Rediscovering Rocketry After 14 Years...

[iqsy59]

Greetings fellow scale enthusiasts! This post is similar to one that I placed in YORF a few days ago. I don't want to be redundant, but I would really appreciate any wisdom that you might be able to share with me.

I was forced to abruptly abandon the hobby back in 1998 after my wife passed away. Taking care of my two young children became my one priority. This past Christmas, my daughter (now grown) went to the local Hobby Lobby and bought two kits for me: The Estes Vagabond and Magician. She has no idea what she started...

On my workbench in 1998, I had a Cosmodrome Nike Apache, a Blackhawk R&D Black Brant X, and an Aerotech IQSY Tomahawk which was completed, but unfinished.

On the Bench:

Cosmodrome Nike Apache (c. 1998)
Blackhawk R&D Black Brant X (c. 1998)
Aerotech IQSY Tomahawk (c. 1998)
Estes Vagabond


In the shop and waiting in the queue (not necessarily FIFO):

Cosmodrome Aerobee HI
DFR Technologies Delta IV Heavy (24 mm)
Saturn Press Astrobee 1500
Semroc SLS ARCAS
Semroc Aerobee 300
Estes Magician
Starlight Flash 24
Aerotech Initiator (Hey...I needed the ground support anyway!)

One segment that seems significantly smaller than it was back in 1998 is mid power scale research rockets which, unfortunately for me, is my niche. I would really like any advice on other kits that are available or resources for finding OOP kits. I would also be very interested in plans to help me build my own, but I don't feel I have the expertise to start building completely from scratch just yet.

Definitely on my wish list so far

Every Available Cosmodrome Offering
Most DFR Technologies Kits
Aerospace Speciality Products WAC Corporal 29 mm
Estes D-Region Tomahawk

That seems like a really short list to me. I see that LOC Precision has discontinued the 2" versions of the IQSY Tomahawk, ShadowHawk, and Tweed B, but they are still available. Are these decent scale kits or not, and should I consider picking them up before they disappear completely? I'm also considering the Isis, but all of these kits seem to offer less detail and accuracy than I would prefer. What other offerings are out there? I would really appreciate opinions from the community!

Cheers,
Michael

 

[GDJ]

Welcome aboard! I too have to thank my Daughter for getting me back into the hobby.
It started out with a bad flight from a rocket built at summer camp, I suggested that we both could build one together (she had final approval on the design) and it snowballed from there.

She came up with this:

 

[iqsy59]

Welcome aboard! I too have to thank my Daughter for getting me back into the hobby.
It started out with a bad flight from a rocket built at summer camp, I suggested that we both could build one together (she had final approval on the design) and it snowballed from there.

She came up with this:

Very nice! My daughter already purchased neon pink for the Magician. I get scared when I imagine it with the supplied purple decals. We can compare notes when it's completed. I'm not quite sure where that one will fall in the queue!

 

[GDJ]

Very nice! My daughter already purchased neon pink for the Magician. I get scared when I imagine it with the supplied purple decals. We can compare notes when it's completed. I'm not quite sure where that one will fall in the queue!

Measure 3 times, apply gently. :wink:

 

[[POW]Eagle159]

Is that DFR Technologies Delta IV Heavy the 3 engine cluster, with the falling off boosters, way cool!


If you want to start scratch building, Thats the best for me.

Look at my thread for all of my scratches....
https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?t=30704

 

[iqsy59]

Is that DFR Technologies Delta IV Heavy the 3 engine cluster, with the falling off boosters, way cool!

Yep, that's the one. It was delivered just a few days ago and I am in awe, but it doesn't seem intimidating. What a unique concept and really good quality! I'm going to be very patient building that one...

If you want to start scratch building, Thats the best for me.

Look at my thread for all of my scratches....
https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?t=30704

Those are some really nice spears! I absolutely plan on working my way up to scratch building, but I would like to hone my skills with some quality kits first. I know I will obsess over the details. I want to build something like this.

 

[Rex R]

I note that, semroc has a nice 1/10 scale Wac Corporal kit, the wac is fairly easy to scratch build(the hard part is finding a nose cone, though one can get one turned).
rex

 

[iqsy59]

I note that, semroc has a nice 1/10 scale Wac Corporal kit, the wac is fairly easy to scratch build(the hard part is finding a nose cone, though one can get one turned).
rex

Thanks for the tip! I really like the SRS Arcas kit that I have. I'm fairly sure that it's going to jump to the top of the queue. I would really like to see them add some more scale or sport scale kits to the SLS line. Perhaps the WAC Corporal or a Sandia Sandhawk would be nice!

 

[Rex R]

my two wacs both scratch built, big one is 3" dia. (1/4 scale) flies nicely on H148s, little one is approx 1/9 scale(bt55) with a hand turned nose(I've only flown it on D12s).
rex

 

[iqsy59]

Does anyone have experience with the LOC Precision 2" Sport Scale kits? Any thoughts on them?

 

[iqsy59]

Well...after having the LOC kits in my Red Arrow Hobbies shopping cart for a couple of days, I've decided to try to build my own Sandhawk instead.

This will be my first attempt at building without a kit. I'm going to use a combination of RoTW and the available FSI plans for reference. I intend to upscale the FSI kit to 1/5 scale using 2.6" tubes. Does anyone have a recommendation for a nose cone? I'm leaning towards either the long ogive from BMS or the standard LOC.

Cheers,
Michael