Noctua - the Owl

This thread is regarding a new project I've started, one of my own design. This is something of an evolution from my previous Lepus design, sort of that with a long extension to the fore section and 6 large fins rather than 5 little ones. Oh, and 18mm instead 13. I've named it Noctua, after the owl constellation visible in the fall. I started the design last fall, but with one thing and another am only building it now, so I've had plenty of time to sort out the details, including design a facecard and backstory. The story, related to Lepus's, goes something like this:



I've also already had custom decals made up for it by Gord (which include Red Stars, solar panels for the wings, a little owl avatar, etc), so I'm all set to finish it properly when I get that far. I'd call this a skill level-2 design, since most of it is straight forward, but it adds a paper cone boat tail and the alignment of 2 fins. I plan to build two "kits", the prototype, then a copy for my nephew to build. I'll post the initial photos later when I get home from work. Ive started building the prototype and taking numerous photos - more than normal, because I'll need them for writing assembly instructions for my nephew.

In the meantime, this is what I've got so far:

Here's the "rough draft" build. None of the upper structure is glued up yet, but this give a pretty good idea of the finished shape:

That's nice looking. I like the "starburst" fins. Do those fins go through the wall, or did you cut the root edges to wrap onto the boat tail?

Also, nice job on the face card but, meaning no offense, why?

Well, as I said, I planned to package up the second one as a kit for my nephew to build. On the previous clone kits that sent him, I printed out the original Estes face cards to go with it. So, why not?

The fins are surface mount, and cut to fit over the boat tail. A nice thing about using Rocksim and printing the fin patterns from it, if you push the fins over a transition, it'll adjust the pattern to suit. This rocket is all built at this point and technically flyable, though i haven't done any filling, sanding or finishing yet.

Love it, that's a sweet looking design!

I just realised that I never updated this thread after finishing Noctua. This picture was taken at a launch last summer, Noctua is rear-central on the table. I'll have to dig up some other photos.

Rocket crackers?!?!?! Where did you get those?

Nice looking rocket, too.

Trader Joe's. Its their version of Goldfish Crackers. Tasty, but only come in the one flavor, whereas the GF come in many...

I think it's really awesome you made it into a kit for your nephew. That's got cool uncle written all over it.

oh and as long as we're pointing stuff out on the table... Do you know what the white rocket on top of the laptop is? It's got some interesting fins.

My nephew is out on the west coast, so though we are both into rocketry, we've never gotten to fly together. So, as way to share the hobby with him, I've occasionally prepped a kit for him to build, mostly clones of OOP models that I liked as a kid. In this case, though, I decided to take stab at kitting something of my design. Writing the directions took a lot longer that anticipated, but it must have worked since he built it.

Regarding that white rocket, I hope so, since I built and all. It's a clone of an Estes EAC Firecat, circa ~1973. If you were an EAC member, you could order it from the newsletter. It was basically a clever repurposing of the parts from the coldpower Honest John, so it falls into the SPEV catagory. Still, its a neat model, and one most folks have never seen. In this case, I learned of it from my nephew, since one of the LUNAR members that he flew with gave him one that was half-finished. I also a BT70-sized upscale of it:
https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?127777-Super-Firecat

Here's a Goonie Firecat that I built a few years ago.

With a name like Noctua the Owl, I fully expected this to be a night launch rocket....

Rick,

Your mission, should you choose to accept it is to upscale this and make it a night launch rocket. Along the way, you can get help from your nephew.

In the event that it CATOs or Lawndarts, I will disavow any knowledge of this.

This message will self destruct in 5 billion years.

I've already drawn up a fairly large upscale of this rocket, called Nocturne. I'm not sure when/if I'll build it. Never gave any thought to night flying, though, since the odds of successful recovery must fall off significantly...

Blades said:

View attachment 294454
Here's a Goonie Firecat that I built a few years ago.

Click to expand...

That is off-the-charts awesome. I'm really digging Goonies these days, though I've never built one.

EXPjawa said:

I've already drawn up a fairly large upscale of this rocket, called Nocturne. I'm not sure when/if I'll build it. Never gave any thought to night flying, though, since the odds of successful recovery must fall off significantly...

Click to expand...

By all accounts it's sometimes actually easier, because the lit-up rocket is easier to spot on the ground. Haven't done one myself though.