What is the purpose of the D5?

I was looking at launching big motors in 18mm models, and found the D5 by Quest. I see that it is plugged, and the motor diameter is different at 20mm. Since quest makes 18mm models and motors only, I do not understand what it is for. Does anyone know what it's meant for?

It was meant for large rocket gliders

were there specific kits designed for it by quest?

No kits that I am aware of or at least none offered for sale. The D5 was made by the same Chinese company that made the Quest 18mm motors. Don't know if the D5 was a niche offering or something the Chinese company "recommended" to Quest. Quest no longer sell the excellent Q2G2 igniter/starter as the Chinese would not sell them unless they also bought the motors. Quest had decided to move on to the new composite motors instead.

It was designed to blow up rocket gliders...

My memory stinks but I thought Aerotech had a 20mm plugged RMS case for rocket gliders back in the mid-90's

Originally the Quest D5 motor was available as a D5-0P (No delay or ejection motor). It was not a booster motor for multi-stage models either.

Later came the D5-4 and D5-6 motors.
No kit was specifically released by Quest to use this motor. I think it was just something the Chinese motor maker already was producing and Quest decided to import them.

I bought a dozen each of all of these motors and make it a point to fly a rocket with a D5-4/-6 at a NSL or NARAM.
These motors will really give a lightweight rocket a ride!

I modded a Mini-Max for the D5 https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/estes-mini-max.39473/ I still have about 50 of them.
BTW, the plug is hard clay, same as the nozzle, and difficult to remove to make a D5-0.

Lukun7 said:

I was looking at launching big motors in 18mm models, and found the D5 by Quest. I see that it is plugged, and the motor diameter is different at 20mm. Since quest makes 18mm models and motors only, I do not understand what it is for. Does anyone know what it's meant for?

Click to expand...

To expand on what others have said, it was designed by the Chinese firm that produced Quest motors during that period. It was developed to provide the Chinese Internats team a locally-sourced motor for S8 radio control rocket glider practice sessions, as alternatives sourced from the US would have been very expensive, while European alternatives would essentially be impossible to ship due to the lack of UN paperwork.

James

These were awesome slow burn motors! I still have some of the 4 and 6 second delays. I built several BT 55/60 rockets around the properties of these, and was sad to see them discontinued.

The D5-P motors are still available, at Apogee. Just fly them in a lightweight rocket or as an upper stage - Use an altimeter for deployment !

https://www.apogeerockets.com/Rocket_Motors/Quest_Motors/Quest_Motor_D5-P

Another interesting motor is the AeroTech D2.3-p For RC Rocket Gliders