SA-14 Archer

[MitchR]

About 6 months ago I couldn't help but build the North Coast Rocketry SA-14 Archer I had set aside for the last 8 years. I decided to modify the kit slightly- I took the stock motor tube and replaced it with a LOC 38mm motor tube and some 3/16" plywood centering rings to accomodate. Bought some 1000 series rail buttons and an eye bolt for recovery- some 6oz bondo cloth from Wal-mart and some various epoxies and went to town on it.

Needless to say, after her maiden flight on an I357- I was hooked. It's an extremely stable rocket, whistled loudly on its way up and didn't rotate an inch as far as the audience could tell.

I also replaced the nasty chord that came with the kit with some 1/2" tubular nylon.

She's the same size as the kit still, only major cosmetic change is the layer of 6oz glass I put on her. I'd like to fly it on a J350 next and see how it does.

Any of you guys out there Archer fans or have one yourself and enjoyed flying them?

I've got a friend who has an upscaled Archer, about 7' tall- flies like a dream and they look great!

Mine is still primer gray so you guys wouldn't care about the pictures of her =P

 

[Flash]

I also am a Archer 14 fan. I remember one at Whitakers, NC which had a really nice finish to it. It was glassed. I have seen it fly on "I" 200W's twice. I guess this tells you that the owner has a 29mm motor tube.
I had a NCR kit also but sold it. I did take the time and make a Rocksim file of the rocket. I noticed that the measurements on the rocksim file on Rocketry Review site are incorrect the last time that I looked at them. I have the centering rings and fins correct.

I plan on cloning one at some point.

 

[Fore Check]

I really like the Archer, and really, *really* wish I had a scan of the decals so I could build one too.....

 

[MitchR]

I actually have the decals around somewhere...

 

[Stymye]

https://cgi.ebay.com/North-Coast-Rocketry-SA-14-Archer-XL-SEALED_W0QQitemZ170119351344QQcmdZViewItem

 

[Flash]

Check with Ken at Performance Hobbies on those decals and or clone kits.

 

[DJDeadParrot]

I built one of these in 1991. Back then, the motor mount was one 29mm and two 24mm. It was just one 34" length of 3.9 airframe with an ACE cone on top; no payload section or anything. First flight was an F50 and two D12s. Flew great. Next attempt was a G40 and two E15s; only one E15 lit. Someone was nice enough to let me borrow a shovel to recover it. Rebuilt it with a payload section and was about to fly it at a club launch with an H120, but a gust of wind blew it off the pad before the button was pressed, tearing off the launch lugs. That was 1993. Its been gathering dust in my mother's garage in CT since then.

 

[cls]

I like the SA-14 Archer too. I would swear I had a set of NCR decals somewhere in the garage, but a 45 minute search yielded nothing. very sorry! but I will keep looking. meanwhile, best wishes for your search.

 

[Johnnie]

mitchr - where are you at on this build? I love the Archer, it was my first 4" rocket. I built the North Coast by Estes version, with multiple modifications.

Johnnie

 

[MitchR]

It's funny you should ask, I feel like I neglected this thread and spammed a thread after creating it!

I've actually finished the rocket and she has flown beautifully on an I357, flew straight as an arrow. I think I'll rip her up on a J350 next or a bigger I and see how she kicks! The final product only weighs about 3lbs and is quite sturdy.

If you want I could try and get ahold of a digital (mine is now dead- hence no pictures from me on any thread for a while) to get some pictures.

 

[Johnnie]

I stretched mine, here she is on an I357

 

[Johnnie]

...and an I161.

 

[MitchR]

Fantastic photos! That last one on the I161 almost looks like somewhere in the south- what with the golden field and the pine tree forests in the background, lol. Panhandle of Florida or southern Al? Possibly SC or Georgia...

 

[Johnnie]

Fantastic photos! That last one on the I161 almost looks like somewhere in the south- what with the golden field and the pine tree forests in the background, lol. Panhandle of Florida or southern Al? Possibly SC or Georgia...

HARA used to have an exquisit field right at the TENN/AL stateline...That picture was taken by Brian Day (HARA pres back then) at HARA's first ever "Rocket City Blast Off."


This photo is coutesy of George Gassaway (he is pictured far right w/ the Shuttle). I am about midway hiding my face with the Archer...

Looking forward to you showing photos of yours.

Johnnie

 

[n3tjm]

SA-14 Archer was my second 4" rocket, built after the Phantom 4000. I bought mine at a very good hobbyshop in Shillington, PA before NCR was taken over by Estes. I built it stock with single 29mm motor mount, and flew it on everything from G40's to G64's. This was back before I moved to NH and got my L1. I flew it twice in my Highschool's stadium during a football pep-rally. First time with a F40, second time with a G64.

 

[sylvie369]

I got my L1 on my Archer back in March of 2000. She's pretty beaten up now, but still flying. She's got 31 flights, 16 on G motors, the remainder on H motors.