The new 4" MAC Performance VTS-6 missile build thread

Last fin on


Many fin fillets to come

Made an order for graphics today with Mark @ sticker shock. Continued on all the fillets.

Looks awesome

Thanks Sinful - wish I could afford some 8" carbon tubing - I would upscale this for my L3

Tomorro will be locating and drilling the airframe for Shear pins, rail buttons, vent holes and switch holes.

Looks like I'm getting close but that is just an illusion - a long way to go on this build

I've worked up this *VERY* crude QCC Explorer OR file. It is in no way up to my usual standard for accuracy. The intakes on this thing are far beyond OR's ability to simulate accurately for flight performance and appearance. I wasn't able to print the fins for measurements. So, they're suspect (at best).



Anyway, I hope it helps.

View attachment Estes QCC Explorer (3221)(first draft).ork

Wow Jim,
thank you! Your worst of OR files puts my best to complete shame, lol. This is a BIG help and allows me to scale from there for my possible L3 in a 5.5 or 7.5". I Really appreciate it. Hope you can get back to the states and launch some rockets some day.

Thanks Nick!

I'm glad you like it. I hope I'll be able to launch from here in China soon. I also wouldn't be adverse to launching from Australia since I'm this close.

Worked on the AV bay - installed MAC Performance charge canisters and terminal strips - set up for dual altimeter circuits - completely redundant. Kinda prepping for the L3 build too, but not with this rocket.

Marked 4 rows for
- (8) Vent holes 3/32"
- (4) shear pins for booster and NC ( I should mention that i intend to use only 2 holes - but with a 4 fin - I wanted to keep everything symmetrical and the option of using 4 unless the 54mm M fits, i don't see that ever happening insert clever, funny tongue in cheek emoji thing)
- (4) rivets above AV bay
- (2) rail button holes






The 3 shallow holes are not holes just something I've been using for location holes for me so I don't put the AV bay in backwards, and all my holes stay oriented.



Started on the long process of sanding - it's amazing what nastiness shows up when you shoot a coat of primer on it -

WOW

Nick@JET said:

- it's amazing what nastiness shows up when you shoot a coat of primer on it -

Click to expand...

Ain't that the truth!

Today was a good day, able to
- install rail buttons (1010 w/ 8-32 screws
- installed Camera shroud
- drill for 110/220 switch
- cut the NC shoulder off in prep for tracker bay installation
- 400 grit sanded
- then 600 wet sanded and ready for another coat of primer

Primed, still some more love on the fillets and the intakes. I was thinking this one will have to earn its strips- not sure I can complete for a shake down flight before the launch Windows close around here.

Based on this - Next is to complete the AV Bay and recovery system in hopes of a first flight in the next month.

That is going to look fantastic.

I take it there is plenty of clearance in the tailcone for the retainer?

Any chance of a close up shot of that?

Nick@JET said:

Primed, still some more love on the fillets and the intakes. I was thinking this one will have to earn its strips- not sure I can complete for a shake down flight before the launch Windows close around here.

Based on this - Next is to complete the AV Bay and recovery system in hopes of a first flight in the next month.

View attachment 291282
View attachment 291283

Click to expand...

I love the paint rack you've got there... Gonna have to copy that with a mod to allow it to spin like a rotisserie while I paint.

I love the paint rack you've got there... Gonna have to copy that with a mod to allow it to spin like a rotisserie while I paint.

RocketGeekInFL said:

I take it there is plenty of clearance in the tailcone for the retainer?

Any chance of a close up shot of that?

Click to expand...

Hi Rocket - I exposed the motor tube 0.506" which is the lip on the inside of the retainer body. So once the retainer is on, yes it is exposed so when you stand the rocket up, it is actually sitting on the retainer. Ill get a close up pic once I get back home - which will be a little bit.

Jim,
Yea thanks - I really like the ability to paint in any weather! But I still paint outside of the weather is good.
I haven't come up with a rotisserie yet, that's would be a great idea, and I need another dedicated light.

The booth is just to see if it would work, and is a huge double wall cardboard box with a Dayton 110V squirrel cage exhaust fan that I have ported out the window. Takes up
Most of the table, but I can close the box and pull the vent when I don't use it. Big and bulky but works pretty well.

There are still some fumes - but not near as bad and no over spray dust on my floor. Could really use a little
more CFM or close off better.

Nick@JET said:

Jim,
Yea thanks - I really like the ability to paint in any weather! But I still paint outside of the weather is good.
I haven't come up with a rotisserie yet, that's would be a great idea, and I need another dedicated light.

The booth is just to see if it would work, and is a huge double wall cardboard box with a Dayton 110V squirrel cage exhaust fan that I have ported out the window. Takes up
Most of the table, but I can close the box and pull the vent when I don't use it. Big and bulky but works pretty well.

There are still some fumes - but not near as bad and no over spray dust on my floor. Could really use a little
more CFM or close off better.

Click to expand...

I have this image of inserting a balloon inside the body tube, blowing it up to hold the walls. Then attaching it to a stick (like what you can get at restaurants like Red Robin), feeding that through the PVC pipe. Twist that, the whole thing spins.

Then again, with a 4" rocket like yours, that might be a little unrealistic.

Kickball

Looking good! Keep the pics and updates coming.

Nick@JET said:

The 3 shallow holes are not holes just something I've been using for location holes for me so I don't put the AV bay in backwards, and all my holes stay oriented.

View attachment 291194

Click to expand...

This is a great idea!! Mind if I borrow it?

Was able to start the painting process today and wouldn't you know it - my last coat on the NC - a gust of wind knocked it over while it was still wet ...argh. Knocked over my booster too - at least it was only final primer coat on the booster, so no worries there. NOTE TO SELF....keep the garage door closed.





So I have some sanding to do.

Still looking very good indeed - despite the mishap.

Thanks Tim, it wasn't all that bad and forced me to wet sand my NC and the final finish prior to clear is much smoother.

I shot the NC and Booster with
Duplicolor White primer first so the top coat would pop.


The payload I primed Duplicolor grey

Then the 3 main colors are 2 that I really like - Duplicolor BGM0398 Bright Red and BHY1805 Powder Pearl White. Not real crazy on the BFM 0383 Silver Metallic. When I shot that it looked very Un even - however once it laid for 10 minutes or so it looks much more even



With the Pearl White - this really is a thin color with the coating being more metallic - bleeds the bottom coat through really bad, so you really need to lay down a white base prior to the Pearl or your looking at 6-8 coats.

After 1000 grit wet sanding and final coat before polish - decals and clear

Holy cow that looks awesome. I love the pearl paint, gonna have to try that sometime.

Damn that is a beauty.

Thanks Guys, I appreciate the feedback. AV Bay hopefully this week, Next week I will be wet sanding and polishing prior to the stickers.