Unpainted

[Luckistrykes]

anyone launched any rockets unpainted, I have every intention of painting but seeing as im going to launch some others, and everything is done but paint, im very tempted

 

[cobra1336]

It's called, flying naked. Many do it to test the rocket before they spend time "finishing" the rocket.

 

[AfterBurners]

If its cardboard tubing I would throw some primer on the rocket just to give it some protection.

 

[chrism]

I flew two rockets "naked," a Edmonds Tinee boost glider (which are usually left unpainted) and an Estes Mark II.

 

[K'Tesh]

I've launched many times w/o any paint, and occasionally without any sealer. I was annoyed by a chain of cato's on maiden flights that made me decide to fly naked. If the rocket survived its first launch w/o being destroyed or severely damaged, It earned its paint.

I'm back to painting rockets w/o a launch required as I'm hoping to finish my que before I go overseas, and I want to share my rockets with schools and libraries.

 

[VonMises]

Barbarians

 

[chadrog]

I flew my 5" Jart twice naked, tomorrow I'm going to fly it in primer - baby steps.

 

[krusty]

anyone launched any rockets unpainted, I have every intention of painting but seeing as im going to launch some others, and everything is done but paint, im very tempted

Me? No. A rocket has to be finished and looking purdy before I rack it up.

Others, some do.. But I look away in shame.

Krusty

 

[qquake2k]

I have to say, even with all the problems I've had with paint, I never fly naked. There have been a couple that I just threw a quick coat of paint on, and some have flown without decals. But for some reason or other, I can't fly one without paint.

 

[ClusterNut]

Unless there is a specific reason for a good paint job, i.e. scale, I may fly naked but I usually do a minimal paint job. The paint is really to make the rocket more easy to see, especially in tall grass. Or, hopefully rarely, in a tree. I guess I am more interested in the design, construction and "operational" aspects than in finished appearance. I really do appreciate seeing the results from people who are not so lazy, better at decals and painting and more artistic than I am though. It's pretty impressive some times!

 

[JeromeK99]

I've been know to fly naked on occasion. :y:

Nothing wrong with that. :blush:


Jerome

 

[Scotty Dog]

Raw Rockets
Ive flown a few.

 

[rms]

Perhaps some have flown naked with a painted rocket?:y:

Not really sure I want to know that though!

 

[T-Rex]

Depends on time and money for me. If I have them, I'll paint, but if I am against a wall, they fly just as well nekkid.

 

[K'Tesh]

Barbarians

If you want barbarians... then you should see my photos of the WNBR in Portland... Not naked rockets... Naked cyclists (Even Better).

It's the most fun you can have on your bike without your clothes on.

 

[BABAR]

I guess I am Babar the Barbarian. I fly unpainted rockets routinely. I am more an engineer than an artist. In my defense (if needed!) many of my rockets are gliders and helicopters which fly better unpainted due to weight considerations. Most of my other rockets are engineering experiments where I am checking to see if the design works, not if it looks purdy.

Presumably the point of the hobby is to have fun. If fun for YOU is building something and getting it safely into the air as soon as possible to see if it works, paint is for the most part superfluous. If on the other hand craftsmanship and cool factor is important to YOU (or if you plan to display this proudly in your home, school, church, synogogue, mosque, or other important place), than paint is essential.

For a noncompetition sport rocket, any improvement in performance added by painting is, in my opinion, minimal at best.

I have seen many just absolutely gorgeous painstakingly handcrafted rockets that must have taken numerous hours (and probably weeks or months) to build posted here destroyed on their maiden flights. It's enough to produce cremasteric spasm (medical term, if you don't know what it means, don't bother looking it up.)

So decide what is important to you, the buyer/builder/flyer of the rocket, and don't worry about what anyone else says.

One consideration, if it is small and going to go high or be hard to find, a bright colored paint job or a very colorful parachute or streamer is REALLY nice when you go HUNTING for the rocket after it comes down.

Enjoy your rockets!

(Addendum: I do not bicycle naked!)

 

[Nathan]

No bare naked rockets for me, they don't fly until they're finished. Lately I spend about 80% of the total build time painting.

 

[Fishhead]

Fairly often. If it's flightworthy and I have a launch coming up, I generally don't give it a second thought. The pretty pictures can come later. Occasionally I wind up with a bird that has no business getting painted because it's such a turd. Those generally get recycled.

 

[chadrog]

No bare naked rockets for me, they don't fly until they're finished. Lately I spend about 80% of the total build time painting.

You take finishing to a whole different level than most, you are truly a 1%'r.

 

[hcmbanjo]

I usually fly them painted.
I'll want them sealed if they land in wet grass.

I was surprised at my first NARAM in 1975.
All my competition rockets were painted, everybody else seemed to fly naked.
I wasn't thinking that a coat of paint could hurt altitude or longer duration.

 

[Right Wing Wacko]

anyone launched any rockets unpainted, I have every intention of painting but seeing as im going to launch some others, and everything is done but paint, im very tempted

I flew my L2 Certification Flight naked!

 

[goldlizard]

Depending where I am in a build they may fly naked. If I am not finished with a build I will take it to show the newbies how construction is done. If I don't have time to paint but it is ready to fly, she goes up naked, negligee (aka primer), or fully dressed! :wink:

 

[JStarStar]

I've flown some gliders and competition rockets naked, but I usually slap some kind of paint on almost everything.

Even gliders I usually do up the wings with magic markers to make them a bit more visible.

 

[Area66]

Fiberglass and Carbon look awesome naked

 

[VonMises]

Fiberglass and Carbon look awesome naked

So does Kevlar. There's a fine line between savage and barbarian.

 

[JPVegh]

Sure, all the time. Rockets don't need paint, although I've been told that racing stripes make them go higher and faster.

 

[VonMises]

Sure, all the time. Rockets don't need paint, although I've been told that racing stripes make them go higher and faster.

lolz, rocket Keds!

 

[UpsilonAerospace]

Rockets don't need paint, although I've been told that racing stripes make them go higher and faster.

To quote the ultimate authority in rocketry, Kerbal Space Program: 'The black stripes along the side [of the FLT800 Fuel Tank] make the rocket go faster, our engineers tell us.'

Generally, I fly rockets with only one or two coats of paint: They don't look quite as nice but, then again, who will notice the difference after about ten flights?

 

[JPVegh]

Yeah rockets do take a beating, you can make them look nice but keeping them that way...