Got the itch again.

The Rocketry Forum

Help Support The Rocketry Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

ActingLikeAKid

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 16, 2015
Messages
1,134
Reaction score
16
After a months-long hiatus, I'm back and building again. Putting together the Estes Jetliners for the boys right now. Up next is the Fliskits Nantucket Sound (which is GORGEOUS and amazing and thanks, Secret Santa!) which should be a good warmup for the ACME Spitfire that's also in the queue...

...but of course, i also have started thinking: I want to build something big.

There are a few contenders:

https://shop.macperformancerocketry...eter-rocket-kits/products/scorpion-3-diameter
https://www.polecat-aerospace.com/c...tegory_id=7#product-details-tab-specification
(I know that some folks have had issues with Polecat, but that Raven is really, really cool looking)
https://www.fliskits.com/products/rocketkits/kit_detail/richter_recker.htm

Decisions, decisions....
 
The Richter Recker is a very cool rocket, but here's the problem with it. Having three 24mm MMTs in a 2.6-inch tube leaves no room for aft closures. So it is BP motors or bust. And if you use Estes E9, you probably end up with a cato sooner or later. That's what happened to me, only it was on the first flight.
 
Wow, that sucks. I'm just imagining spending the time & effort to wire up a harness, triple-check everything, and ... boom :(

Was it salvageable? With that much length, it seems like there'd be a possibility of cutting off the fincan and using a coupler. Of course, with a cluster, that fincan is probably the most expensive/complicated part of the rocket...
 
The main reason I didn't salvage it was, as you said, the toughest part to build was what blew up, but also, then I'd still be in the position of having to put Estes E9s in it. I just won't use E9s any more.
 
The Richter Recker is a very cool rocket, but here's the problem with it. Having three 24mm MMTs in a 2.6-inch tube leaves no room for aft closures. So it is BP motors or bust. And if you use Estes E9, you probably end up with a cato sooner or later. That's what happened to me, only it was on the first flight.

This sounds like a prime candidate to convert to a 29mm, 38mm, or 54mm mount. If you glass the tube, do tip to tip FG on the fins, foam the nose cone, and augment the recovery harnesses then it should be able to handle a J...

If you are looking for rockets in that range, the MadCow Super BatRay, MadCow 4" Big Fizz, LOC Marvin's Wild Ride, and LOC Expiditer are all good kits.

Seriously though, I thought you said you wanted to build something big???
 
This sounds like a prime candidate to convert to a 29mm, 38mm, or 54mm mount. If you glass the tube, do tip to tip FG on the fins, foam the nose cone, and augment the recovery harnesses then it should be able to handle a J...
:cool: That's a pretty slick idea. And the other thing I was going to mention before - while the size does mean you can't put AT/CTI reloads in there, the cost of all that - 3x24mm casing PLUS 3x24mm reloads each flight... that gets SUPER expensive. One of the things I like about the RR is that I can buy a 3-pack of "big C" motors and have an entertaining flight without an FAA waiver.
If you are looking for rockets in that range, the MadCow Super BatRay, MadCow 4" Big Fizz, LOC Marvin's Wild Ride, and LOC Expiditer are all good kits.

Seriously though, I thought you said you wanted to build something big???

Big is relative, I guess. I'm no Crazy Jim.... ;) Right now, the tallest rockets in the fleet are the Estes PSII ones....
 
When I built the Estes Man Machine, I though that it was the biggest rocket I ever would or could build. I didn't even know there were rocket clubs or HPR back then. Now I'm building a Formula 200 (10" by 10'), so my definition of "big" has changed a little. :)
 
When I built the Estes Man Machine, I though that it was the biggest rocket I ever would or could build. I didn't even know there were rocket clubs or HPR back then. Now I'm building a Formula 200 (10" by 10'), so my definition of "big" has changed a little. :)

Not to burst your bubble John but the Formula 200 is only 8in in diameter...
 
The Richter Recker is a very cool rocket, but here's the problem with it. Having three 24mm MMTs in a 2.6-inch tube leaves no room for aft closures. So it is BP motors or bust. And if you use Estes E9, you probably end up with a cato sooner or later. That's what happened to me, only it was on the first flight.
I just launched my RR this weekend on 3x aerotech E15-6W's composites.... Awesome sight as the rocket took off like hell!

Sent from my XT1585 using Rocketry Forum mobile app
 
Great flight and recovery! My RR has 2x nylon shoots on it and I added a 2nd set of small fins at the top of the bottom half. I also added 2x launch lugs to the top half after a launch went to hell when the rocket came apart due to rod whip.

I couldn't find a single person that had used composites in a RR launch prior to mine. I'm sure someone had but I couldn't find anyone. I worried I wouldn't have enough juice in my controller to light all 3 buy it did fine.

I run a Estes pro series with a 11.1v lipo at 1000mA. I have a video of it taking off but my son jumped the gun on the launch so I lost it right after launch...

Give me your email and I'll email you the video as it won't let me upload it here....

Sent from my XT1585 using Rocketry Forum mobile app
 
Back
Top