Thanks! I'm hoping to stick with tradition...one of my TAPs will be at NXRS. My cert flight will use the same CTI Blue Streak motor propellant, just bigger: M2045.
Brant's Brant - My TRA L3 build of the Rocketry Warehouse BBII
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Thanks! I'm hoping to stick with tradition...one of my TAPs will be at NXRS. My cert flight will use the same CTI Blue Streak motor propellant, just bigger: M2045.
NXRS is less than two weeks away. I'm finishing up the paint and decals. I ordered the roll pattern from Mark at Stickershock rather than mask and paint. And, because this is Brant's Brant, and not just some ordinary Black Brant, I took some liberties with the final colors and finish. I won't reveal the whole thing until launch day, but here's a hint:
It will stand out.
-brant
It will stand out.
-brant
bobby_hamill
Well-Known Member
Tim
The rocket in your Photo is a Black Brant 1
Only 1 was ever launched at Wallops Island
Here it is
Enjoy !
The rocket in your Photo is a Black Brant 1
Only 1 was ever launched at Wallops Island
Here it is
Enjoy !
bobby_hamill
Well-Known Member
Farsidius
Great build !
I am a Black Brant nut to especially the 4 fin version with the checker board roll pattern
Bobby
Great build !
I am a Black Brant nut to especially the 4 fin version with the checker board roll pattern
Bobby
Tim51
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the correction and thanks for posting these - great photos! I'm looking at the difference in colour scheme and wondering whether the BB in the photo I posted is the same vehicle as in yours (albeit at primer and filler stage.. :wink: ) at Wallops, or whether it is in fact Propulsion Test Vehicle-1, the Black Brant prototype launched at Churchill near Manitoba (..?) I understand a few early launches took place there. The man-in-white-coat in the photo I posted looks more Bristol Aerospace than US military (that last statement is just stereotyping on my part of course..!)
Anyway, enough digression from the build - we should give Brant his thread back
. Love the custom CARDE decal and good luck with the L3 flight, by the way.
Anyway, enough digression from the build - we should give Brant his thread back
No worries about the digression. You can post all the Black Brant stuff you want in here. I love these rockets. These sounding rockets have a long history and there's always something new to learn about them. I've been building Black Brants since I was teen in the 80's. They're some of the best flying models out there.
Thanks for looking and for your comments. I really appreciate all your posts with BB info and links. One of the great things about the BB line is all the different versions. I really want to build a two stage of one of the boosted versions at some point in the future.
-brant
bobby_hamill
Well-Known Member
The Black Brant 4 had 2 stages and the upper stage was cone stabilized no fins used on the upper stage.
Although I do have a photo that shows a version that had small fins on the outside of the cone stabilizer
The version I am working on was the first time parachute recovery was attempted of a Black Brant 2 Payload so the payload section was a bit longer than earlier versions
Great rocket and great build
Good luck on your cert 3 attempt
Bobby
Although I do have a photo that shows a version that had small fins on the outside of the cone stabilizer
The version I am working on was the first time parachute recovery was attempted of a Black Brant 2 Payload so the payload section was a bit longer than earlier versions
Great rocket and great build
Good luck on your cert 3 attempt
Bobby
bobby_hamill
Well-Known Member
I'm still planning to fly the two-stage. On a different day, of course.
I'm planning to stage a 6XL Red Lightning to a 6 gr Smoky. Should be quite the show.
You're bringing a two-stage too, right?
Yeah, but I think mine is a little smaller than yours...
54mm Airframe wit 38mm MMT. Though I do have a min diam 54mm booster that can slot on instead
Same size as mine - Mine's a Shape-Shifter Jr. Here are a couple photos from it's first launch in Maine
https://www.rocketryforum.com/showt...n-Shape-Shifter-Gallery&p=1423465#post1423465
I am working on another 2-stage that's 3" dia with a 54mm hole and an optional 75mm min dia booster (using one of Mike's fin cans), but it won't be ready for a couple months. I'm thinking of naming the stages "One for the Money" and "Two for the Show"
Looking forward to seeing yours fly next week!
Tim51
Well-Known Member
More on the Bristol Aerojet origins of the Black Brant. Robin Brand, the author of the excellent book on the Skylark already mentioned, has been in touch and kindly supplied this report from the RAeS proceedings which notes a report by a speaker from Bristol Aerojet describing the first four Black Brants being built and fired for the Canadian government as a 'cheap vehicle for testing propellants' (well, little did they know... :wink.
The error/confusion over the 'Black Brant 2' caption was mine - the photo is apparently the second (hence '2') Black Brant fired, not the Black Brant II. It wasn't known as 'Black Brant I' as at the time it was inaugurated it was not known it would be the first in such an illustrious lineage.
Full citation: Beadle, B.E. (1961), ‘Summary of Discussion’ (re RAeS Symposium 11 March 1960), RAeS Journal Vol.65 (August 1961), p.550
. The error/confusion over the 'Black Brant 2' caption was mine - the photo is apparently the second (hence '2') Black Brant fired, not the Black Brant II. It wasn't known as 'Black Brant I' as at the time it was inaugurated it was not known it would be the first in such an illustrious lineage.
Full citation: Beadle, B.E. (1961), ‘Summary of Discussion’ (re RAeS Symposium 11 March 1960), RAeS Journal Vol.65 (August 1961), p.550
Salvage-1
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Scale the complex distance table by the same ratio as the new three-or-more rule?
The L3 flight was successful. :clap:
I've been wanting to make this update since last week but had to wait to get back from a business trip today.
First: Thank you to everyone who provided support for this build and launch. I learned a lot from my TAPs and I had really nice support from many club members at NXRS. Here are a few pics:
Assembled in the back yard before going up to the launch. Chrome roll pattern was provided by Stickershock. The black is Wicked Colors Pearl Black, so it has a little shimmer in the sun light. Every time I look at it, all I think of is a 1980's era Cylon.
Cool!
Flight occurred Saturday, June 24 just before noon.
On the pad
A few photos captured by my son at launch. Thanks!
I haven't pulled my flight data from the altimeters yet, but it was almost picture perfect. Open Rocket projected apogee of 10037 ft
After the flight, my Stratologger reported apogee at 10023 ft, and the RRC3 reported 9991 ft. Maximum velocity was recorded by the RRC3 to be 900 ft/s. The primary altimeter popped the main at 1100 ft AGL and recovery was made approximately 1400 feet from the center of the flight line (according to the RTx tracker). Couldn't have asked for a better morning.
Thanks to all of you who have followed the build and provided encouragement.
-brant
I've been wanting to make this update since last week but had to wait to get back from a business trip today.
First: Thank you to everyone who provided support for this build and launch. I learned a lot from my TAPs and I had really nice support from many club members at NXRS. Here are a few pics:
Assembled in the back yard before going up to the launch. Chrome roll pattern was provided by Stickershock. The black is Wicked Colors Pearl Black, so it has a little shimmer in the sun light. Every time I look at it, all I think of is a 1980's era Cylon.
Cool!
Flight occurred Saturday, June 24 just before noon.
On the pad
A few photos captured by my son at launch. Thanks!
I haven't pulled my flight data from the altimeters yet, but it was almost picture perfect. Open Rocket projected apogee of 10037 ft
After the flight, my Stratologger reported apogee at 10023 ft, and the RRC3 reported 9991 ft. Maximum velocity was recorded by the RRC3 to be 900 ft/s. The primary altimeter popped the main at 1100 ft AGL and recovery was made approximately 1400 feet from the center of the flight line (according to the RTx tracker). Couldn't have asked for a better morning.
Thanks to all of you who have followed the build and provided encouragement.
-brant
Woo! Congrats! Beautiful looking flight. Vids?
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That is one sweet looking bird! Good job, and congrats on your L3!
jsargevt
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Brant,
Congrats on the L3! An excellent build and that is a beautiful place to launch a rocket - no trees for miles! I am sure that the crew at MMMSC would be more than happy to take your tree recovery equipment from you!
Congrats on the L3! An excellent build and that is a beautiful place to launch a rocket - no trees for miles! I am sure that the crew at MMMSC would be more than happy to take your tree recovery equipment from you!
Tim51
Well-Known Member
Just adding my voice to the very well deserved chorus of congrats - the amazing pics show the full beauty of this project and that Blue Streak flame is something else. The colour scheme is a great take on the classic look. Thanks for sharing - this has been an excellent, inspiring thread.
Thanks. I didn't get video, but I think someone at the launch may have captured it. I'll post it up if it surfaces.
Thank you. It is a great place to launch. The only thing that would make this better was if it were miles and miles of sod - with no trees, of course.
Thanks again for posting these photos up here. It's great to look at the whole setup perspective. We didn't get around to the 2-stage flights but we can try again later. I had to bug out Sunday afternoon because of a time change to a business flight on Monday. We should still share some of my 18 yr Tomatin.
Thanks. I was a little surprised with the flight altitude being so close to the simulation. I think this is the closest I've ever been on a high power flight.
Thank you.
Thanks Jim. It was a fun project and I always feel confident flying with your altimeters and trackers in my rockets. I'll be sending you an email shortly regarding one of my RTx units that has stopped working after a rough landing in another rocket.
Thanks Tim, I've enjoyed all your posts and sharing here. I actually struggled a little with changing the color scheme on the rocket. I've always been a purist when it comes to painting my Black Brants but ultimately decided that I could take some liberties with this one. I'm glad I did. It's still obvious what rocket it is and respects the heritage of this classic.
-brant
