Mid Power/High Power Rocket

[dhkaiser]

Might I suggest a Wildman Drago. At $80 it is a nice robust FG rocket and fits your budget. Got my L1 on one with a H115. https://www.wildmanrocketry.com/ProductDetail.aspx?product=2899

 

[tomsteve]

Basically "low and slow" with growth potential and possibly DD down the road. I'd rather not try for L1 and L2 on the same rocket. My only concern with the LOC kits are the plywood fins. Is a kit with G10 fins in a low and slow category?? My budget is less then $150 for my first rocket.

Geoff

mini magg is good for that.plywood fins are quite common and the loc kits(Might not be all of them) are ttw. on my mini magg i bought some ply and made the fins ttw to the mmt and also foamed the fin can.
when lookin at the loc kits, one thing id sugest is changing up the shock cord mount. personally cut a slot in the forward centering ring and epoxied the shock cord to the mmt.
i flew my mini magg on everything from a g125 up to an I218, which that was a wicked cool flight. and one of my favorite mini magg flights ive seen was on a j90.
i was going to use it for L2 cert, adding another section of body tube, but life got in the way.

 

[Handeman]

I'm considering returning to the hobby of Model Rocketry after a 42 yr hiatus. The last time I flew model rockets I was in the 7th grade and I sure have missed it. My question is: is there a rocket/rockets that can be used to get me reintroduced to the hobby with pontenial for a L1 certification?? Or would you keep the learning stages seperate?? i.e. A rocket for mid-power, a rocket for L1 cert, one for L2 cert...ect, ect. I'm not looking to break any altitude records, just a slow climbing, crowd pleasing fun rocket(s). Any input would be most appricated. See you at the luanch pad.

Geoffrey

Welcome back!!!

I guess I'm a little late on this thread, but I throw my :2: in anyway.

I think I'm a little like you, flew rockets in 7th, 8th, and 9th grades and then didn't fly for over 30 years until my son brought an Estes rocket home from school and wanted to fly it again. That got me started again.

I started out with Estes we flew in the school yard. Then I found out they make big toys for big boys. I got a couple of 29mm HPR type rockets, but flew them on F and G motors for several years. In my case, I wanted to learn about HPR so I scratch built a dual deploy 38mm MMT rocket for my L1 cert. Scratch built a 54mm MMT rocket for my L2 cert. I finally broke down and got a kit for the L3.

That's my background, and my advice coming from there, build a different rocket for each level. Build a rocket appropriate for each level!
The Estes Pro series were designed for MPR motors. They fly great on those motors and you can learn a lot building the Aerotech Hobbyline 24/40 and 29/40-120 motors. If you do use one for your L1 cert, you will have to do it on a calm day because it will get a lot of altitude on an H motor. Then after you cert, you still won't have a L1 rocket you can fly L1 motors in unless it is a very calm day.

My advice for an L1 rocket is something with a 38mm MMT and in the 4 to 6 lb range so you can fly the whole range of H & I motors in it. What you won't realize when you cert is the difference in power the L1 motors have over the MPR. That is something you only get a good feel for after you have flown some. You will learn to fly your field with the larger motors. That's something that comes with experience after you certify, if you have a rocket that can fly the full range of L1 motors. You will also find that the higher level you fly, the higher the altitudes are and the more important "flying the field and conditions" becomes.

When you are ready to move up to L2, I would recommend a rocket with a 54mm MMT, dual deployment, and in the 6 to 10 lb range. That will let you fly baby J to baby L motors. What you will find is the difference in power in the L2 range is even more then L1. A rocket that get 2000 ft on a baby J will push 9000 ft on a baby L. If you start out with a 75mm MMT so you can use the full range of L2 motors and get 2,000 on a baby J, you will be pushing 12,000 on a full L motor. Again, you learn to fly the field and conditions.

If you decide to go for L3, you should have plenty of experience and any advice at this point would be useless. Actually, that sort of applies to L2 also.

The best advice, have fun!

 

[OverTheTop]

What you won't realize when you cert is the difference in power the L1 motors have over the MPR.

Too true. This is one of the few hobbies where things are truly exponential and increase quite rapidly. Enjoyment and launch costs scale similarly :smile:

 

[KenRico]

I like the Estes Scion for a get back into acquisition.

Slotting the tube will be the challenge. .but very doable and the rest goes together fairly easy.

Also its inexpensive so some flights and L1 you get your $$ worth.. for L2 get a rocket you lust for and do it right.

Kenny

 

[HHaase]

I like the Estes Scion for a get back into acquisition.

Slotting the tube will be the challenge. .but very doable and the rest goes together fairly easy.

Also its inexpensive so some flights and L1 you get your $$ worth.. for L2 get a rocket you lust for and do it right.

Kenny

I did my L1 flight with a Scion last year, was a fun kit, did a build thread as well....
I should probably re-upload the video at some point. Not sure why I took them down.

https://www.rocketryforum.com/showt...ual-Deploy-Build-Thread&highlight=estes+scion

Even on motors that are just barely H sized, expect at least 2,000ft with a stock build. Mine was full dual deploy with a good chunk of extra nose weight. I still hit 1,800ft.
The CTI 3-grain 29 motors are a great match. I'd recommend the H87 or H90. Can also do test flights with the G88 or G80 2-grains as well before going for the cert.
Don't forget you need to adjust the delay on those CTI's, if you're using the motor charge for deployment.

Slotting the tubes is a heck of a lot easier than you think. Don't let that stop you. Though with just three fins and the forward sweep your CP is further forward than usual.
But it also makes it a lot more landing friendly too. Consider going down a size in the chute if you launch on a H without dual deploy. Or maybe look into Jolly Logic's 'Chute Release' for an easy alternative to a full altimeter controlled DD flight.

-Hans

 

[CzTeacherMan]

I'm considering returning to the hobby of Model Rocketry after a 42 yr hiatus. The last time I flew model rockets I was in the 7th grade and I sure have missed it. My question is: is there a rocket/rockets that can be used to get me reintroduced to the hobby with pontenial for a L1 certification?? Or would you keep the learning stages seperate?? i.e. A rocket for mid-power, a rocket for L1 cert, one for L2 cert...ect, ect. I'm not looking to break any altitude records, just a slow climbing, crowd pleasing fun rocket(s). Any input would be most appricated. See you at the luanch pad.

Geoffrey

Any Wildman Jr would be perfect. Fly it single deploy, without payload on F, G... Then fly it on anything through 38mm J... Great fun for cheap thrills.

 

[gcanroc]

Just a word of Thx to all who have posted to this thread. :clap: With all the great suggestions it might take me until after the holidays:tree: to make a decision on which rocket will be my first, and I'm sure not my last, since building any type of rocket since the early 70's. This forum is a great place for expert advice and I'm sure it'll be used extensively in the future. Thank you again to all, have a great holiday season. 5,4,3,2,1...Into the blue!!

Geoffrey