Mandalorian Rocket

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Progress stopped for a while due to various summer activities, but the mondo version is almost ready for a maiden voyage.

A swing test confirmed there is no need for nose/head weight.

Just need to decide if I want to fly off a 3/16" rod or 1010 rail. In either case the line of thrust will be about 1.25" off center of the guide. I feel like there will be less friction with rail buttons than two tube lugs. Thoughts from the TRF community?
IMG_20210725_231154822.jpg
 
Progress stopped for a while due to various summer activities, but the mondo version is almost ready for a maiden voyage.

A swing test confirmed there is no need for nose/head weight.

Just need to decide if I want to fly off a 3/16" rod or 1010 rail. In either case the line of thrust will be about 1.25" off center of the guide. I feel like there will be less friction with rail buttons than two tube lugs. Thoughts from the TRF community?
View attachment 474595

When in doubt, use a rail.
 
This is so much fun! I did something similar with a 3D printed astronaut with a C6 in the backpack and a kebab skewer/piece of body tube as a ring fin. however although it flew ok, it was nowhere near this refined!
1.jpg
 
Progress stopped for a while due to various summer activities, but the mondo version is almost ready for a maiden voyage.

A swing test confirmed there is no need for nose/head weight.

Just need to decide if I want to fly off a 3/16" rod or 1010 rail. In either case the line of thrust will be about 1.25" off center of the guide. I feel like there will be less friction with rail buttons than two tube lugs. Thoughts from the TRF community?
View attachment 474595

Fyi: I use a 5/16 x 72 Zinc-Plated Round Rod.... got it at Home Depot.
 
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I assume the rail will fit inside the ring?

really the ONLY downside I see with rails is their availability and the need for a somewhat sturdier platform, since they are heavier.

if you both have and can easily transport a rail and platform, it’s always a better experience. You don’t know where the rocket will end up, but at least you have confidence in what direction it is going when it first leaves the pad. Doesn’t take much wind to potentially significantly alter the trajectory on a rod from what is intended.
 
Progress stopped for a while due to various summer activities, but the mondo version is almost ready for a maiden voyage.

A swing test confirmed there is no need for nose/head weight.

Just need to decide if I want to fly off a 3/16" rod or 1010 rail. In either case the line of thrust will be about 1.25" off center of the guide. I feel like there will be less friction with rail buttons than two tube lugs. Thoughts from the TRF community?
View attachment 474595
Really cool! Do you have a stl file?
 
As you'll likely be flying this at a club launch and I will likely be there, I'd agree rail buttons would be the better choice. Rod Whip is one fellow we want to keep away from our launches.
 
Thank you to the multiple inputs regarding rod vs. rail. I have gone with launch rail as I have my own as does my club. In order to attach the rail buttons I created a captive nut "sled" that I will bond to the jet pack. Using my 3D printer I created the sled with hexagonal pockets to drop the appropriate nut into for securing on the rail buttons. My printer allows for me to "pause at height", which provides me the opportunity to drop in the nuts and then print the next layers to secure them in place. You can see in the pictures below a couple test pieces, and finally the real deal.

IMG_20210804_154132401.jpg
IMG_20210804_153154354.jpgIMG_20210804_153215751.jpg
IMG_20210804_153314314.jpg


Really cool! Do you have a stl file?
Unfortunately I cannot share the STL file for the Mando Rocket, as I purchased a Mandalorian action figure file set from another creator (although I did heavily modify it to make it rocket compatible). Here is the link to the files I purchased: https://cults3d.com/en/3d-model/art/star-wars-the-mandalorian-action-figure-kenner-style-season-2
 
Very nice.

I like the optics/proportions, and being shorter will put much less stress on the body tube.

puts my coke bottle to shame!

how does it look on the shelf? A close up pic would be good.
 
Could you get a feel for degree of rotation? I have a working theory that outside symmetrical ring rockers tend to have less axial roll. Certainly true for my square box fins, wondering though if it is a positive side effect of fins oriented roughly (or in your case exactly) parallel to the rocket surface, rather than standard perpendicular fins.
 
Could you get a feel for degree of rotation? I have a working theory that outside symmetrical ring rockers tend to have less axial roll. Certainly true for my square box fins, wondering though if it is a positive side effect of fins oriented roughly (or in your case exactly) parallel to the rocket surface, rather than standard perpendicular fins.
I would say it had little to no axial roll. Truly a clean vertical flight.

That was an impressive flight. Glad to see the innovation.
Thanks @KennB, I was worried given it's increased weight over the little brother which flew in an arc each flight would be amplified. I'm assuming using the rail allowed it to gain increased speed before free flight. Thanks again for suggesting it!

@BABAR and @lakeroadster: today's flight featured a white "tailpipe", but tonight it was covered with dark gray. I agree it's much improved. And to your request here are a couple before and after "on a shelf" close-ups.
IMG_20210814_211623584.jpgIMG_20210814_214758439.jpg
 
Here's a small Orville Wright figure from a commercial Flyer kit (next to keyboard keys for scale). It was probably simpler for the designers to mold his legs as one "limb" instead of two. But by making a rocket-figure like this, the exhaust would shoot out from the feet.
control.jpg
And here's a 1996 "Taco Bell" figure molded on the same idea.
s-l1600.jpg
I don't know what this would mean for a 3D printer design though, if anything.
 
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I would say it had little to no axial roll. Truly a clean vertical flight.


Thanks @KennB, I was worried given it's increased weight over the little brother which flew in an arc each flight would be amplified. I'm assuming using the rail allowed it to gain increased speed before free flight. Thanks again for suggesting it!

@BABAR and @lakeroadster: today's flight featured a white "tailpipe", but tonight it was covered with dark gray. I agree it's much improved. And to your request here are a couple before and after "on a shelf" close-ups.
View attachment 477491View attachment 477492
Perfect. Hides the tube nicely!
 
Here's a small Orville Wright figure from a commercial Flyer kit (next to keyboard keys for scale). It was probably simpler for the designers to mold his legs as one "limb" instead of two. But by making a rocket-figure like this, the exhaust would shoot out from the feet.
View attachment 477499
Is that the one from the Revell plastic kit?
 
Very cool - great to see this oddrock fly.

Given your design I would think that the tube (or even another thinner support) could be connected to the backpack instead of the crotch (and then connected off-center to ringtail with separate motor mount tube in middle of ringtail). CG and CP would still be in same place more or less.
 
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