Old Quest DC-Y Model - Not the #3004 Kit

In another thread we got onto a discussion about some of the earlier rockets that tried to launch and land in much the same manner as the Falcon for SpaceX. One of those rockets was the DC-X (DC-Y) and I remembered I had an old 'kit' of that model that I had never put together. After I pulled it out, I realized it was a Quest kit, but it was not the kit as posted over at Ye Old Rocket Plans (https://www.oldrocketplans.com/quest/que3004/que3004.htm). This is much smaller.

I seem to remember that this was a promotional item, never intended to fly (hence the lack of an engine mount or recovery system). I also seem to remember, rocketeers being who they are, promptly sticking in a motor mount and recovery system and launching them.

I've attached a scan of the shroud and base (that's all I have left of the sheet) as a pdf file, as well as a picture of the remaining parts (body tube, nose cone, and very tiny straws for landing gear legs). The body tube is slightly larger in diameter than the Estes BT-20 - not sure if that is a standard Quest size tube or not.

If anyone remembers any more about this kit - please chime in. Especially if you built one and can tell us how it flew.

If the tube is a little larger than a BT-20, it is probably a a Quest T-20 tube. The ID of the T-20 is 19mm. The nose cone looks like a MPC/early Quest version of the PNC-20.

I built one, but have never flown it.
It does have a motor mount and recovery system, it was made to fly.

I also built one. I had to put in a 13mm motor mount, and a lot of nose weight to get it to ballance out like the full size kit, and a launch lug. None were in the promo pack. It flew as well as a cone rocket does. Lots of base drag.

goose_in_co said:

I built one, but have never flown it.
It does have a motor mount and recovery system, it was made to fly.

Click to expand...

So yours was small like this one, only about 6-inches tall? Do you happen to have a copy of the instructions that you could scan and post? Also, is it safe to assume that this small size used a streamer recovery?

I could only find the instructions for the larger kit (#3004) that is listed at 13.5-inches in height and 4-inches in diameter. Anything that you have on the smaller kit would be appreciated.

I recall these mini Space Clipper kits being passed out at NARFUN (Before there was NSL) in Phoenix in 1993.
These were non-flying model kits but it was mentioned at the time that some smart rocketeer could modify it to fly.

I picked up a combo pack a while ago that has both kits in it. Although the full sized kit has some damage to the shroud, the smaller one is in good condition. The smaller one was not meant to fly, but it was always my plan to make it so that it could.
I'll see if I can find the kits/ instructions in one of my totes of unbuilt kits.

Cool. Thanks!

Mini Space Clipper Instructions

MALBAR 70 said:

Mini Space Clipper Instructions

View attachment 379981 View attachment 379982

Click to expand...

You are the Man!

Bob,

My memory of this aligns with Bob Sanford being 1993. This was also a promotional item that was not intended to be a flying model. It was given away by Quest at NARAM 35 in Middletown Md. I am fairly certain I have 2 of them in my collection.

Jim

zog139 said:

Bob,

My memory of this aligns with Bob Sanford being 1993. This was also a promotional item that was not intended to be a flying model. It was given away by Quest at NARAM 35 in Middletown Md. I am fairly certain I have 2 of them in my collection.

Jim

Click to expand...

I agree I got mine at NARAM 35 also.

That would make sense as I helped out that year. That would explain where I got the kit from.

I have one of the kits offered by Quest and flown the dozens of times on C5-3 motors, as it seemed to like the higher ignition thrust spike.
It's packed away somewhere, and might have to give it a try using the new Q-Jet motors.