polcat 5.5" mercury redstone building advice

The Rocket Kid · Jun 12, 2012

So recently I bought a polcate aerospace 5.5" mercury redstone

so I wanted to know if anyone has any building advice for me!?

UPscaler · Jun 12, 2012

Man I'd love to pick one of those up.

I recently built a Polecat 5.5 inch Nike Smoke. (Here)

The tubes are great quality, and all the parts fit just perfectly! I can see the redstone being a more difficult build, but polecat kits are a breeze, even when fiberglassing the fins like I did.

My advice: Sand everything that will be bonded very well, and have fun!

Braden

The Rocket Kid · Jun 12, 2012

UPscaler said:
Man I'd love to pick one of those up.

I recently built a Polecat 5.5 inch Nike Smoke. (Here)

The tubes are great quality, and all the parts fit just perfectly! I can see the redstone being a more difficult build, but polecat kits are a breeze, even when fiberglassing the fins like I did.

My advice: Sand everything that will be bonded very well, and have fun!

Braden

Man that is a nice looking rocket.Cool paint job love the green fins.How did the launch go?

Aksrockets · Jun 12, 2012

Im guessing you at least have an L1, L2 would be better, that thing's a little heavy for a G motor.

Alex

UPscaler · Jun 12, 2012

Thank you, It actually still has not had a chance to fly, I've got the charges already made from the first time we went to launch, and it's K740 C-star sitting in our box!

Braden

The Rocket Kid · Jun 12, 2012

UPscaler said:
Thank you, It actually still has not had a chance to fly, I've got the charges already made from the first time we went to launch, and it's K740 C-star sitting in our box!

Braden

Thats a nice motor.Hope you get to launch it soon!

The Rocket Kid · Jun 12, 2012

So I've had the kit for about a week and today I finaly made some actual progress. I built the escape tower.Can't figure out how to post pictures

otherwise I would.
But tomorow maybe I'll work on it some more

Thats all for now!

Kaycee · Jun 13, 2012

I have one....

https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?30109-Polecat-Mercury-Redstone&highlight=kaycee

The Rocket Kid · Jun 13, 2012

Kaycee said:
I have one....

https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?30109-Polecat-Mercury-Redstone&highlight=kaycee

Hey that rocket looks great.hope mine looks that when I'm done

Those stickers look sooo good I just might have to get some

The Rocket Kid · Jan 4, 2013

Do any of you guys have a rocksim file for this?I have already check rocket reviews library and had no luck.

JonathanOtt · Feb 12, 2021

Okay, I know...resurrecting an old thread, but what "scale" would the 5.5" Polecat Mercury Redstone be?

I'm contemplating a stand-off-scale Little Joe using https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3285664, which is a 5.5" Mercury Capsule for the Polecat Mercury Redstone, and while I know I'll need a 5.5" body tube, I'll need to figure out the body tube length and fins.

neil_w · Feb 12, 2021

Redstone is 70" in diameter, so 5.5:70 = 1:12.73.

JonathanOtt · Feb 12, 2021

Okay, I found some drawings and the 1:1 Little Joe 5B is 2.03m in diameter, so that (if my math is correct) makes a 5.5" airframe about 1:14.54545454... scale. Sound right?

JonathanOtt · Feb 12, 2021

neil_w said:
Redstone is 70" in diameter, so 5.5:70 = 1:12.73.

Thanks Neil!

neil_w · Feb 12, 2021

My calculator agrees.

tim cubbedge · Feb 12, 2021

I have one and I think it’s 1/17 but will look at instructions when I get home.

Ez2cDave · Feb 13, 2021

JonathanOtt said:
Okay, I know...resurrecting an old thread, but what "scale" would the 5.5" Polecat Mercury Redstone be?

I'm contemplating a stand-off-scale Little Joe using https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3285664, which is a 5.5" Mercury Capsule for the Polecat Mercury Redstone, and while I know I'll need a 5.5" body tube, I'll need to figure out the body tube length and fins.

Jonathan,

NOTE : The REDSTONE dimensions are in CALIBERS ( multiples of body diameter ) . . . In this case, 1 "Caliber" = 70 Inches !

I love old threads . . . Especially updating them !

Dave F.

JonathanOtt · Feb 14, 2021

timbucktoo said:
I have one and I think it’s 1/17 but will look at instructions when I get home.

Tim, can you give me the length of the body tube?

I can figure out and design a set of fins with Dave's diagrams, but I'm thinking ~49" for the body tube.

tim cubbedge · Feb 14, 2021

The payload is 11.25" & booster is 43.0". No switch band so overall airframe is 54.25"

Ez2cDave · Feb 14, 2021

JonathanOtt said:
Tim, can you give me the length of the body tube?

I can figure out and design a set of fins with Dave's diagrams, but I'm thinking ~49" for the body tube.

RE-CHECK your "Math" on the Body Tube length !

Fin Unit is 9.27 ft = 111.24 inches

Mid-Section is 37.5 ft = 450 inches

Upper Section is 139.64 inches

111.24 + 450 + 139.64 = 700.88

The Airframe "Tube" is 700.88" long, according to this data

NOTE : Peter Alway's data shows the length at 688.4 inches, in ROTW.

Dave F.

JonathanOtt · Feb 15, 2021

I'm getting 686.38006" because we have to take the 14.49994" of fin that extends below the "body tube"

tim cubbedge · Feb 28, 2021

timbucktoo said:
I have one and I think it’s 1/17 but will look at instructions when I get home.

I stand corrected, the kit 5.5" kit I have is 1/13 scale.

Code Red Rocketry · May 27, 2023

Hey! I know this is an old thread, but I wanted to check and see...does anyone have the specs/instructions for the Polecat 5.5" Mercury Redstone or know where I can get them? I've been trying to figure out if I can clone one. I take it the body tube is good 'ole LOC 5.5"?

tim cubbedge · May 28, 2023

Code Red Rocketry said:
Hey! I know this is an old thread, but I wanted to check and see...does anyone have the specs/instructions for the Polecat 5.5" Mercury Redstone or know where I can get them? I've been trying to figure out if I can clone one. I take it the body tube is good 'ole LOC 5.5"?

I will take a look and see if I can find my instructions. It’s not loc tube. It’s glassed over cardboard.

Code Red Rocketry · Jun 1, 2023

tim cubbedge said:
I will take a look and see if I can find my instructions. It’s not loc tube. It’s glassed over cardboard.

Do you recall the tube's dimensions? That's really what I'm mostly after. I'm trying to replicate it with LOC parts.

Thanks!

tim cubbedge · Jun 1, 2023

Code Red Rocketry said:
Do you recall the tube's dimensions? That's really what I'm mostly after. I'm trying to replicate it with LOC parts.

Thanks!

Yes it’s 5.5” OD and 5.375” ID. It has a layer or two of fiberglass on the outside. Could not find instructions.

Ez2cDave · Jun 1, 2023

tim cubbedge said:
Yes it’s 5.5” OD and 5.375” ID. It has a layer or two of fiberglass on the outside. Could not find instructions.

LOC sells "pre-glassed" "tubing . . . https://locprecision.com/products/pre-glassed-loc-cardboard-airframe-tubing

Ez2cDave · Jun 1, 2023

tim cubbedge said:
Yes it’s 5.5” OD and 5.375” ID. It has a layer or two of fiberglass on the outside. Could not find instructions.

Polecat Aerospace Mercury Redstone INSTRUCTIONS ( pdf below )

Dave F.

polcat 5.5" mercury redstone building advice

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