RW Rapton 38

How could anyone pass up the great deal on a 38mm DD rocket for $50 dollars? I keep telling myself I don't anymore rockets but I can't resist these great deals! Anyhow, I plan to make this a fun and simple build, I have everything I need with the exception of the sled. The plan is to have a StratologgerCF in the AV bay with a 2S lipo and a Eggfinder in the NC for tracking. I should have no problem spotting this rocket since the tubing is super bright!!! My eyes hurt from just looking at it thanks to RW new florescent tubing.

No complains here, best $55 dollars I have spent!



Color comparison

jus_rockets said:

How could anyone pass up the great deal on a 38mm DD rocket for $50 dollars? I keep telling myself I don't anymore rockets but I can't resist these great deals! Anyhow, I plan to make this a fun and simple build, I have everything I need with the exception of the sled. The plan is to have a StratologgerCF in the AV bay with a 2S lipo and a Eggfinder in the NC for tracking. I should have no problem spotting this rocket since the tubing is super bright!!! My eyes hurt from just looking at it thanks to RW new florescent tubing.

No complains here, best $55 dollars I have spent!

Color comparison

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Made me sick when the "Hump Day" sales ad came out, that I could not buy one of the new Rocketry Warehouse specials... they are are soem beautiful kits for sure. Definitley looking forward to the build

Thanks for starting a thread. I bought the Go Devil 38 instead of the Rapton 38, they're pretty similar so I'll watch this thread closely. I didn't recall that that rocket is 29mm MMT instead of 38mm like the Go Devil (I only remembered that it was a shorter lower tube and different color), I was going to ask where your fin alignment bracket was but I see yours is slotted, and I was going to ask about the second CR but I see it really is used as a CR here, in the Go Devil a single notched ring is provided just for shock cord mounting I believe. I'm also planning to put an EF TX in the NC and either a SLCF or EasyMini in the avionics bay.

What are you planning for recovery, i.e. shock cords, chutes and protection?

The main thing I have to figure out is motor retention, I'd like to keep the MD (planning on using the fly-away rail guides) so I'm not too keen on something like a Slimline that would add to the diameter. But I also like to fly CTI motors and don't know if the Pro38 line has any equivalent to a threaded forward closure to attach to something like Aero Pack's M38E retainer.

For the recovery I will be using either a 18" or 24" parachute and 750# kevlar for shock cords. For retention I am might buy a Aeropack retainer or use friction fit. You could buy the Aeropack MD retainer and adapter for 38mm CTI motors, you just have to see if you will have enough room for your recovery and the longest motor you want to fly. https://www.aeropack.net/min_dia_retainers.asp

Will be watching the build. I posted some mockups here on the GD38: https://www.rocketryforum.com/showt...le-start-now-!!-3-25-15&p=1443139#post1443139

The Aeropack MD retainer has a nice small lightweight eyebolt on one side for the shockcord and the all thread for an AT threaded forward closure on the other side. If you want to use a Loki motor the allthread is too large diameter. To epoxy the APMD in place one has to have the shockcord attached and I suggest securing a shockcord protector to the eyebolt before final epoxying. Doing a 29mm "only" build, one could use a standard aft retainer.

I had another scratch build 38mm project underway before this offer so I was able to mount the MD retainer in it.

With the GD38 I don't quite know yet if a 38mm 720Ns case would be a possibility without the rocket being too heavy in the rear. I am going to mockup the setup with a 720NS case that has some ex-grains in it to simulate propellant weight and put some electronics/battery in the bay and tracker/battery in the nosecone and see where the CG lies. If the rocket is too butt heavy, I'd switch gears and nix the prospect of flying it with a J. There really isn't any room to spare in the nosecone for a forward facing tracker/antenna arrangement and noseweight unless one attaches weight to the eyebolt or sometimes if I can fit in a larger battery, I'll add "useful" weight by using a heavier, higher capacity nosecone tracker battery. I have to wait for more stuff to arrive.

If the J motor is a possibility, the GD38 would likely go higher than my own designed Javelin as that rocket is longer and with four larger fins.

Kurt

jus_rockets said:

For the recovery I will be using either a 18" or 24" parachute and 750# kevlar for shock cords. For retention I am might buy a Aeropack retainer or use friction fit. You could buy the Aeropack MD retainer and adapter for 38mm CTI motors, you just have to see if you will have enough room for your recovery and the longest motor you want to fly. https://www.aeropack.net/min_dia_retainers.asp

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You know, I never scrolled down far enough on that page to see that they had a CTI solution. Thanks!!!

Watching! I love the colour and should have bought one

I really like the color too, you missed out Kyle!

Not much work done but I did manage to start working on the motor mount, Y Kevlar harness.


Quick dry fit.

At the rate I am going I may be able to fly it at the next launch this month. I forgot how fun it is to build a rocket using 5 minute epoxy. The fincan is almost done, I just need to do filets and get a retainer. Next I will be working on the NC that will house the Eggfinder. With the 1/4 wave antenna I have about a 1/2 an inch to spare, this little antenna is good for 25k. It's maiden flight will be on a H399 to about 6,600ft, not bad for a 29mm motor.

How did this go? Wishing for pictures of your nose cone solution.

does Estes still sell the yellow fin guide? I could use one.

Any progress on this build?

bill2654 said:

Any progress on this build?

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Seems not but you might get some ideas from the Go Devil build thread: https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?124625-RW-Go-Devil-38-community-build-thread
Jim's suggestion on the ebay was a heck of a lot better than my solution but I had the hardware to pull it off.

Kurt Savegnago

ksaves2 said:

Seems not but you might get some ideas from the Go Devil build thread: https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?124625-RW-Go-Devil-38-community-build-thread
Jim's suggestion on the ebay was a heck of a lot better than my solution but I had the hardware to pull it off.

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Have done enough 38mm (and 29mm) av-bays to know--I DON'T LIKE 'EM! Thus the solution for my Rapton 38 will be Landru's:

I am now starting to get back into rocketry. Hopefully I can finish it before my next launch on the 28th, I will start working on it tomorrow. I plan on using a Eggtimer Quark with a lipo for deployment, I should probably order a sled from Landru.

jus_rockets said:

I am now starting to get back into rocketry. Hopefully I can finish it before my next launch on the 28th, I will start working on it tomorrow. I plan on using a Eggtimer Quark with a lipo for deployment, I should probably order a sled from Landru.

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That's how I set my av-bay up for my Go Devil 38. I have a Quark powered by 3.7v 1000 mAh lipo. I have a Landru sled on the way for another Black Friday rocket I'm planning. The Quark will fire just about any kind of ematch too.

bill2654 said:

That's how I set my av-bay up for my Go Devil 38. I have a Quark powered by 3.7v 100mAh lipo. I have a Landru sled on the way for another Black Friday rocket I'm planning. The Quark will fire just about any kind of ematch too.

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Nice setup Bill. Stupidhead here should have done it that way instead of the single all-thread and 3Dogs Eyenuts. I wanted to see if I could pull it off. Kurt

This is my second rendition. I forgot that the Quark works with a 3.7 lipo and my first setup was in a 8" coupler
and a 7.4 lipo and rotary switch. Now i have plenty of room. My plan is to use wellnuts to seal the holes where the ematch comes
thru the bulkhead. I edited the battery power in my post to read 1000 mAh. I plan on getting another quark to go with my new Rapton.
(That if RW Puts them on sale.)

I have to ask since I'm probably picking one of these kits soon: the nose cone, RW lists it as FWFG with a red tip, is that removable? What is it made of?

T34zac said:

I have to ask since I'm probably picking one of these kits soon: the nose cone, RW lists it as FWFG with a red tip, is that removable? What is it made of?

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Not removable. Some type of phenolic would be my guess.

dixontj93060 said:

Not removable. Some type of phenolic would be my guess.

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Yeah, they're strong enough. Kurt

ksaves2 said:

Yeah, they're strong enough. Kurt

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I figured they were strong enough (it's a 29mm motor...). I just wanted to know if it was removable. Thanks for the info

I liked the looks of the Rapton so much, I had to upscale it a little. I thought I would call mine Yellow Jacket or Hornet, haven't decided which one yet.
I ordered the 54mm yellow airframe from RW and the NC is also RW courtesy of dixontj9360 and the fins are cut from 1/8" G10 plate I had on hand.
38mm motor mount, weight is right at 3 lbs. so far and pictures are all just dry fit.

bill2654 said:

I liked the looks of the Rapton so much, I had to upscale it a little. I thought I would call mine Yellow Jacket or Hornet, haven't decided which one yet.
I ordered the 54mm yellow airframe from RW and the NC is also RW courtesy of dixontj9360 and the fins are cut from 1/8" G10 plate I had on hand.
38mm motor mount, weight is right at 3 lbs. so far and pictures are all just dry fit.

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That's nice. Now I wonder if RW is going to have the upscale available as they have the Go-Devil 54 now. Kurt

bill2654 said:

I ordered the 54mm yellow airframe from RW and the NC is also RW courtesy of dixontj9360 and the fins are cut from 1/8" G10 plate I had on hand.

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Wow, you put that to use quickly!

Just now finishing my Rapton 38 -- love that rocket also...