta Be Nuts', a 4" rocket built almost entirely of Planter's Cashew and Mixed Nut cans (19 total). The only parts from rocket suppliers are the motor tube, LOC centering rings and nose cone, and a coupler for the altimeter bay. Cans were slit and used as couplers to hold all the outside cans together. It's flown 7 times on motors ranging from an I161 to J90.

DSC00069a.JPG

DSC00071a.JPG

DSC00072a.JPG

s You Gotta Be Nuts on a J90.jpg
 
I'll enter my Yank Mystic Buzz.

This is my first rocket that ran on a G motor (and the first rocket photographed with mach diamonds! :)). It is also my certification rocket, which flew on an H128. The rocket is almost indestructable. The first flight it got it's parachute stuck in the fins, a few flights later it deployed it's parachute at burnout with no zipper, it survived a cert flight, it landed in front of a car and didn't get run over, and it landed in a bush and still got recovered without a scratch. I think I did more damage to it transporting it then launching it! It flies nice and low on a G79, but it really gets outa there on an H.

By far my favorite rocket.

mystic buzz.jpg
 
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I'll enter my Yank Mystic Buzz.

This is my first rocket that ran on a G motor (and the first rocket photographed with mach diamonds! :)). It is also my certification rocket, which flew on an H128. The rocket is almost indestructable. The first flight it got it's parachute stuck in the fins, a few flights later it deployed it's parachute at burnout with no zipper, it survived a cert flight, it landed in front of a car and didn't get run over, and it landed in a bush and still got recovered without a scratch. I think I did more damage to it transporting it then launching it! It flies nice and low on a G79, but it really gets outa there on an H.

By far my favorite rocket.

I am very jealous. One of the first vendors I found in high power was Yank, and I really wanted the Mystic Buzz. I tried for a long time to win it in their monthly give away and finally decided to buy it. Then they shut down. I get crazy every time I see it, even after all these years. I could build one in a weekend, but it just would not be the same....
:(
 
I am very jealous. One of the first vendors I found in high power was Yank, and I really wanted the Mystic Buzz. I tried for a long time to win it in their monthly give away and finally decided to buy it. Then they shut down. I get crazy every time I see it, even after all these years. I could build one in a weekend, but it just would not be the same....
:(

Yeah, I got mine last year from Magnum just before they closed, and mine is made out of LOC parts. (The tube is paper, not flexible phelonic)

Apparently you can still special order them from LOC, you just have to send Barry an Email.
 
Entry period is officially closed!

Poll(s) to be posted shortly! :)

May the Best Rocket win!
 
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