Build Thread: Estes V2 Up-power

I was surprised by the list of engines in the kit plans. No way will it fly with B4-2, B6-2, C5-3 or C6-5. Like I said, the empty weight is 130g. Now add the chute, wadding, motor adapter and engine!:eyepop:

The Acton field is a bit small with plenty of hungry looking trees around. If the wind is a little too stiff I will wait for the Amesbury field next month. I would hate to lose this guy on the maiden flight.:cry:

Thats what I herd about Acton plus its a longer ride for me.
Let me know if you don't go. Like to meet ya and see this in person.

Daniel

I'll be there for sure. I will bring the V2 in any case since I won't decide to fly or not fly until I am on the field. You can find me easily by stopping by Jim Flis' "field store" and ask him. We go back a long ways and he can point me out. Plus you can check out his cool stuff. Oh, I drive a dark blue Jeep Wrangler and I'll be using it as my base.

The weather was perfect with almost no wind. I flew the ASP V2 on a C11-3. Very nice flight with just the right altitude for the smallish field. The camera work, however, was less than spectacular. Someone, who will remain nameless to avoid embarrassment but whose forum name has the words "Cluster" and "Nut" in it, did not look at the battery indicator on his camera. The LCO starts the countdown. "5...4..." and the camera beeps and shuts down. But the flight was perfect and the rocket survived with just a smudge or two on the nose cone.

I bought a Roadrunner E25 motor at the launch and now have a choice of E15, E25 and E30 for the maiden flight of the up-powered Estes V2 next month. Should be great since it will also be Fliskits 9th birthday party!

I finally got to fly the V2 today. It was a bit breezy but not too bad. I decided to use the lower power E for the maiden flight based on sims from OpenRocket. Let's just say that I understand the sims a little better now. This is a close approximation to the flight, except for the explosion at the end.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYazXWHv98o&feature=related

It nosed into a marsh and I never did find the remains. Bottom line: I messed up the delay estimate and picked one that was way too long, although the ascent (on an E9) was really pretty. It was fairly slow but very stable. Looked a lot like an actual V2 launch!

But all is not lost. I have the nose cone and boat-tail from an Estes kit where the BT got crunched. I plan to make another one this winter that is as close to scale as I can make it. I found some drawings on the web to use for data and I think I learned my lesson with the sims.

I finally got around to building a replacement. I had an old Estes kit with a damaged body tube so I cut a new one from stock. I built it exactly like its predecessor, except for the paint and decals. It will fly soon at a MMMSC or CMASS launch. I'll use a shorter delay this time! I'll try to get a video to post when I do fly it.

Well it finally flew. As you can see in the video, it weathercocked slighty in a stiff breeze. An E9-4 was okay in this case but any more wind and I would have gone to a different motor. The chute shroud lines tangled in the shock cord and it came in a little hard. One fin was damaged but I have already glued it and will clean up the finish. I stuck with the balsa fins, unlike my earlier version that had plywood. I'm thinking plywood for my next version. I am planning to go to an F motor for it's next flight. Anyone have enough experience with the E12 to suggest it?

https://youtu.be/CzDCUse4tTc

The fin was repaired and I launched it at a CMASS launch. Here's a video. Depending on the winds at the next couple of MMMSC launches, I plan to put an F21 in it.


https://youtu.be/l_RtOMXR7Ec

Oh. It was on an E12-4.

methinks an E18 would be just the ticket.
rex

Interesting this thread came back up. I build one of these last week using stock components other than building with Epoxy (due to the plastic), leaving the motor tube virgin with the addition of a screw-on retainer, 2mm utility cord rather than the rubber band, and some extra nose weight. Had it lined up to fly today on an E22 but didn't get around to it due to my L2 flight, keeping the kids rockets going, and the heat.

This was my second "up power" build of an old V2 kit. I used plywood for the fins and made them closer to scale. I had to add a lot of clay in the nose. I ditched the engine block so I could fit any length of 24mm motor. Otherwise it is pretty much the stock Estes kit. (I think the new kit is pretty much identical to these older ones, by the way.) It's flown on E9 and E12 so now its time to move up to an F. I don't have the 24mm reload hardware for an E18. How does it compare to the E12 and the Aerotech F21? It might be worth the investment.

This is my 4th Estes V2. I still have one of the two I built "to spec" back in the 90's and it is one of my favorites. The first modified version is buried in a swamp, as reported in this thread. :sad:

Love the V2!

I haven't tried an Estes E12 in anything but if you don't have 24mm hardware, take a look at the E20-7 AT Single Use. From the sims that I ran when deciding what to stick in mine it looked pretty favorable.

just looking at the numbers the peak thrust of an E12 is a smidge higher but, the E18 gets up to full thrust quicker(and it weighs a gram less) so it gives you a better speed off the rod. the E18 thrust duration is approx 2sec. the higher ave thrust is a plus, as is the low cost of reloads .
rex

I just bought one of those at the club auction last night for $10.

While I'm here, I'll voice my nit-pick with the V2 kits smaller than that 4" Maxi-Brute. They don't have that slot (and vents) between the body and tail cone like the real V2. I didn't know the slot existed until I started drawing some V2 art for a friend.