TLP Krypton - It Flew!

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Cl(VII)

Chris Bender, Lab Rat
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I've been working on a TLP Krypton on and off for 10 months now, and tonight I finished it. Oh man, am I happy with this one.

krypton_1.jpg krypton_2.jpg

This is a heavily modified TLP kit, but will still be around 1.2 lb on the pad...so it's not that heavy. The mods were mostly made to come closer to the real Krypton missile and also make it look cool, these include:

- Ogive nosecone
- Ramjet nosecones from Semroc, blended into the side tubes
- New cardstock pieces at the aft end of the side tubes
- 24 mm Rocketarium Motor retainer
- Aluminum tape lined motor recess, not pictured but if you build TLP you know what I mean by motor recess.
- Myriad cardstock panels and straps (all these accents are painted lighter silver to highlight them
- Paint job closer to actual missile, but with embellishments
- Launch lugs and cardstocks spacers
- Extra noseweight (almost 2 oz between the shot, epoxy, and foam that holds it in...I have no idea where the CP on this is, but I got the CG sans motor about 2 in aft of the ramjets, so I think I'm safe.
- Basswood fins, sealed with label paper so no grain to deal with

krypton_3.jpg krypton_4.jpg krypton_5.jpg krypton_6.jpg krypton_7.jpg

There was so many bondo, sand, wood filler, sand, CA sand... cycles that I lost track, then there were at least 4 primer, sand, bondo, sand, repeat cycles before painting.

The paint used:
Dark Steel - body
Carbon Mist - nosecone
Titanium Silver - panels and accents

krypton_8.jpg

Anyhow, as you have probably gathered, I'm rather proud of this one. It will fly the first low wind day, and to help with stability it will go on an F39 off a 6 ft rod. It's also coming down on an oversized chute (24 or 30" pending wind)...there are no hanger queens, but some rockets get a more cautious return to Earth than others.
 
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Looks amazing... be sure to take photos of the flight and report back!!!

Congrats! OL JR :)
 
Ok, this one automatically gets "prettiest rocket on the field". Shiny awesomeness.
 
WOW!!

Just a beautiful job on that TLP!!

Cheers!!
 
Thanks very much all. I will definitely report back after it flies. If the burn bans hold off I'm targeting the end of the month launch as our high power field has a HUGE unobstructed landing area. Our low/mid power field is bordered by a tree line, a construction site, and a neighborhood. All perilous things for a wayward rocket drifting on an over sized chute.
 
We're past the first Tuesday of the month so we are likely good on the burn ban (fingers crossed, though). Hopefully I'll actually get out to the field early enough to see it fly.
 
Awesome looking rocket!
You did well on this one, even if it took a while!

JP
 
We're past the first Tuesday of the month so we are likely good on the burn ban (fingers crossed, though). Hopefully I'll actually get out to the field early enough to see it fly.

Hopefully true on the burn bans, I didn't realize it was typically a once a monthly decision...always figured it was more of a rolling thing. As for the flight...I have two 2500-3500 ft flights planned for the next launch. I'm getting those off early before the real heat sets in making the long walks less tolerable. This one will be late in the queue that day, so as long as I'm not stupid (like last time) and drink enough you should be around for it. Are you still planning to make your L2 flight this month?
 
That is fantastic! Great Job! how did you like that paint? I recently used krylon colormaster and had a horrible time with it.
 
Burn bans are typically set when the county commissioners meet, which is the first Tuesday of the month for most of the counties around here. Of course, they can do what they want, when they want, hence the crossed fingers.

I'm still planning on my L2 flight this month. Getting paint on the rocket now, and have my cert team lined up. I'm using the J270 DMS, simply to remove one potential failure mode - motor assembly.
 
That is fantastic! Great Job! how did you like that paint? I recently used krylon colormaster and had a horrible time with it.

This is the nicest metallic paint I've used. The only downside is that this is the "sparkly" kind of metallic instead of the chrome type. The dark steel and carbon mist have less/smaller particles than the lighter tones. However this stuff goes on evenly, doesn't run easily, and doesn't show/is ruined by fingerprints.

In general I have had good experience with Rustoleum products, and terrible experiences with Krylon and Valspar.
 
Cl(VII) said:
In general I have had good experience with Rustoleum products, and terrible experiences with Krylon and Valspar.

I have had much success with Rustoleum's Bright Chrome color. I MUST "mist" it on or it will run and I have to get it right in two coats or it dulls. Other that that, I'm liking it.
 
I'm not sure I have the words in my vocabulary to say how nice that came out---outstanding is an understatement !
 
I have had much success with Rustoleum's Bright Chrome color. I MUST "mist" it on or it will run and I have to get it right in two coats or it dulls. Other that that, I'm liking it.

I will have to give that a try, thanks for the tip. I like the look and application of the Duplicolor chrome, until the first time you touch it and then it is dull forever. For the life of me I can't figure out what that paint is good for. In general I love the Duplicolor stuff (I'm just too cheap to use it most of the time), but the chrome is frustrating.

I'm not sure I have the words in my vocabulary to say how nice that came out---outstanding is an understatement !

Thanks very much for the kind words.
 
I flew on an E28-4 and was recovered without damage on a 30" chute. The pad weight was 1 lb 2.5 oz. The up part was a touch wonky (a slow twist, around 1.5-2 rotations), but not bad considering all the surfaces on this thing.

10.jpg

I couldn't time the pictures to save my life today, but this one is good enough to prove the flight happened. There are no hangar queens.
 
I got to see the rocket in person, and will vouch for Chris that it flew. I was working the range and did the countdown while his youngest son pushed the button. It was a beautiful flight.

The pictures don't do this rocket justice. It is gorgeous.
 
Saw it at the launch last Saturday as well. The finish was flawless and the Krypton looked killer in flight and on the ground.

Very well done.
 
Fantastic work. I'm happy that it flew well too after all that effort. Very nicely done!
 
Thanks all. It really was gratifying to see it fly well. I am sure it will continue to make occasional appearances on calm days.
 
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