Mythbusters Dragon Rocket Build Thread

[Timothy Allen]

My Son and I recently saw a Mythbusters in which they tested the feasibility of the Chinese having built a two stage rocket that launched rocket propelled arrows. My son wanted to build one. Their rocket had no recovery, was launched at a 45 degree angle, had a deadly payload, and used canon fuse for a timer. Obviously all of these things would have to change, but I thought we might be able to get the overall feel. I thought I would start with the dragon head.

I drew out the basic outline of the head, then built up the design with Model Magic (a lightweight polymer clay) and covered it with a foam hard coat.
We also started on the "arrows" 18 inch BT 5 tubes with fletchings for fins.

[Rocketbuilder]

You, sir, have some crazy artistic skills! That dragon head is great!
I suppose I might have been missing out on all sorts of superb craftsmanship by not checking the HPR forum regularly.

I'm very interested to see how his comes out. Do you have any simulation files for it?

[rockets4kids]

Awesome! Are you actually planning to stage the arrows?

[Timothy Allen]

Here is the Rocket Sim File http://www.fppda.com/Fire Dragon.rkt
I do plan to stage 4 arrows that will shoot out of the dragon's mouth and then return on streamer recovery.

Here is the arrow launching assembly under construction.

[Timothy Allen]

The Mythbusters' design calls for pretty fragile fins.

So I am going to make the fins removable/replaceable.

I built a fin can and put a tab on the fin's forward end. I will attach the rear end of the fin with a sheer pin, in hopes that the pin will break before the fin breaks.

[jd2cylman]

Is this gonna be at Eat Cheese Or Fly?

Adrian

[Timothy Allen]

I hope to have it ready by then.

[Timothy Allen]

Putting on some red paint. The dragon is looking even meaner.

[chadrog]

Looks very cool, I'm excited to see it fly. The mythbusters idiots, having too much budget for their stupidity, sadly didn't design their rockets to be reusable - I'm sure yours has a bit more thought put into a recovery system. Have you considered horizontal recovery? that might give those fins a better chance of surviving.

[Timothy Allen]

I've never tried horizontal recovery, but I could look into it.

[chadrog]

I've never tried horizontal recovery, but I could look into it.

Just a thought. Are you the Tim Allen that flew the scratch-built L1 certification at Bong last month (with the sweet home made chute)?

[patelldp]

[Timothy Allen]

I am guilty of flying at Bong with a home made chute.
My real name is Tim Allen (but it is not the actors real name, I can only assume that he wants to be like me).
Here are a few last details on the dragon.

[rocketgeek101]

that looks awesome!!