Madcow DD Screech - Thinking about buying one

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o1d_dude

'I battle gravity'
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What the title says.

Anyone have any experience with the build, flying it, or general recommendations, things you did differently with the kit?

I have built a number of Madcow kits, regular and thin-wall F/G.

Thanks.
 
Have both the 2.6" & the 4". If I were to do it again, I'd get the 2.6" with the 54mm MMT instead of the stock 38mm MMT. Both great kits and both built entirely stock.

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I'm just starting the build my 2.6" Screech with the 54mm MMT (in the down time of my L3 build). Like all MC kits, the material is good quality and everything fits well. I'm a little concerned with the stock lightweight fins coupled to the 54mm MMT and I'll probably reinforce them with a layer or two of fiberglass. Also, I feel the size of the TTW fin tab is small relative to the size of the fin - another reason for adding fiberglass layups over the fin can. That said, if you're just doing the 38mm MMT then the stock build is likely sufficient.

I've already built and flown the 1.6" DD version and it's a nice rocket and fun to fly; and motors are relatively inexpensive - which is a bonus in this hobby.

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If I were to do it again, I'd get the 2.6" with the 54mm MMT instead of the stock 38mm MMT.

That. I have a 2.6 fiberglass Tomach with fins that I cut more like the Binder Max Q shape. The Screech/Tomach/DX3 are all the same rocket with different fins.

LOVE my 38, but wish that I had gone 54mm. I might buy the 54mm booster just to have it as an option. I believe that DizWolf/Dave McCann flies his 54mm mount without any additional fin reinforcement and beats the heck out of it with Loki loads, no issues.

I understand that they now come with a phenolic point on the nose cone instead of the metal tip (which I have), a feature that I find advantageous to making easier to deal with and a metal free(ish) tracker bay (use the APE set up, great stuff).
 
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Several of you are recommending the 54mm mount. What kind of altitudes are you seeing on your various 54mm loads?

I'm a geezer (literally) who flies at a location with the proverbial hills and dales. Don't relish the idea of a long hike cross country and kids eager to make some money retreiving rockets are remarkably scarce as most are launching their own birds.

Have the full range of 38mm hardware and a J motor should put the Screech up beyond my ability to visually track it. Don't have a tracker set-up and really don't want to make the investment. This is supposed to be an easy DD that I can fly with a minimum of hassle, risk, etc.

BTW, getting old is not quite like they show it in the brochures but you'll all figure that out in time.
 
Several of you are recommending the 54mm mount. What kind of altitudes are you seeing on your various 54mm loads?

I'm a geezer (literally) who flies at a location with the proverbial hills and dales. Don't relish the idea of a long hike cross country and kids eager to make some money retreiving rockets are remarkably scarce as most are launching their own birds.

Have the full range of 38mm hardware and a J motor should put the Screech up beyond my ability to visually track it. Don't have a tracker set-up and really don't want to make the investment. This is supposed to be an easy DD that I can fly with a minimum of hassle, risk, etc.

BTW, getting old is not quite like they show it in the brochures but you'll all figure that out in time.

I would think that given what kind of flying you want to do with this, the 38mm mount would be perfectly fine. I know there's one coming my way in October for my birthday or Christmas, and I chose the 54mm mount. Of course, of you could always get the 54 and adapt down. Either way, I'm sure you'll have a great time with this.
 
Have the full range of 38mm hardware and a J motor should put the Screech up beyond my ability to visually track it. Don't have a tracker set-up and really don't want to make the investment. This is supposed to be an easy DD that I can fly with a minimum of hassle, risk, etc.

Within those parameters, the 38 will probably do everything that you'll ever want from it. Still, the 54 with adapter will allow you to fly 38s or 54s, with the understanding that similarly rated 38 vs. 54 have different burn characteristics, which might be something that interests you.

Spend some time with the sims in OR and see.

Either way, they're great rockets, and they often become people's GO TO.
 
Thanks for the input, rocketeers.

I neglected to mention that I also have CTI 54mm cases in 1, 2, and 3 grain sizes as well as an Aeropack 54-38mm adapter which I use in my Polecat Aerospace Goblin 5.5" so the larger motor mount is not impossible. Just not desirable for Screech.

CTI 54 motors haven't been in stock locally since the mishap at the factory so I've been making do with 38mm in the adapter. Squat rockets, the Goblin 5.5", like a lot of thrust coming off the pad so I've been using big I motors with high impulse from ignition. Still an L1 these days as I ran out of flying season before my L2 attempt. Wanted to use a CTI J430 pulling 14 g's off the pad.

Thanks again for the advice.
 
This rocket gives me a woody.

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About 9 grand on each flight. The K's pulled about 49G, all slightly over M1. K1127, J510W, K1127, J1026. 38 6 grain flights should keep it around a mile, 360's would make nice flights in sight. I love flying this thing.

build photos- https://www.flickr.com/photos/31757945@N05/albums/72157647408994783

It's a great kit as is. But if I could change things, I'd have full length fin tabs, and 1/8" fins.

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I have a screech and I've put it up on a J350. Nice flyer. I cannot wait to fill that 54mm hole... I have quite the plethora of 54mm AT motors to put in it. Also have a Loki K830 if I feel really abusive. Maybe I'll just do that from the get go....

It was a nice build and I am looking forward to having fun with it. Relatively simple and looks to be quite the performer....

Mike
 
I'm with you, Kit. I'd stick with the 38mm. Plenty of altitude for the Ranch, and the motors are less expensive, too.
 
Thread Necromancy Alert!

As original poster (OP) I'm giving myself license to revive this thread.

Late last year, I bought almost all of the makings for a 54mm fin can for my Screech. Yeah, I know but in my defense I was left unsupervised.

The "almost" part is related to the fact that Madcow has been out of fins for any of their 2.6" / 54mm rockets for a quite a while. I have the body tube, motor tube, and centering rings but no fins. I was hoping to score fins for either the 2.6 / 54mm DX3 or a Tomach as the Screech is apparently no longer in production.

Any suggestions?
 
Thread Necromancy Alert!

As original poster (OP) I'm giving myself license to revive this thread.

Late last year, I bought almost all of the makings for a 54mm fin can for my Screech. Yeah, I know but in my defense I was left unsupervised.

The "almost" part is related to the fact that Madcow has been out of fins for any of their 2.6" / 54mm rockets for a quite a while. I have the body tube, motor tube, and centering rings but no fins. I was hoping to score fins for either the 2.6 / 54mm DX3 or a Tomach as the Screech is apparently no longer in production.

Any suggestions?

If they can't hook you up, get ahold of Nat at UpscaleCNC... He does G10.

BTW, flew my Screech on a Loki L1400 at LDRS. Ya-hoo! Altitude was 15,688'. Next chance I get, I'm stuffing a L1040 in it.
 
If you buy the G-10 from Tim and send the dimension file, Wildman will cut them free...just pay for shipping and G-10. G-10 prices on his website.
I don't remember what the darn file is called, call him . I think you may even use OR or rocks.

Or just use Competitor fins....it's a knock off of that rocket. He sells those, probably in stock fins.
 
If you buy the G-10 from Tim and send the dimension file, Wildman will cut them free...just pay for shipping and G-10. G-10 prices on his website.
I don't remember what the darn file is called, call him . I think you may even use OR or rocksim.

That's what I'd do. I ruined a bandsaw blade cutting G10 fins once.
 
If you buy the G-10 from Tim and send the dimension file, Wildman will cut them free...just pay for shipping and G-10. G-10 prices on his website.
I don't remember what the darn file is called, call him . I think you may even use OR or rocks.

Or just use Competitor fins....it's a knock off of that rocket. He sells those, probably in stock fins.
Thanks for the suggestion, Jim.

I’ll give Tim a call.
 
If you ever need to cut fiberglass plate or carbon plate , use a 1/16 or 3/32 thick 4 inch cut off wheel in a angle grinder. It will cut 1/4 plate carbon like butter.
 
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