Estes - Leviathan (#9700) Gallery

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SCrocketfan said:
I really liked it- first time I've flown a blackjack motor. It banked a bit into the wind but deployed at apogee and drifted back to right near the mid power pads:
View attachment 185003
I upgraded it a bit before flying it yesterday. It still has the trifold shock cord mount, but I added a madcow chute protector, switched to a 30" madcow chute, and cut off half of the nose cone shoulder and added a bulkhead (the sloped stock nose cone shoulder can cause chute deployment problems).

The Econojets are great for Moffet. You can fly bigger motors in the Leviathan at moffet, but I like the altitude of the leviathan on the Econojets (around 500-600 feet). Are you going to fly yours at October skies? We could try a Econojet drag race.
Click to expand...

I would be up for that! I have to do some repair work on mine from the last time I flew it at Moffett and smashed the end off a fin -- I'm just going to cut them all off the same way. You did the right thing to use the 30" chute. That's what I had originally been using at Moffett, and mine was damaged when I switched back to the 24.
 
here is my build. I extended the body tube 10"
008.JPG

009.JPG

010.JPG

011.JPG
 
I did not add a stuffer tube. thought about it but didn't have any parts for one. think I'll have deployment issues?
 
One mod worth making is to cut the sloped section off the nose cone shoulder snd install a bulkhead and eyebolt to attach the shockcord too. Some times the ejection gases push the nose cone partway out and then bypass on the slope failing to finish ejecting the NC and laundry resulting in a lawn dart
 
Woody's Workshop said:
I Love the Liathon. It's just a cool looking, fast moving rocket. I want one.
Please Mr./Mrs./ Secret santa, I want one. It's a learningg curve foe me and I love the Roccket.
God Bless, and look forward to a majicial launch!
Click to expand...

you can get one for $27 right now from estes.
 
rharshberger said:
One mod worth making is to cut the sloped section off the nose cone shoulder snd install a bulkhead and eyebolt to attach the shockcord too. Some times the ejection gases push the nose cone partway out and then bypass on the slope failing to finish ejecting the NC and laundry resulting in a lawn dart
Click to expand...

that is a good tip. so far all my larger estes kits have had a loose fit so once it is past the masking tape it falls right out. if it was tight I would defiantly cut the cone. thanks for the complements, I hope to fly it this weekend, weather permitting.
 
watermelonman said:
What is a stuffer?

I ordered my Leviathan this morning, excited to get it!
Click to expand...

A stuffer can be an extension of the motor mount tube or another small diameter tube that goes from the motor mount forward to another centering ring further forward in the body tube. The idea is to minimize the volume that the ejection charge needs to pressurize in order to pop out the nosecone and recovery gear. The Leviathan probably doesn't need to be modified with a longer stuffer tube when built stock, but some people have reported problems with ejecting the recovery system, and if you were adding additional length to the body tube, it might be a good idea to add one.

Enjoy your Leviathan! That was my first MPR rocket, and it is great!
 
ThirstyBarbarian said:
A stuffer can be an extension of the motor mount tube or another small diameter tube that goes from the motor mount forward to another centering ring further forward in the body tube. The idea is to minimize the volume that the ejection charge needs to pressurize in order to pop out the nosecone and recovery gear. The Leviathan probably doesn't need to be modified with a longer stuffer tube when built stock, but some people have reported problems with ejecting the recovery system, and if you were adding additional length to the body tube, it might be a good idea to add one.

Enjoy your Leviathan! That was my first MPR rocket, and it is great!
Click to expand...

I think the leviathan ejection problems are mostly due to the nose cone shoulder letting the pressure vent without deploying. Cutting the shoulder and installing a bulkhead should help prevent this, although a stuffer definitely wouldn't hurt.
 
SCrocketfan said:
I think the leviathan ejection problems are mostly due to the nose cone shoulder letting the pressure vent without deploying. Cutting the shoulder and installing a bulkhead should help prevent this, although a stuffer definitely wouldn't hurt.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I think it is mostly due to the NC too. I only mentioned it because RKeller had added 10 inches of BT to his Leviathan. The other thing that the stuffer can do is to act as a chute shelf keep the recovery gear from settling to the bottom of the BT, making it hard to pull out. I don't predict any problems with RKeller's rocket --- just throwing out ideas related to making the rocket that long.
 
no problems :) it was really cold and windy but she flew great on an aerotech F39.
1Lhbd1FMD_vNHuCf30jvKA4aS-qCY9kptoSS0wOPYkA=w433-h577-no

106.JPG
 
Thanks for the kind words on KONA BLUE. It is just painted with Rustoleum 2X Navy Blue. First flight will hopefully be at the DARS launch on 12/13!
 
K'Tesh said:
I'm curious. Did you use the stock 'chute, or did you increase that at all?

Nice Job BTW
Click to expand...

I used the stock chute, adding the length didn't add much weight. I did use about 15ft of 1/8" kevlar with a loop epoxied to the motor tube instead of the original shock cord.
 
Well just finished up my Leviathan. I tend to sway from stock paint themes and dream a bit so I renamed it my NIKITA R-11FM KHRUSHCHEV scud missile. Modded the stock build by adding a stuffer tube, cut off the nose cone slope and added a bulkhead/hook. I also ditched the Estes paper shock cord mount and ran kevlar from the motor mount for my shock cord.

The black paint is Rustoleum black. I laid out and cut the graphics myself. The middle red wrap is 3M reflective vinyl. I really like the way it turned out. Just need to hit it with a clear coat to pin the vinyl decals down.

1a.jpg

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slipperyfrog said:
Well just finished up my Leviathan. I tend to sway from stock paint themes and dream a bit so I renamed it my NIKITA R-11FM KHRUSHCHEV scud missile. Modded the stock build by adding a stuffer tube, cut off the nose cone slope and added a bulkhead/hook. I also ditched the Estes paper shock cord mount and ran kevlar from the motor mount for my shock cord.

The black paint is Rustoleum black. I laid out and cut the graphics myself. The middle red wrap is 3M reflective vinyl. I really like the way it turned out. Just need to hit it with a clear coat to pin the vinyl decals down.
Click to expand...

Wow! It turned out great, ya commie!

That reflective vinyl is really interesting. The red shots are in regular lighting, and the yellow ones are with the flash, correct? That is a really dramatic reflection.

How do you cut the graphics? Is that by hand or do you have a cutting machine of some kind? It looks like a very precise design, and I can't imagine doing it at home.

And it sounds like you went with the full menu of Leviathan modifications with the build too!

Very nice job.
 
ThirstyBarbarian said:
Wow! It turned out great, ya commie!

That reflective vinyl is really interesting. The red shots are in regular lighting, and the yellow ones are with the flash, correct? That is a really dramatic reflection.

How do you cut the graphics? Is that by hand or do you have a cutting machine of some kind? It looks like a very precise design, and I can't imagine doing it at home.

And it sounds like you went with the full menu of Leviathan modifications with the build too!

Very nice job.
Click to expand...

Yes the red is regular lighting. I'm in the graphic design/sign business so I do my own printing & cutting.
 
I've had my Leviathan for while now. It's flown on G and H motors. The largest was the H250G AT 4 grain motor.

I finally decided to paint it. I found some Chrome paint. Previously, all the metallic, chrome paint I've tried has left a lot to be desired. This stuff actually worked pretty well.

Here it is naked on a H180W

20141109_120153.jpg

It was a perfect day. It landed less then 100 ft from the pad! That is almost impossible with a F or G motor, but amazing on a H motor.

20141109_120807.jpg

Here it is painted! I didn't think much about this, I just wanted to try the Chrome paint. I figured the red would go good with it.

0226151829b.jpg

A note on the Chrome paint: Apply it LAST! Other paint won't stick to it and if you use tape to mask off the Chrome, the tape will pull some of the Chrome paint off and mess up the shiny chrome.
I painted the chrome first and found the red didn't stick to it. Then when I masked the chrome to re-paint the red, it messed up the chrome. I ended up redoing the chrome and red at least twice.
 
Handeman said:
I've had my Leviathan for while now. It's flown on G and H motors. The largest was the H250G AT 4 grain motor.

I finally decided to paint it. I found some Chrome paint. Previously, all the metallic, chrome paint I've tried has left a lot to be desired. This stuff actually worked pretty well.

Here it is naked on a H180W

View attachment 256040

It was a perfect day. It landed less then 100 ft from the pad! That is almost impossible with a F or G motor, but amazing on a H motor.

View attachment 256041

Here it is painted! I didn't think much about this, I just wanted to try the Chrome paint. I figured the red would go good with it.

View attachment 256042

A note on the Chrome paint: Apply it LAST! Other paint won't stick to it and if you use tape to mask off the Chrome, the tape will pull some of the Chrome paint off and mess up the shiny chrome.
I painted the chrome first and found the red didn't stick to it. Then when I masked the chrome to re-paint the red, it messed up the chrome. I ended up redoing the chrome and red at least twice.
Click to expand...

It looks good. Most chrome paint is really problematic. Can I ask what is the brand and the name of the paint?
 
ThirstyBarbarian said:
It looks good. Most chrome paint is really problematic. Can I ask what is the brand and the name of the paint?
Click to expand...

You're right. I've never had a Chrome paint that worked very well. This stuff was the first I ever used that was actual very good. It was Rustoleum Bright Coat Metallic Finish
b67040d8-bb50-4d08-bbf2-d9bf4ce88985_400.jpg

I bought a can to try, never expecting it to work very well. I was surprised.
 

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