My quest for an O motor launch.

Got the second fin tacked on last night. Tonight I am hoping to install the last fin, and the aft rail button well nut.

Over the next few days: internal fillets, aft CR, external fillets (God help me), pressure relief hole, paint and clear coat. Sounds easy, eight?

All three fins on, tacked at the root!

#HELLYEA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

First pairs of internal and external fillets applied.

Internals are hideous, but functional. Shoved into the grooves with a 1/2" dowel. Picture is blurry again. I guess I am too close with the phone.



Externals turned out to be the best fillets I've laid to date.

Aft:


Fore:

Both internal and external with rocketpoxy?

Reasonable precaution at this size. The landing forces are going to be non-negligile even with the forward swept trailing edge

Theory said:

Both internal and external with rocketpoxy?

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Yes. RocketPoxy is all I use.

Them’s is some nice fillets!

Gotta love the G-12/G-10.

Chuck C.

Two more nice-looking fillets got on last night, plus the corresponding two internal fillets. No pix, yet (I know -- that means it didn't happen, right?).

Got company coming over tonight. Might have time to get the second rail button nut epoxied in. Maybe no more fillets until Sunday night. Got a busy weekend coming up.

All three fins are on and all fillets are done. Will post pics tomorrow. All that's left is to add the rear CR, drill a pressure vent, paint and clear coat.

Will be test-fitting the motor casing this weekend.

So, the promised pics ....

Fins on and fillets done.


Second rail button nut on.


Bottom CR in place before epoxy.


And after epoxy.


I also drilled the aft pressure relief hole. Tonight I'll put on the thrust plate and start taping everything for paint.

Looking good!

boatgeek said:

Looking good!

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Thanks!

I know Scott has the motor casing turned, and he wants to test fit it into the MMT, but we just can't seem to connect. He has to miss this weekend's launch due to work overload. I think he is trying to complete all his projects so that he can go to BALLS.

Meanwhile, I still have days worth of painting to do.

Great looking build, thanks for sharing!

Fantastic! Can’t wait to see this one on the pad.

Not sure if I missed it, but have you scheduled a date for the flight? Can’t remember if this is a BALLS project

Theory said:

Fantastic! Can’t wait to see this one on the pad.

Not sure if I missed it, but have you scheduled a date for the flight? Can’t remember if this is a BALLS project

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Most likely Red Glare in the fall. Not sure if I will do a shake-down flight on an M prior to the O. I kind of just want to wait and do the O.

Bat-mite said:

Most likely Red Glare in the fall.

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Is there another Red Glare in the fall?

mbeels said:

Is there another Red Glare in the fall?

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Sorry, I meant in the spring! I am losing my mind.

There used to be Red Glares in the fall, but it seems like there are still crops on the ground at the Higgs Farm right up into November lately.

Bat-mite said:

Sorry, I meant in the spring! I am losing my mind.

There used to be Red Glares in the fall, but it seems like there are still crops on the ground at the Higgs Farm right up into November lately.

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Ok! I was afraid I was going to miss something great....

Cool deal. I’m in Northern VA and have yet to make it out to “The Farm”

Time to plan a trip! I would love to see this flight

Theory said:

Cool deal. I’m in Northern VA and have yet to make it out to “The Farm”

Time to plan a trip! I would love to see this flight

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Here's my biggest fear. I wait until April to launch this, and then the weather turns sour and it doesn't happen. Then it sits in my basement for another six months until we're back at Higgs.

Bat-mite said:

Here's my biggest fear. I wait until April to launch this, and then the weather turns sour and it doesn't happen. Then it sits in my basement for another six months until we're back at Higgs.

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With you on that! You’ve got such a nice project going. Conditions have to be near-perfect.

Chuck C.

Bat-mite said:

Here's my biggest fear. I wait until April to launch this, and then the weather turns sour and it doesn't happen. Then it sits in my basement for another six months until we're back at Higgs.

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I hear ya, but I’ve had some bad experiences in the past when I tried to “force” a flight. Nothing at this scale, but still...

Got some paint on the fins today.

Finally got the paint job done! I guess she's just about finished, now.

Looks great, congrats on the build.

Nice work! Hope to see it fly!

Thanks, all. This weekend I'll try to get it slapped together and weighed. I'll see if I can get a "stand-up" picture so you can grasp the ridiculous height of this thing.

Still need to get the motor hardware finished, buy laundry, etc. But I am feeling confident that it will fly this winter at the Higgs Farm.

Bat-mite said:

Thanks, all. This weekend I'll try to get it slapped together and weighed. I'll see if I can get a "stand-up" picture so you can grasp the ridiculous height of this thing.

Still need to get the motor hardware finished, buy laundry, etc. But I am feeling confident that it will fly this winter at the Higgs Farm.

Click to expand...

John,
If you need hardware I'd be happy to loan it to you..

Super build by the way..
I'd expect nothing less though..

Teddy