estes Space Shuttle Columbia (1424) - horizontal problems

[Gillard]

i've just built and flown an OOP ESTES Space Shuttle Columbia (1424) model
this was the same kit as kit number 1441 -except 1441 was a starter kit.

i've also had the latter shuttles, the glider one and the one with the boosters

i built her as per instructions, with the correct nose mass and the rear flaps set to the correct angle.

I thought she might arc on launch so fortunately i set her on the rod at a right angle to me.

On boost (Quest B6-4)she almost immediately arched over, and flew horizontally away from me (which looked really cool) and then slammed into the ground whilst thrusting.

The damage is not too bad. The motor ripped the motor tube a bit and moved the motor and motor clip forward in the motor mount. have been able to get the motor out, but caused further damage to the bodytube - which again can be repaired.

The motor was interesting, as the ejection charge had failed to go off. (so even if she had gone vertical, she would have nosed in and crashed)
but the ejection charge not going off is a separate issue to the shuttles flight - although it might indicate that the motor was a dud and had given an off vertical thrust.

I have another kit (the 1441 version) which i'm now not in too much a hurry to build.

i was wondering if anyone has flown this model and had the same problem, or was i unlucky.

 

[user 13]

Did it arc over on it's back?

I downloaded you launch photo and enlarged the tail of the shuttle. It looks to me like the flame is canted about 1-2 deg up (to the vertical stab). That could cause the arc if it was in that direction. Maybe someone with a better photo manipulation program can get a better look.

 

[Donaldsrockets]

Quest motors tend to be less powerful than their Estes counterparts.

That might have been a contributing factor. The model looks nice though.

 

[Gillard]

Did it arc over on it's back?

I downloaded you launch photo and enlarged the tail of the shuttle. It looks to me like the flame is canted about 1-2 deg up (to the vertical stab). That could cause the arc if it was in that direction. Maybe someone with a better photo manipulation program can get a better look.

arched on its back, then righted itself to give a nice horizontal glide.
the "splatter" marks around the motor nozzle are mainly on one side so i'm now thinking motor and not model.

 

[kjohnson]

I've flown the same model on the Quest B6-4 (older blue wrappers) in the past and had perferctly fine flights. Since you say the motor had no ejection, I think the motor is definitely suspect.


kj

 

[Gillard]

flew the repaired rocket today an a C6-3 - Estes.

no problems, although the flight wasn't exactly straight.
flew another rocket on a motor that came from the same pack as the motor that caused the first problem. and that rocket motor failed to have an ejection charge - so i guess it was the motor, not the rocket.

 

[kjohnson]

Good to hear the Shuttle flew again. Can't say the flights are ever exactly straight with the spin tab and all.

Don't forget to fill out a MESS report on the bad motors, if you haven't already.

https://www.nar.org/NARmessform.html is the NAR form. Don't know if UKRA has a similar reporting link.

kj

 

[Gillard]

Good to hear the Shuttle flew again. Can't say the flights are ever exactly straight with the spin tab and all.

Don't forget to fill out a MESS report on the bad motors, if you haven't already.

https://www.nar.org/NARmessform.html is the NAR form. Don't know if UKRA has a similar reporting link.

kj

The motors were old, and i had bought them at a carboot sale, so i guess it was more down to how the previous owner had stored them.

 

[steveh41]

hi mate i have a estes space shuttle brand new in the box un opened the plastic seal is still on the box
can you tell me a bit about this kit? age how much its worth as i want to put it on ebay
thanks