Estes Pro Series Jayhawk

I built this over twenty years ago, at the tail end of my original rocketry period. I really like this kit - the size, the detail, the proportions are all really nice. But it seems to break a tip fin every time up, so proper recovery harness may be in order.


I have a video of its most recent flight, but have to figure out how to post it yet...

A few better pics:

Nice!

Now I realize I need to finish my pair.

Nice! I just found one new in the box. And I am thinking about some sort of magnet attachment for the fins.

Got a lot of bicycle parts in the back ground, I take it rockets isn't your only hobby? Me too, I have started a couple bicycle builds but it seems when you get too many hobbies, time for each one gets shorter.

Thanks. These are neat models, its just the fin issue. I've seen them pop up an eBay occasionally, but I'd consider building the Madcow or Rocketarium kit if I had to retire this one. Regarding magnets, that's an interesting idea, but I wonder if they'd stay on well enough against the launch acceleration. Maybe using rare earth magnets would do it, but weight could be a concern too. You'd have to add a steel plate to the wing to do it...

Yeah, I've got a few bicycles too, just don't ask how many I've been an avid cyclist for a number of years; road bike, mountain bike, tour, fat bike for winter, and a bunch of cruisers and customs:
https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?122676-Rocket-themed-bikes

I got another flight out of the old Jayhawk this weekend. While at the URRG launch site on Saturday, I noticed when I went to prep it for flight that the front most centering ring had pulled out. Apparently, the shock cord puts a bit of load on it, and I must not have had it glued in well, because two flights yanked it out. The ring itself was undamaged, just out of position. So, when I got home, I pushed it back into place and put a glue fillet all the way around the ID & OD. On sunday, it was dry, so I took it back to the site with me. It flew nicely on a D12-3, and with calm winds, dropped right in front of the flight line. The large epoxy fillets I put on the tip fins held up (though I'm sure the soft field helped) - no damage this time.

EXP, is the debri at ejection the recovery wadding?
If so, what type?

That's cellulose insulation, the infamous "dog barf" wadding you hear people talking about.

Those are great still photos at ejection - very cool!