Engine Placement Question for Upscale Colonial Viper

[tmorley]

I'm building a 167% upscale of the Battlestar Galactica Colonial Viper using BT-60 tubes and a 24mm engine mount. I've come to an indecision concerning the engine mount. Please see attched image.

Option 1: Should I build it per Estes and center the engine mount in the main body tube?

Option 2: Should I offset it to the top of the main body tube?

I'm wondering if Option 2 would have a positive effect in the flight, make it worse, or little effect. Does the larger bottom fins with the laser canons counteract any benefit?

Has any one ever tried this for this rocket at any size? Or have an opinion?

Here's the link to the Estes plans on JimZ's site if you are not familiar with this model rocket: https://www.dars.org/jimz/est1310.htm

Thanks!

(While it sort of screams cluster, I'm not going to do. I've seen some of the Viper upscales discussed here in TRF with clusters, they are impressive.)

 

[DaveCombs]

Paging Dr. Sue...
https://www.drsuesrocketworks.com/ViperProject1.html

 

[Pantherjon]

I be chicken and would probably go with option 1..But option 2 does look intrigueing ...Don't know-like you- what,if any, effect the off center motor mount would do...

EDIT: Yeah, what Dave said! Check her site out..She did a 1.6x,2x and 3.5x upscales on it ...

 

[tmorley]

I looked at her site the other day, but appeared to me that all her engine mounts are centered. She did mention that Viper #2 with a 2 engine cluster, one in the main tube and another in the top turbo tube, flew better than Viper #1 with the single engine.

I also looked at Verna's Vipers and the engine mounts appeared to be centered there as well: https://www.vernarockets.com/id26.html

 

[tmorley]

I got a lot done on the viper today. I still have some work to do, but the basic construction is close to done. I'm going to have to decide on the engine mount question soon. I'm heavily leaning towards the offset engine mount. This is also the first time I've tried papering fins. I used sticker paper and CA to permanently seal it down, so far so good.

 

[DaveCombs]

Looks great!