Aerotech HV ARCAS build thread *Launched 4-13-14*

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VARifleman

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I picked up this kit with some amazon gift cards. I have a bit of a fascination with sounding rockets, and this is a cheap and accurate kit. I intend to fly it mainly on baby H motors, but also to build a sidewinder booster for it and fly 2 stage.

I left out the baffle and cooling mesh as I intend to use altimeter deployment and wish to put as long as a motor as they make in there for some flights. I'm thinking my go to motor will be the CTI H54.

I have kevlar glued to the finlok rings and added a 1/4" tube through the rings for a wiring conduit. The fins are glued in with plastic epoxy.

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I haven't forgotten about this thread, it has just been a crazy week between work and being sick.

I was able to get back to it today. The side details are epoxied on, an 808 camera mount courtesy of Landru and his awesome 3d printing setup is glued and screwed on, and I adapted my avbay from the now dead PAC-3 (too much black powder and it blew up).

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I used some #4 wood screws to attach the avbay, and got a coat of paint on the outside. I used 3 1/8" holes, one through the seam for alignment.

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...but also to build a sidewinder booster for it and fly 2 stage.

Interesting that I was searching for Sidewinder boosters when your thread showed up in the new posts. I'll be watching closely as we clearly think alike. I just haven't decided whether to do the Aerotech or the Madcow ARCAS first.
 
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I ended up getting the Aerotech one because I found it on sale on Amazon for half of what the madcow kit goes for, it has more details, and I can fly it cheaper on smaller motors. I will have to very carefully pick the 2 stage configurations so I don't shred this kit. But if you want to send it up on anything you can fit in there, you may want to go with the madcow kit.

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I managed some red paint in there. It is nice to see it looking like a rocket now.

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Looks good. What shade of red did you use? I'm not sure if a darker red is more authentic or if its just the way film rendered it. I like the brighter red, so I'm hoping that is more accurate.
 
My Aerotech Arcas HV was a great flier, but it died a horrible death.

[YOUTUBE]2CevR_ltMJo[/YOUTUBE]

So I replaced it with Mad Cow Fiberglass Arcas HV. That rocket is a mach buster.

Here is a flight where it hit Mach 1.2 on a J394.
[YOUTUBE]NGm8yza18g4[/YOUTUBE]

This is a photo of the launch of another mach busting flight on a J530.
Launch 062213-a.jpg
 
Trooper, the red is just a valspar for plastic red.

As for the state of this, I need to ground test this, but haven't quite gotten around to it.
 
I have completed the ground test. The charges will be .5 and .7 grams for the drogue and main respectively. I used surgical tube with hot glue for the charges.
 
Here's a rough rocksim with the Sidewinder booster. I based the fin sizing on drawings of the military rocket, but I do not have a drawing of the two together. If anyone has a drawing of it in total, I would appreciate it.

View attachment 168273

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That looks pretty good. The coupler will stay attached to the Sidewinder booster? How will the two stages be secured (friction, tape, shear pins, etc.)?
 
I'm figuring on a fiberglass coupler that stays with the booster, friction fit with tape and a small charge that ignites on booster burnout and causes separation. I intend to light the sustainer a second or 3 after separation.
 
I'm planning on flying this on Saturday. A G80 or there abouts would make a good first flight, but I don't have one right now. I do have an H226SK though...we'll see whay this weekend brings.
 
I fly my Aerotech Arcas on an F52 Blue Thunder motor all the time at the local ball field. Once on a "G", but the Jolly Logic altimeter didn't record the altitude for some reason. It went almost out of sight. I couldn't imagine launching one of these on an "H" or higher - or even two stage. You are a brave man!!

Looking forward to some incredible video footage if you manage to recover it! :)
 
We have a tracker at our club as well as this being dual deploy. We'll see how high it goes this weekend, probably on a low level H or a G.
 
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[video=youtube_share;-PyCR3_1KPg]https://youtu.be/-PyCR3_1KPg[/video]

CTI-H87Imax to 1749 ft at 427 f/s.

View attachment ICBM 2014-4_2.FIPa

The shock cord detached from the motor tube, so I'm thinking of using tubular nylon epoxied up the inside of the airframe and held on by screws to add on rail guides.

Thanks to Tom Binford for selling me the motor today and all his help and advice. Thanks also to Brent for the awesome 4" SA-14...more on that soon.
 
what is the weight of your arcas without motor or casing?
 
cool, thats close to the weight of mine, what delay did you use for that ctiH87? what do you think of the imax? I've yet to fly imax, but am on fence if I should try em. I like lots of smoke so I can see where my rocket is going.
 
cool, thats close to the weight of mine, what delay did you use for that ctiH87? what do you think of the imax? I've yet to fly imax, but am on fence if I should try em. I like lots of smoke so I can see where my rocket is going.

If you like smoke, Imax is the best smoky motor.
 
cool, thats close to the weight of mine, what delay did you use for that ctiH87? what do you think of the imax? I've yet to fly imax, but am on fence if I should try em. I like lots of smoke so I can see where my rocket is going.
The Raven was primary, motor was left at 12 seconds as backup.
 
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