November Best Rocket Competition!

The Rocketry Forum

Help Support The Rocketry Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Pantherjon

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 19, 2009
Messages
7,434
Reaction score
9
:pop: Be sure to read thru all of this posting..Most is the 'same ol same, same ol' but the important stuff is at the end! ;)

This is the official location of The Rocketry Forum Best Rocket Competition. This is a monthly event to show off your "stuff" and find out who has THE BEST ROCKET OF THE MONTH! When entering, make sure you follow the criteria listed below and you will do fine. From the 21st(or there about) until the end of the month we'll be polling to see who should win the Best Rocket Competition.




Da Rulez

1. Header of picture must include, name, what kit or was it custom, LPR, MPR or HPR.
2. A BRIEF description of rocket details. Anything that would make it apparent to somebody that yours is THE BEST.
3. Only ONE entry per month.
4. No extended off topic conversations.
5. Rockets made at any period of time may be used.Rocket needs to be in your possession/fleet at the time of the competition!
6. Rocket may be entered into the current months competition only ONCE! Rocket may be entered into a following months competition if it fits the given category.
7. If there is a monthly specified type of contest (such as red, white and blue themed), you can only enter rockets that are applicable.
8. Entries will be taken first 3 weeks of month and after the 21st of every month the contest closes.
9. The last week of the month we will be polling on who should win in each class.Provided there are ample entries into each class. If not, all entries are entered into one poll. If there are more then seven(7) entries for the month, the entries will be split into multiple polls based on entry sequence into the competition and a run-off will be held with the top vote recipients from each poll. Run off voting period will be 5 days.
10. Winners get bragging rights for a month!



THEME

Easy theme this month: ANYTHING! Go all out!

So, show us your awesome builds!


Remember detail, details, details! So don't be shy, include extra photos of the little bits that make YOUR model extra special!
If you entry is a kit, let us know who's kit it is!

PRIZE(S)

Our awesome sponsor this month is SEMROC! And the prize for this months winner is either a $30 gift certificate or kit(s) up to $30..So, let's get those entries rolling in!
 
Last edited:
My entry is my 3x upscale of Estes Vindicator. It has a 54mm mount and is 4" in dia. I glassed the tubes with 2 layers of 6oz glass and west systems epoxy. Nosecone is all glass as well. Decals I made myself with water slide decal paper and used an Inkjet printer. I got the plans from Jimz site. I have flown it on an I 284, and a J415.

...Fudd
 

Attachments

  • Front.jpg
    Front.jpg
    165.5 KB · Views: 0
  • Back.jpg
    Back.jpg
    169.6 KB · Views: 0
  • Side.jpg
    Side.jpg
    166.1 KB · Views: 0
  • _LLS0126.jpg
    _LLS0126.jpg
    99.3 KB · Views: 0
  • _LLS0129.jpg
    _LLS0129.jpg
    33.8 KB · Views: 0
I entered my ESS Raven once before in this contest, however it was "nekid" at the time and it needed decals. Now that I got a set of decals "custom" made( thanks to Rokitflite :clap::clap: and the Alps ! ) , I thought I would enter it again. The custom made waterslide decals were changed around from green to red and blue to silver. The rocket is still yellow. :cheers:

IMG_1613_4_1.JPG

IMG_1612_2_1.JPG

IMG_1611_1_1.JPG
 
Do you still have to possess the rocket to enter the contest? :confused:

I am a memeber of MASA (Minnesota Amateur Spacemodeler Association), section #576. Some of us have contributed quite a number of rockets to the past 2 NARAMS for the Fly It, Take It program. My entry is one of those I contributed this past year to NARAM 51.

For NARAM 50 I contributed 3 Alphas. For NARAM 51 I wanted to step it up with rockets that were larger and more eye catching to kids. I tried to think of what they would like to see. I built three: an Estes Baby Bertha, which I painted like Charlie Brown and an Estes Big Bertha, which I painted like the superheroThe Flash. My third contribution was the one for which I got the most reaction: a Quest Big Betty, which I painted like SpongeBob SquarePants.

All of the details are painted, there are no decals. It was a long process, which is detailed in my article for our club newsletter, The Planet, which can be viewed at . In a nutshell, there was a lot of masking and painting, starting with the lightest colors and working toward the darkest.

I did some of the painting at school (where I have a rocket club). I had many volunteers to take it home, especially when they found out I was doing all that work only to give it away.

It was actually a lot fun painting all the different parts of his face. I may do another one, this time using a Baby Bertha.

I never heard from the recipient, but I hope some boy or girl really enjoyed their SpongeBob rocket!

Andy Heren
NAR # 71711

IMG_0470.jpg
 
Do you still have to possess the rocket to enter the contest? :confused:

Well, ummm, yeah, the rocket entered into the contest SHOULD still be in your possession/fleet..I think I will make an exception this ONE time, unless there are any dissenters-if you disagree PM me and let me know..Good luck Andy.

ALL FYI, I just edited the rules section in post #1 of this thread to hopefully add some clarifications.
 
Last edited:
I figured it would probably be expected that you still own the rocket, but I thought I would give it a shot.

Of course, you wouldn't know I don't still possess it if I hadn't have said so in my explanation of why it was painted that way and that it was to give away to promote our hobby. This is by far the most detailed paint job I have ever done.

If some disagree that I should be included, that is fine. I understand and no hard feelings.

Andy
 
Last edited:
Here's my entry! I just finished it this morning, it will fly tomorrow, November 14 at the Florida Bunnell Blast.

Before anyone says - "That sure looks like that old classic!"
Well, it should. The basis for the design was pirated!

It's the JOLLY ROGER. I tied in some features of pirates and pirate ships.
Dueling 18mm engines (2 engine cluster) and Dueling parachutes. (two 12" chutes)
Both trash-bag parachutes have the skull and crossbones stenciled on them.

One big feature is the "Planked" fin. I've built a few planked model ships over the years and thought it would be fun to incorporate that into the model.
That dark planked fin is 1/8" balsa stained dark walnut. The fin is held together by a printed band of "nailed tin".

The ship's hull is ST-16 tubing. The cannon (engine mount) rings are Semroc CR-716x2.
Decals were drawn with Corel Draw.

Wish me luck tomorrow!

Jolly Roger 1.gif

Jolly Roger 2.gif

Jolly Roger 3.gif

Jolly Roger 4.gif
 
Last edited:
Only 5 entries so far! We can get a few more involved! ;) Just a reminder there are 2 days left(by midnight EST 11/21) to get your entries in! Voting to commence on the 22nd! :)
 
Here's some shots of the Jolly Roger's first flight at the Florida, Bunnell Blast last Saturday. It flew on a two engine cluster of Quest B6-4s using the Q2G2 igniters. Roger Smith (JonRocket.com and PayloadBay.com) took the great pictures.
The annual Bunnell Blast was very well attended. It seemed there was more fliers than available pads.

Jolly Roger on pad 2009-11-14.JPG

Jolly Roger Up 2009-11-14.JPG

Jolly Roger Recovery 2009-11-14.JPG
 
OK... What the heck, since a pirate theme has been started. I submit for your approval "Pirate's Booty".

I did a build thread on this about a year ago here:
https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?t=1043

The pictures below were taken by the masterful Bob Sanford at NARAM-51 in Johnstown PA. The motor was an Aerotech E reload. E-18 maybe? It ended up in a tree, but thanks to Bob's help, was recovered unharmed.:)

IMG_6647.jpg

IMG_7397.jpg

IMG_7400.jpg
 
Well, I'll give it a go..

Completed this month after a build thread was done - (thread located at:
https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?p=56821

This was the second in a series of "design/builds" to demonstrate that a fairly large scale model can be built to fly on smaller economical motors - if built lightweight.
It was also built without a shop full of machinery, using nothing more than conventional rocket modeling tools, using easy to fabricate materials such as foam core, posterboard, balsa and basswood with some lightweight fiberglass for some of the small detail parts.

The body tube was hand rolled with posterboard, the individual parts all fabricated from scratch, with a few conventional cardboard motor mount tubes for the main structural components.

Flying weight is approx. 3.6 lbs.
The motor options include four 24mm, four 29mm, with a central 38mm.
A Xavien FIST timer can be used for outboard motor airstarts (the opened hatch to the airframe electronics bay is seen in picture).

MLJ-1a.jpg

MLJ-Ic.jpg

LJ-1 b.JPG

MLJ-I%20LES.JPG
 
Last edited:
OK... What the heck, since a pirate theme has been started. I submit for your approval "Pirate's Booty".

I did a build thread on this about a year ago here:
https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?t=1043

The pictures below were taken by the masterful Bob Sanford at NARAM-51 in Johnstown PA. The motor was an Aerotech E reload. E-18 maybe? It ended up in a tree, but thanks to Bob's help, was recovered unharmed.:)

There are SO many I like in this month's entries but as I said in your build thread, this one is a masterpiece that hits all my buttons. Who would have thought nFC could be so masterful!
:clap::clap::clap::clap:
 
Well, I'll give it a go..

Completed this month after a build thread was done - (thread located at:
https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?p=56821

This was the second in a series of "design/builds" to demonstrate that a fairly large scale model can be built to fly on smaller economical motors - if built lightweight.
It was also built without a shop full of machinery, using nothing more than conventional rocket modeling tools, using easy to fabricate materials such as foam core, posterboard, balsa and basswood with some lightweight fiberglass in some small detail parts.

Wow....
That is incredible....
:eyepop:
 
Well, I'll give it a go..

Completed this month after a build thread was done - (thread located at:
https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?p=56821

This was the second in a series of "design/builds" to demonstrate that a fairly large scale model can be built to fly on smaller economical motors - if built lightweight.
It was also built without a shop full of machinery, using nothing more than conventional rocket modeling tools, using easy to fabricate materials such as foam core, posterboard, balsa and basswood with some lightweight fiberglass in some small detail parts.

The body tube was hand rolled with posterboard, the individual parts all fabricated from scratch, with a few conventional cardboard motor mount tubes for the main structural components.

Flying weight is approx. 3.6 lbs.
The motor options include four 24mm, four 29mm, with a central 38mm.
A Xavien FIST timer can be used for outboard motor airstarts (the opened hatch to the airframe electronics bay is seen in picture).

Gorgeous! Did you fly that thing at Red Glare? Or has it flown yet?
 
Last edited:
There are SO many I like in this month's entries but as I said in your build thread, this one is a masterpiece that hits all my buttons. Who would have thought nFC could be so masterful!
:clap::clap::clap::clap:

Thanks John... I will NEVER apply that many decals to one rocket ever again! :eek:
 
Well, I'll give it a go..

Completed this month after a build thread was done - (thread located at:
https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?p=56821

This was the second in a series of "design/builds" to demonstrate that a fairly large scale model can be built to fly on smaller economical motors - if built lightweight.
It was also built without a shop full of machinery, using nothing more than conventional rocket modeling tools, using easy to fabricate materials such as foam core, posterboard, balsa and basswood with some lightweight fiberglass in some small detail parts.

The body tube was hand rolled with posterboard, the individual parts all fabricated from scratch, with a few conventional cardboard motor mount tubes for the main structural components.

Flying weight is approx. 3.6 lbs.
The motor options include four 24mm, four 29mm, with a central 38mm.
A Xavien FIST timer can be used for outboard motor airstarts (the opened hatch to the airframe electronics bay is seen in picture).

Your Joe looks great. Did it end up flying at RG-7? I somehow missed the flight.
 
Your Joe looks great. Did it end up flying at RG-7? I somehow missed the flight.

Thanks guys...
To answer the question on the flight....I had every intention of putting it up at Red Glare, since I sure put the time in getting it ready.
I was up late the night before doing the ground/check-timer tests and the motors were loaded...but after chasing down my Gemini capsule out in the rice paddies, I decided to take a rest and see if the winds would die down a bit (they didn't).

This is a cluster rocket, but like the Apollo Little Joe (which has flown five times) this is a non dual deployment/apogee only deployment project and I just wasn't into chasing this one down wind after doing that on the Gemini Titan.

So I'll be bringing it to Culpeper next opportunity.

Dick - hope you are ok with me using that picture...(was this the one you took while I was in the RSO line?)
 
Last edited:
Well, the entry period is now officially closed! :)

Lot's of fine looking rockets vying for the top prize of a $30 spree at SEMROC!

Good luck, and may the BEST rocket win!:clap:

Oh, and poll to be posted momentarily! ;)
 
Back
Top