Mini Meanie problem

I just launched my Mini Meanie on a 1/4A3-3T and it went up about 20 feet, fell down, then the ejection charge went. I tried it again with the same motor and the same thing happened. I have flown it successfully a few times before and it was fine. Were these engines defective? I have used 1/2As and probably 1/4As before. These didn't even blow the wadding out (maybe I used too much; I couldn't get it out easily). Should I file a MESS report? or tell Estes? The other two engines in the package were fine (a few weeks ago).

The Mini Meanie was split down one side (it has done that before. I don't know why they even put a streamer so small in it.), but I am gluing it. The mmt is not very durable, so I took the opportunity of it being split to repair it.

When I first launched it, it was slightly unstable, but it is good now. It is fun to watch it because it goes very fast but not very high.

I'm pretty sure my kids owned of of those. Wasn't there some clay that had to be squished into the nose cone? Did that perhaps shift or come out?

There was, and still is a lot of clay in the nose cone. It was stable, but did not go high. The engine sounded a little strange, not as loud as usual. Everything in the rocket was normal, except that it split on landing and the wadding was not ejected. How high should it go with one of these engines?

I've had the same thing happen to mine. The plastic igniter plug got snagged on the engine retaining hook and stuck there, partially blocking the exhaust stream. The results was a VERY low flight. After I trimmed the curved end off the hook, I never had that problem again.

Read the review for it on EMRR. In the Tips section, I posted this:

"Cut off the curved end of the engine retaining hook before installing. The curved section can block the exhaust stream or keep the igniter plug from coming free (happened to me on first flight). Trimming the hook also allows the model to stand on its fins for display."

Click to expand...

What do you mean? Can you post a picture or diagram?

I cut the hook off completely and had no problems with a 1/2A. I have no 1/4As left. I guess it is just a low-flying rocket.

The best part is that the wadding jams in it so it works like a piston system. I can use the wadding a few times. I use a sheet of Estes and some cellulose just in case.