Favorite 29mm Kit?

KenECoyote said:

Haha! I have a MC Bomarc I haven't primed yet and I've put this one on the shelf since I'm not happy/sure of it. I'll be using rail buttons though since it's so heavy it's likely to do some serious rod whipping!

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Time to overcome the anxiety, pull it off the idle shelf, get happy and confident in a long stainless steel 1/4" rod, secure the nose weight so it will fly perfectly straight and let her rip! Maybe it will become your favorite 29mm kit, maybe it will poke your eye out, but at least you will have done a good poke with a cool looking rocket.

75Grandville said:

Dare to be different -> Rocketarium Turbo Vortico!!!

I get lots of "what's that" and "that's cool" comments on mine.

Action shot from naramlive.com on an F27-4:

It's the red and white one, next to it's 24mm sibling in yellow and purple. (Full disclosure - I have a prototype model.)

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Over the past year or so these are becoming the most popular oddroc at the club. Lots of spiny action using up the motor's power, but it is low and slow so the folks love it! The RSO's are becoming less scared too!

75Grandville said:

Dare to be different -> Rocketarium Turbo Vortico!!!

I get lots of "what's that" and "that's cool" comments on mine.

Action shot from naramlive.com on an F27-4:

It's the red and white one, next to it's 24mm sibling in yellow and purple. (Full disclosure - I have a prototype model.)

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Art Just, the head RSO for NARAM, upscaled this design and flew it on long burn J engines (the sound it made was incredible). He has talked about eventually making a version of it out of carbon fiber.

I'll have to admit the Vorticos are among my favorite rockets. Flew the regular and Mega a lot this past winter and I've had the Turbo V built for months now, but haven't launched it yet (keep forgetting or something else comes up). I'll launch it up for sure next time. Maybe then I'll change my vote.

Pics of the 24mm Mega V ( just for the heck of it) and my "fresh" 29mm Turbo Vortico:

Oberon said:

Hah! I would, but we've got 55 replies and probably 30 different answers so far. Maybe I could go by series - e.g. Wildman Sport, Estes PSII, Madcow, etc.

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I see what you mean...list keeps growing!

I got my L1 and did flight testing for the AltimeterTwo and AltimeterThree in these Aerotech StrongARMs.
I added baffles and made a custom payload bay with window to test up to 15 altimeters at once.
The only drawback (common to swept-fin designs) is that the fins are prone to breakage on hard landings.
1900-2700 feet on H-I motors.

Interesting POLL addition; I selected speed demon option even though I personally do not push speed limits of a rocket. Nevertheless, I love the design of such a rocket like the ones listed in the POLL option... especially for 29mm and up.

I would like to point out that there are 67 posts in this thread (before this one) and only 2 people voted in the OPs poll (I became the 3rd).

CZ Brat said:

I would like to point out that there are 67 posts in this thread (before this one) and only 2 people voted in the OPs poll (I became the 3rd).

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The poll came along well after the post was started.

Scale kits, for sure! Cosmodrome is my very favorite kit manufacturer. I have at least one of each and I'm looking forward to new releases.

Cheers,
Michael

That is a very nice build.

My favorite is my Madcow paper/wood 2.6 Hawk-B. Flies on F's to H's, always looks good.

Poll needs an "all of the above" option.

Zebedee said:

Poll needs an "all of the above" option.

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I'm forcing you to make a choice. Consider it decisivenss therapy

I went with "Bruisers" in the poll. I have a soft spot for giant, cartoonish looking rockets, and it's nice to be able to see the rocket the whole way up.

Oberon - I love your category name choices for the poll - "Jack of All Motors", "Beauty Queens"...very clever! :grin:

iqsy59 said:

The poll came along well after the post was started.

Scale kits, for sure! Cosmodrome is my very favorite kit manufacturer. I have at least one of each and I'm looking forward to new releases.

Cheers,
Michael

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My bad.

KenECoyote said:

Oberon - I love your category name choices for the poll - "Jack of All Motors", "Beauty Queens"...very clever! :grin:

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Thanks - I also considered "war daddies" instead of "bruisers", but that might be too much of a regional/sports specific reference.

Pem-Tech Bucky Jones. No doubt.


Later!

--Coop

Madcow ToMach is a 54mm minimum diameter kit--not sure I would count it here. Sure, you can adapt it down, but why when there are better 29mm choices.

I would add the Wildman Wildchild to the Speed category. I've flown my DD version to over 7k on I200Ws a few times, and once on the H268R. Heck, it goes over 2k with a G64.

Viperfixr said:

Madcow ToMach is a 54mm minimum diameter kit--not sure I would count it here. Sure, you can adapt it down, but why when there are better 29mm choices.

I would add the Wildman Wildchild to the Speed category. I've flown my DD version to over 7k on I200Ws a few times, and once on the H268R. Heck, it goes over 2k with a G64.

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Madcow makes a 38mm diameter thin wall fiberglass "Mini Tomach" with a 29mm mount - that's the one I had in mind, probably should have added the "Mini". It's still a long, thin, fast design that's going to zoom on the bigger 29mm options. Anyway the intent was just to capture the broad categories / styles, rather than make a comprehensive list of every kit. There's so many options in 29mm, which I think this thread and the numerous listed favorites demonstrates.

After posting the Turbo Vortico, I admit that I have recently developed an interest in the "science project" category. In the middle of a LOC SS 4-29 clone (about 50% LOC parts) that I got the bits for at NARAM, and am really excited to fly. Figure I can get in one two-motor flight in September, one four motor flight in October, and try for a 2 & 2 with an airstart in November. Depending on how all of this goes, I may have to get a LOC Ultimate (7 x 29mm - https://www.countylinehobbies.com/loculrokit.html). Heck with "may", make that "probably will." Just need Mr. Bob to have another Free Shipping sale, or for extra gobs of $ to fall into my wallet.

Though I have limited 29mm experience, I'm loving the Estes Partizon. Mine has a DD upgrade. I simply left the engine block out and now it's capable of I200 flights.

All this talk of 29 is making me want to do a 29mm MD.

KenECoyote said:

I'll have to admit the Vorticos are among my favorite rockets. Flew the regular and Mega a lot this past winter and I've had the Turbo V built for months now, but haven't launched it yet (keep forgetting or something else comes up). I'll launch it up for sure next time. Maybe then I'll change my vote.

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Just an update that I maiden-ed the Turbo Vortico on a 24mm E18 reload with 29mm adapter today in a small park and it was AWESOME!!! :w:

I'll be launching this one more at club launches with bigger motors, but I'm still not ready to change my vote for MDRM...yet. :wink:

I love my Wildman 2.6" Patriot! Planning on getting my L1 certification with it!

it is possible to make a big bertha as a MD bird...using a 38mm motor case.
Rex

Rex R said:

it is possible to make a big bertha as a MD bird...using a 38mm motor case.
Rex

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Me suspects it would take a little "docter'in" to make it robust enough for more than one flight! Might have to ditch the balsa fins? Kurt

okay I'll admit that I used a Loc 38mm motor tube for the airframe*, but I used papered baby bertha fins! biggest problem was tracking it after burnout . of course the Estes super alpha would also work....
Rex
*you have to use a balsa nose cone for this to work.

NONE ON THE LIST

Rex R said:

okay I'll admit that I used a Loc 38mm motor tube for the airframe*, but I used papered baby bertha fins! biggest problem was tracking it after burnout . of course the Estes super alpha would also work....
Rex
*you have to use a balsa nose cone for this to work.

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What about a PNC-300BB with some T300 tubing and liteply fins? 29mm compatible.

about the time that you need plywood fins you should skip the poplar/lite-ply and use aircraft birch plywood the weight savings do not make up for the lack of strength. depending on fin design and the weight of the rocket, balsa fins may be all you need. just as an example my 3" diameter (t300) patriot uses card stock skinned balsa fins. course it has a pad weight of about 700g .
Rex