Cardstock Patriots from HFC

[MarkII]

Here are a couple of photos of a cardstock MIM-104 Patriot design that I built a few years ago. The card model design is by Eric Truax (SpaceAXExplorer) and it was originally posted on his High Flying Cards website. I downloaded the design and built the 13mm rocket back in 2004, my first year as a BAR. In 2005, I printed a reduced image of the same design and built the MicroMaxx version. I used the same weight (110 lb.) of cardstock for both models. For the micro version, I used all of the same parts and the same construction steps as I did for the 100% sized version. Everything is the same, just smaller. The 13mm Carded Patriot is one of the best flying rockets that I have ever built; the launches of it are just...sweet. It is not just one wrap of cardstock - there is a motor tube, centering rings and an airframe. In my version, the airframe has an extra layer. I didn't print the outer skin quite right the first time, and after I glued it on, there was a large gap between the two ends of the wrap. (I have since learned how to prevent that problem from happening, but I was still a rank beginner back when I built this one.) So I tweaked the print size and printed out another skin to go over the first one and glued it on. So my version is very sturdy. This design also taught me that one actually can construct an ogive nose cone out of a paper pattern.

At one club launch in 2006, in the very first event of my very first ever competition, I actually won the random parachute duration event with my Carded Patriot and a 12" plastic parachute. I have flown this rocket many times, usually on A3-4s.

I have only flown the micro version once. As soon as I pressed the launch button, it disappeared, but I did hear the pop of the ejection charge. A young man who had come over from the playground to watch me launch it, was able to track it in the air (I am never very good at doing that, especially with micros) and showed me where it landed (less than 10 feet from the pad!). That is how I was able to find it. It wasn't until after I was done and had packed everything up that I realized that I should have given him the rocket (duh!), but by then he had left. I have never run into him back there since then.

The first photo is of the two versions together. The second photo is a closer look at the micro downscale.

MK

 

[SpaceAXEplorer]

Bunny wants an MMX Patriot too now!

Thank you for the posting!
It's nice to see what my 'kids' have been up too!

Eric

Edit note- 'kids' are what I call my paper creations.

 

[Huge Blues]

I'll second that the Truax Patriot is one of the best flying models
I have built.

Have only launched mine ONCE on a full A motor. A bit of weathercock
persuaded it to head for the next area code (in a hurry I might ad).
Luckily, the large streamer I used kept it aloft long enough to come
back to the launch area. I can see one of these cleaning up in a
PD/SD contest.

Nice MMX downscale.

 

[TopRamen]

Never knew what Cardstock Rockets were til' this Thread, and even for most of the Thread I did'nt know. Then, when I saw you rolling your own Rocket! How cool is that?
In the OP I thought you had just made a Decal Sheet for a Patriot. Now I see that it is print your own Rocket.

ETA: I meant to post this Reply in Rich Holmes' Thread. I must have thought I was in that Thread.

 

[gpoehlein]

If you've never tried card modeling, it is a lot of fun, and it is one of the cheapest ways to get a rocket built and into the air. If you haven't done so yet, check out my Project Paper thread in the Cardstock forum here - I've included full instructions for building the models, and you can just download the parts you need for whatever model you want to build. Just remember to use good cardstock (I use 100# Georgia Pacific that I get from Walmart) and turn off paper scaling when you print them. All my parts have a full half inch margin around all sides so they should print on most printers without problems. If you use "fit to page" when you print these pages, they will not be the right size.

To build these rockets, you make each part (body tubes, nose cone, centering rings, fins, etc) and then just assemble the parts like you would any rocket kit. Once dry, hit them with a coat or two of clear coat (gloss or semi-gloss) to protect the ink, and fly 'em like you would any other rocket kit

 

[Rich Holmes]

My Downscale Patriot (https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?58171-I-may-have-a-problem-(Patriot-downscale-build)) was my second cardstock rocket and very probably not my last. They're as inexpensive as it gets, they don't require painting to look good (though you need a clear coat), and you can be building one within five minutes of deciding what you want. Also see here https://rocketry.wordpress.com/ultimate-paper-rocket-guide/ and here https://www.dpileggispicks.com/erictruax'sindex.html.