Tried an E motor!

[cbwho]

My son and I primarily fire off 18mm C motors, but being that our prime launch site will go back to its liquid state in a month, I decided to try the E motors at Hobby Lobby.

Conclusion: they are a blast!

I am surprised by the peak G, is that primarily from the ejection charge? We had a mini-block figure paratrooper riding along and he stayed aloft for several minutes.

 

[cbwho]

The Olympus went to get together well. I hurried as fast as I could. There is no colored paint, I papered the fins and applied the decals to the bare tubes. I then sprayed with water based Minwax Polycrylic for water resistance and dried in front of a space heater in my frigid garage.

The paratrooper parachutes are very nice and work so much better than any other chutes. I will buy more and use them as my main chutes. I do a lot of winter launching and estes plastic chutes are worthless.

 

[cbwho]

The

Make-It Blocks Character Figurines from Dollar General are more economical than launching a Lego stormtrooper. My son didn't want to risk one of his! This one here drifted and had such a long duration drop time. Luckily we have a large expanse on the lake.​

 

[Hobie1dog]

time for a "F" motor

 

[PDawg]

The E-12 is probably my favorite motor, I've used 24 and they've all been great flights. The F-15 is also cool, but I get few chances to use those.

 

[Huxter]

Those are cool chutes for the paratroopers! I try to put Engine mounts in all my rockets if possible. I can adapt down to A engines if wanted. Maybe get a Jolly Logic chute release someday!

 

[smstachwick]

My son and I primarily fire off 18mm C motors, but being that our prime launch site will go back to its liquid state in a month, I decided to try the E motors at Hobby Lobby.

Conclusion: they are a blast!

I am surprised by the peak G, is that primarily from the ejection charge?

That might have been it. E12s have a pretty gentle thrust profile compared to the rest of the E range. You can find plenty of E motors with average thrust figures over 20N and Estes has been playing around with a design for a core-burning black powder E57.

How was the deployment timing? Did it look too early or too late? Or was it pretty close to apogee?

 

[justforfun]

When you light your first L motor, you'll find out.

Roy

 

[GalantVR41062]

Black powder motors are fun. I am also from MN, Twin cities area.

There is MASA rocketry of MN and Tripoli MN high power launch up in North Branch.

 

[Back_at_it]

The E-12 is probably my favorite motor, I've used 24 and they've all been great flights. The F-15 is also cool, but I get few chances to use those.

Few chances my butt..!!! You'd stick and F15 in an Alpha if it would fit

See you at the launch on Sunday

 

[aerostadt]

Are the Estes E12-4's more reliable now? I had bad experiences with them a few years ago.

 

[PDawg]

Few chances my butt..!!! You'd stick and F15 in an Alpha if it would fit

See you at the launch on Saturday.

You mean Sunday? F Rockets already boxed up, assuming we get field permission which I believe is still pending.

 

[PDawg]

Are the Estes E12-4's more reliable now? I had bad experiences with them a few years ago.

I’m 24 out of 24 perfect flights, but all my E-12s were purchased from Hobby Lobby and none were made before 2020.

 

[ThirstyBarbarian]

I remember when I flew my first E motor, and I thought, “Wow! Now, THAT’S a rocket launch!” The flame, sound, smoke, and burn time all seemed to take a big step up.

Probably the next logical step is to try an Aerotech E20, or something similar. That’s a great gateway motor to AP composite propellants. Single-use, and it will fit in an Estes E or D motor Mount. You will definitely notice a difference between an E20 and an E12.

 

[Back_at_it]

Are the Estes E12-4's more reliable now? I had bad experiences with them a few years ago.

According to my flight logs I'm up to 113 E12 flights and I know I was flying them before I started keeping track. I have never had an issue with an E12 or an E9. Actually, I've never had a CATO with any Estes motor other than an A10.

 

[cbwho]

I remember when I flew my first E motor, and I thought, “Wow! Now, THAT’S a rocket launch!” The flame, sound, smoke, and burn time all seemed to take a big step up.

Probably the next logical step is to try an Aerotech E20, or something similar. That’s a great gateway motor to AP composite propellants. Single-use, and it will fit in an Estes E or D motor Mount. You will definitely notice a difference between an E20 and an E12.

I noticed with the sound that I could hear the rocket crackle like a full size rocket!!

 

[cbwho]

How was the deployment timing? Did it look too early or too late? Or was it pretty close to apogee?

As for the timing, visually the rocket was very difficult to see for far away.

The peak altitude was 1036 ft with deployment at 1001 ft.

I hope that the rest of these stats help tell the story? I have a flightsketch mini but I need a new watch battery so my Altimeter 2 was the stand-in.

 

[bjphoenix]

Few chances my butt..!!! You'd stick and F15 in an Alpha if it would fit

Leave the motor mount out and an F72 will fit. It will take a little bit of nose weight, and I recommend some fiberglass on the fins. You'll never see it again.

 

[PDawg]

Leave the motor mount out and an F72 will fit. It will take a little bit of nose weight, and I recommend some fiberglass on the fins. You'll never see it again.

Sounds like fun!

 

[Rex R]

Heh, I put a G67 into a big Bertha (min dia) it was found a half mile down the road, my guess roughly that high. Used balsa fins . Okay so I used 38mm motor tube for the bt and a balsa nose.

 

[cbwho]

When I launched the E engine with my PSII, it took 7 seconds to blast off. Is that usual with these?

Perhaps my batteries need to be replaced?

 

[neil_w]

Perhaps my batteries need to be replaced?

Most likely. What kind of controller, what kind of batteries? Have you checked the voltage on the batteries?

 

[Ez2cDave]

APCP is the "Gateway Drug" to HPR . . . Prepare yourself !

Dave F.