29mm MD rocket "The Minute Man" (Build Thread)

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So I guess the big question is... Who is going to fly this for you? Have you actually run this by the individual who is going to fly it for you?

I have similar stories to BlackBrandt. I once was young. Bulletproof. Lucky, in a lot of cases.

I see you are on a budget. If that is the case, would you not want to fly this rocket over and over again? If so, why not invest in a pack of E16's (or whatever the BP variant in 29mm these days is), and potentially fly your rocket three times and get three times as much enjoyment, as you will a Hsomething or other. Trust me, the E16's will get your rocket going in a hurry, and you're more likely to recover this thing. You won't know how fast your rocket went because you likely won't find it again...

Next time, I would suggest downloading OpenRocket or Rocsim and designing your future rocket, then posting it on here for feedback. I am Level 3 and I am still learning. I have two objectives in my next few kits and I am working on getting information from the more experienced folks in that field. It will pay off. Trust me. It sucks to invest time and money into a project only to have it go haywire or not be approved whatsoever.

Best of luck.
 
I'm not gonna tell you not to fly this, I won't have too. The LCO will take care of that.
 
I get the desire to do something big and crazy right out the door.

Set that idea down and build a few rockets. Fly a bunch of stuff and learn from it. Then doncrazy stuff. It'll go better
 
Consider pushing the limits, but learn where where you can push and try to figure out how far. Try to figure out your limits, then reach, but not overreach.

I suggest getting the wrinkles out using mid power, before going to HPR. Up is easy, down is much harder. Get some MPR experience and you will fare much better in HPR. It's less expensive too :)

I personally have pushed by not certifying using the minimum size motor for each cert ( I did L1=I, L2=K, L3=N (O was considered seriously)). I also try to do something different each flight I can learn from.

Forgot to mention: If somebody says what you are thinking about can't be done, they are not necessarily right always. Learn, think, do. Own your project.
 
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Plenty of folks telling you what won't work. Test on 29mm E/F, if it survives you can walk it up the AT 29/40-120 to g76.
 
Ya there is a good chance it will shred. At those speeds you cant use estes rocketry methods and expect it to hold up. Even if it does you will probably lose it because you have no tracker.

Also, rocksim is not what you want for mach+ rockets since it cant simulate them properly.
 
OK off topic but my son's now want to fly high power and go through the mentor program . So the test is the same as lv2 but 15 questions per side correct
 
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When I first launched my L2 bird (3 inch diameter, 8 feet) it found a tiny cloud, the only one in the sky, and everyone lost it. No tracker, and absolutely no idea where it went. Thankfully another flier said his earlier flight arched the same way mine did and he told me where he found his. This was only 4200 feet, M0.9 and a MUCH bigger bird and I would not have found it without that prior flight. My advice - if you can't buy a tracker, see if you can borrow one.
 
Barkley said:
When I first launched my L2 bird (3 inch diameter, 8 feet) it found a tiny cloud, the only one in the sky, and everyone lost it. No tracker, and absolutely no idea where it went. Thankfully another flier said his earlier flight arched the same way mine did and he told me where he found his. This was only 4200 feet, M0.9 and a MUCH bigger bird and I would not have found it without that prior flight. My advice - if you can't buy a tracker, see if you can borrow one.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that is my only hope, is to borrow a tracker.
Thanks,
 
timbucktoo said:
Have you flown it yet?
Click to expand...

Nope, weather permitting it will be at the Tripoli Mid-Ohio launch on the 22nd or maybe the 23rd of April. It will fly on a DMS H135W. At last minute I might get a tracker. If, I can find something under $100 that is small enough, and I don't need a HAM license for, and that I don't need to assemble anything. The launch pad is built and ready to rock & roll! I will have a pad camera set up for video, and a camera in my hand as well. So, this should be fun to watch.
Thanks,
 
I'm still curious who is going to fly this for you. Obviously you cannot. You cannot even buy the motor, so you have some hurdles ahead of you, unless you are intentionally not divulging the name of the flyer and the buyer of the motor for you. In any case, has the flyer seen this rocket yet?
 
mrwalsh85 said:
I'm still curious who is going to fly this for you. Obviously you cannot. You cannot even buy the motor, so you have some hurdles ahead of you, unless you are intentionally not divulging the name of the flyer and the buyer of the motor for you. In any case, has the flyer seen this rocket yet?
Click to expand...
I second this. I've been staying quiet over it but I'm actually curious who's signing this off for you...
 
mrwalsh85 said:
I'm still curious who is going to fly this for you. Obviously you cannot. You cannot even buy the motor, so you have some hurdles ahead of you, unless you are intentionally not divulging the name of the flyer and the buyer of the motor for you. In any case, has the flyer seen this rocket yet?
Click to expand...

blackbrandt said:
I second this. I've been staying quiet over it but I'm actually curious who's signing this off for you...
Click to expand...

What do you mean? I plan to get my Tripoli Mentoring program done. I have had some assistance from my older brother. At this rate, I plan to test fly it first, on a D12 or maybe an E9. If all goes well and my mentor sees it fly, then I think it should be fine to fly on a H135W!?! I really think I can pass the TMP test. I know most of the questions, and I am studying the rest from their test guide.
Thanks,
 
rockets said:
What do you mean? I plan to get my Tripoli Mentoring program done. I have had some assistance from my older brother. At this rate, I plan to test fly it first, on a D12 or maybe an E9. If all goes well and my mentor sees it fly, then I think it should be fine to fly on a H135W!?! I really think I can pass the TMP test. I know most of the questions, and I am studying the rest from their test guide.
Thanks,
Click to expand...
What we're asking is if you have a mentor lined up to sign the flight card for you. And has he seen the rocket?
 
You know there are a few magnitudes of motors between the E and H right? Your logic that if it flies on an E it should be fine on an H just shows people you have no idea what you are dealing with. There is no hurry getting to H's. Take tour time and don't get in a hurry and hurt someone or yourself.
 
Just curious, do you realize the difference in oomph between an H135 and an E9?
There's 4 times the propellant weight, 14 times the average thrust, and 8 times the peak thrust.

High power motors aren't something to be messed around with. There's a reason you have to be certified to fly them.

Just because something flies well on one of the smallest E motors out there does not mean it will fly identically well on a much larger motor.


https://www.rocketreviews.com/compare-estes-e9-to-cti-217-h135-wh-12a.html
 
blackbrandt said:
Just curious, do you realize the difference in oomph between an H135 and an E9?
There's 4 times the propellant weight, 14 times the average thrust, and 8 times the peak thrust.

High power motors aren't something to be messed around with. There's a reason you have to be certified to fly them.

Just because something flies well on one of the smallest E motors out there does not mean it will fly identically well on a much larger motor.


https://www.rocketreviews.com/compare-estes-e9-to-cti-217-h135-wh-12a.html
Click to expand...
+10
 
How about climbing some stairs and assuming you're qualified to rappel a building?
 
Is the altimeter firing the ejection charge at apogee or are you using the motor's ejection?

The 14 second delay on the H will be way too short and ejectuon charge will deploy the parachute at high speed well before apogee.

Electronic deployment is required on a rocket like this.

Just more things to consider.
 
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rockets said:
What do you mean? I plan to get my Tripoli Mentoring program done. I have had some assistance from my older brother. At this rate, I plan to test fly it first, on a D12 or maybe an E9. If all goes well and my mentor sees it fly, then I think it should be fine to fly on a H135W!?! I really think I can pass the TMP test. I know most of the questions, and I am studying the rest from their test guide.
Thanks,
Click to expand...

Keep on studying Andrew! I passed the TMP test when I was 12, and I'm really lucky to have a bunch of great mentors looking out for me. That includes my Mom and Dad -who are both L2.

I think lots of kids want to put big motors in small rockets to see how fast and high it will go. Before I was a TMP, I stuffed an F32 into a stock Big Bertha (well almost stock). A single use F is the largest you can legally fly by yourself without assistance... or a mentor. -Anyway, I was real happy when somebody found my Bertha the next day. (I totally lost sight of it) It's really amazing how high a small rocket goes on a big motor :) :)

DSCN0358 (2).jpg
 
Andrew, I think we can all understand your eagerness to fly this rocket. what everyone is hopin to help you see is there is a lot of fun on the journey. a Md rocket on an H135 would be quite an awesome flight. but think about this:
you test fly on an E9, then jump to the H135 and find out the rocket cant handle the impulse and is destroyed in flight. wouldn't ya rather buy,say, and F50 and maybe a G74 and see how it handles those motors? that E9 is a cool motor( if it doesn't cato) but it only has max thrust of 19.5 newtons. then ya wanna jump up to a motor with max thrust of 159.9 newtons- that's a MASSIVE jump.
this has absolutely nothing to do with your ability to pass the TMP test. I think most of us are pretty sure you can do that. one question i have for you on the test,though- do you understand the answer to the questions?
i was L1 back in the late 90's. wanted to go L2 real bad. studied the questions and answers. the problem was it was multiple choice. multiple choice is pretty easy. i could pass it with ease, yet i didn't understand the answers to a lot of the questions. so i wasn't ready for L2.
2 main things i read folks here are trying to do:
help you keep it safe
help you not end up disappointed.
theres probably 1 or 2 folks here who have been in your shoes with a rocket, can look back and say something like ,"sure wish i woulda slowed down on that one."




rockets said:
What do you mean? I plan to get my Tripoli Mentoring program done. I have had some assistance from my older brother. At this rate, I plan to test fly it first, on a D12 or maybe an E9. If all goes well and my mentor sees it fly, then I think it should be fine to fly on a H135W!?! I really think I can pass the TMP test. I know most of the questions, and I am studying the rest from their test guide.
Thanks,
Click to expand...
 
watheyak said:
Is the altimeter firing the ejection charge at apogee or are you using the motor's ejection?

The 14 second delay on the H will be way too short and ejectuon charge will deploy the parachute at high speed well before apogee.

Electronic deployment is required on a rocket like this.

Just more things to consider.
Click to expand...
I would recommend an easymini. But he will need tracking too so maybe he should consider the eggfinder mini.
 

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