Hello Everyone,
I've been a lurker on this forum for a long time. I wanted to share my recent experience with the launch of my Estes #1969 Saturn V. I spent about 30+ hours on it. I post a picture below taken before my July 16th launch to celebrate Apollo 11. I'd rate this build a B+ effort since I made a couple of small mistakes.
I launched her on July 16th with an E12-4 (with 4 pats of clay in the nose). It took off straight and true until just before apogee, when it started to corkscrew a bit. Then the real problem began. The ejection charge blew and the SIVB/Apollo spacecraft section came down under its parachute -- safely. But the two parachutes in the SIC/SII section did NOT deploy at all. The bottom section became a lawn dart, causing substantial damage to the first 5" of the main body tube when it hit. Ironically the bottom of the rocket, including fins, are all fine. I'd post the video but still hurts too much to watch.
Anyway, I started the tear-down last night to begin repairs. It took considerable effort to remove the spent E12-4 from the rocket. Then I noticed that the aft centering ring had cracked about 1" around on the glue joint with the BT101 body tube. (I used tight-bond yellow glue.) Looking inside the stuffer/engine tube, I noticed it was partially obstructed. So I got my Dremel out and completely removed the engine mount/stuffer tube. Then I noticed this:
Now I know why it corkscrewed near the end of powered flight and why the parachutes did not deploy. The thrust of the engine deformed/partially destroyed the engine/stuffer tube, cracked the aft centering ring, causing the engine to tilt slightly. There are also some small holes in the tube where it deformed, which may have contributed to the failed ejection of the main parachutes.
I built it stock and followed the directions exactly. I'd tried to build her on the lighter side; she weighed in at 13.5 ounces (no engine but fully packed with parachutes, 4 pats of clay, and wadding). I'm going to contact Estes about this. Not to complain, but to point out that these thin tubes may not be up to the job for an E engine.
So, replacement parts are on order (wraps, decals, etc.). I've already built a new engine/stuffer tube (donor parts from a #2157 kit that was sitting in my closet), and I'm using epoxy, doubling up the thickness of the tubing in the engine section, and adding some balsa supports to add rigidity and strength to the lower section.
A real bummer, but I have no regrets launching her and she will fly again. In late August.
I post this to celebrate the 50th anniversary with all of you and with the hope that what I share here may help you to avoid what happened to me as you build this great kit.
Keep … moving .. forward.