Upscale Estes Viking....we have the technology....we can rebuild him....

Well then.

For the last 2 years, my company has sponsored an educational project using rocketry as an educational tool. This year, I designed a scaled-up version of the Estes Viking. My prototype was designed for "E" power - the ones the kids built took 24mm "C" or "D" sized motors (we launched on "Cs").

So on the 4th launch, the shock cord crapped out and the body came in ballistic. Attached is a pic of the cut-up job.

Stats:

18" body tube, Estes BT-56

Balsa fins, thru-the-wall mounts (glued to motor tube and body tube)

Estes NC-56 (IIRC) nose cone.

14" parasheet, made from garbage bag.

Polyester shroud lines.

Elastic "waist band" shock cord.

Attached is a pic of the re-glued rocket. I used an adapter (the red guy in the first pic).

Some lessons I learned form this:

1. Balsa doesn't like high-speed descents from high altitude. I'll use .062" G-10 from now on.

2. Elastic "waistband" is no good. Kevlar for me, please.

Lastly, here is a pic of the just-finished prototype at an MDRA launch at the Central Sod Farm. Holding the rocket is my younger daughter.

First flight was that afternoon, one fin cracked on landing. The rocket went nice and high, though. Beauty of a flight.

I'll post more pics after I paint, etc.

EDIT: I guess I should have posted this pic first - this is the rocket as it came off the drawing board - or 'stock' as it were. You should be able to notice that it is longer than the 'cut up' version.

So I'm looking down the body tube and I notice the fins look crooked.

D'oh.

Somehow the cut section got cocked (probably used the BT-55 coupler and not the BT-56 coupler).

Going to have to make her a hangar queen or throw her into the scrap heap.

No problemo, I get to incorporate the lessons learned on the new one, so the next version should be interesting.