18mm Reloads

[Johnnie]

With Joe Burger's update on Aerotech's production status, I see that the 18mm reloads sre being produced as he promised a few months back...

here are my curiosities:

What do those who own them, and have flown them think of the Aerotech 18mm casing's...reloads...power.

Second, and I know this has been asked in other threads, but who might have the casings in stock?

Since reloads have just shipped, I would imagine they have not hit anyones dock just yet.

I was just thinking this AM as I was putting the stickers on my Estes Patriot, that I should have put a 24mm mount in it like it needs...then I ran across the Aerotech update thread in the Vendor's forum, and found my solution...and with that thought, it opened up a whole realm of possibilities for all of my Estes rockets that want to fly higher and faster.

...so fess up, who owns and has flown the 18mm reloader?

post 400 woohoo!

 

[ggoldy]

D-13, and D-24's are the only reloads I know of for the 18mm . But, I love 'em. They bring new life to all my small rockets. I bought the 3 case set a couple years ago. 18, 24, 29. I use them at every launch. They are great. Check around at the next HARA launch. You'll find some one flying them., and get first hand info. If you feel like a road trip, SEARS will be flying next Saturday. There'll be several of us flying them.

 

[Johnnie]

I have (2) ea of the 24 and the 29 cases, and now it is time for the 18...a D motor in that small of a package should rock!

I have been in HARA for 7 years now, and I think only one person actually has that case and a couple of the reloads for it, and has never flown it...time to make a deal...

 

[havoc821]

How much do the reloads cost for the 18mm? I would love to have a casing (or just borrow yours ) and reloads, but right now, I'm broke, well at least I will be after I paint my rockets! I built my patriot with a 24mm MMT and I have another unbuilt patriot that I might make into a 2 18mm cluster. Not sure yet.

Johnnie,

Are you going to the Manchester launch in 2 weeks? I am, hope to see you there!

 

[Ryan S.]

I think they are like 12 dollars for a bag of three but they are great. I used them in a science experiment and flew my Cheetah on them all day. They are great for smaller rocket too....they really give them a ride

 

[havoc821]

Wow That is a good price. I might have to look into those one day once I get more money!

 

[Initiator001]

I've used the B6, C4, C6, C12, D13, D24 & E27 loads in the RMS-18 case. Most of these loads are no longer certified.

The motor always worked fine for me, except for the C4 loads. Oh, they fired fine but for some reason the rockets I used the motor in seem to go unstable. Very strange...

 

[Johnnie]

Hmmmm I never knew that so many reloads were made for this casing...I knew of the D loads, but an E in that small of a package...wow!

Havoc821...I'll be in Manchester with a whole new group of rockets...Painting some right now as a matter of fact.

 

[KenParker]

Originally posted by Johnnierkt
Hmmmm I never knew that so many reloads were made for this casing...I knew of the D loads, but an E in that small of a package...wow!

"...so many reloads were made..." is correct. The only reloads you are likely to find going forward are the D13 and D24. (unless you catch some of the older ones - the Cs and Es - on eBay or ROL auctions) However, the D13s and D24s are awesome motors in that small of a package. They'll send Estes 18mm birds to places they never thought they would go.

 

[n3tjm]

The problem was having to clean the nozzles. Just the act alone of trying to remove that white Lightning residue, enlarged the throat enough that the next flight would be affected.

I remember those days... in 7th grade music class, knowing that I had a order of B6-4T, C4-4W, D13-4W, D24-4T, E11-3J, E18-4W, and F24-7W coming from High Sierra Rocketry... and I could not wait. I started drawing in my notebook, all the parts I knew the reloads would come with...

I still have those drawings somewhere...

 

[Ryan S.]

not the musical type ey Doug?

I can see cleaning the nozzles being a real hassle. Phenolic can really only be used once I tried cleaning a phenolic nozzle once....not fun.

I wonder how much it decreased the performance go from a C4 in the beginning to a C3 in the end

 

[Johnnie]

Question:

Did these reloads (3 per package right?) not come with three nozzles like the 24mm reloads did? Otherwise, why would you need to clean the nozzle after each burn/flight?

One nozzle would definetly see a reduction in performance with each succeeding reload.

 

[n3tjm]

The B and C loads only came with one nozzle to keep the price down. The D loads come with three nozzles.

Post 1979: The year I was born

 

[Johnnie]

That hurts...I was 15 when you were born, flying my fist Estes Alpha...suddenly I feel really old at 39 turning 40 isn;t this were mid- life crisis begins?

Two nozzles with the D loads, thats good, whew!

 

[wwattles]

Yes, Johnnie, it is.

You should soon be feeling an urge to play with the toys you did when you were a child, and hang out with people younger than you.

Oh wait... you already are!

WW

 

[Johnnie]

ww,

I'm ten years older~n~U........Oh well

Does anyone have any pics of these little 18mm's in action?

 

[Initiator001]

Originally, there was going to be only a few loads for the RMS-18 case.

The first one was the D13 and for those who were around back when Estes had a 'D13' that 'label' did not have a totally positive image.

Dan Meyer, VP AT/ISP, loved the idea of the first load being a D13. He photocopied the RMS-18 case and wrote a note on the copy about the motor being a D13. He then faxed it to J. Pat Miller, then President of the NAR. Dan was sure Pat would be reaching for the Tums!

The other reloads for the case came about as more of a game to see how small a reload could be made. The B6 was the limit. The problem was the igniter. Any smaller motor ('A') would require a nozzle throat too small for an igniter to fit through.

AeroTech 'B' & 'C' reloads were quite cost competitive with brand 'E' motors. Until one factored in the $40 cost of the RMS casing. That pretty much doomed these loads. They were never very popular except as novelties. Only one or two production runs were made for these motors.

The E27 load was an effort to get as much propellant as possible into the case. They only had a total impulse of 23 Newton-sec. These were, also, not that popular and were eventually dropped from the line.

 

[Johnnie]

Good history there Bob, always good to know the rest of the story. I feared that the story would not continue, as there had not been any new loads made for this casing in sometime, due in part of course to the fire, and subsequent rebuild. I figured such a slow moving product might fade away...since all of this legal mess has come about, I bet more and more of the small stuffs will be on the order of the day.

 

[Austin]

I have a few members in our club that use them and they are very slick! I want some for myself as they are really deceiving...using a larger motor in a smaller footprint. When it launches, it's very cool!

Carl

 

[n3tjm]

Originally posted by Johnnierkt
Does anyone have any pics of these little 18mm's in action?

Sure DO

https://n3tjm.crosswinds.net/Dec292001/Ryans_D24_Cheetah.jpg
https://n3tjm.crosswinds.net/Sept142002/05_D13_The_Doug.jpg
https://n3tjm.crosswinds.net/Oct272002/10_D13_Blue_Ninja.jpg
https://n3tjm.crosswinds.net/Oct272002/32_Dougs_2_D13_Deuces_Wild.jpg

And some videos

https://n3tjm.crosswinds.net/Dec292001/D13_Cheetah_2.mpg
https://n3tjm.crosswinds.net/Dec292001/D24_Cheetah_1.mpg
https://n3tjm.crosswinds.net/Oct272002/25_Dougs_2_D13_DW.mpg

 

[Johnnie]

N3tjm,

Great pics and video, love the pic of Fatboy in action, and the DW. The Blue Ninja has a great shot of the flame...made my lunch hour, thank you very much.

 

[Ryan S.]

nice pics Doug. Is that a cheetah pic from that day we burned all those 18mm loads?

 

[havoc821]

"Painting some right now as a matter of fact."

I did some of that yesterday. I bought the paint for my Horizon today along with paint for my LOC 4 inch V2 (won't fly at Manchester, don't have no more money ).

 

[n3tjm]

Originally posted by Johnnierkt
N3tjm,

Great pics and video, love the pic of Fatboy in action, and the DW. The Blue Ninja has a great shot of the flame...made my lunch hour, thank you very much.

No Problem . I am glad you liked the pictures and videos

Ryan - Yes, the D24 Cheetah and the Cheetah videos were taken that day I helped you with your science fair project.

 

[Ryan S.]

great Day, just to let everyone know, Doug, the Cheetahs and the 18mm case helped me get over 100% (bonus points....boo ya!) on that science fair project

 

[Johnnie]

...so 2 weeks ago when I started this thread, I was contacted by midpwrguy, a regular here on the Forum, he offered up his 18mm reloader for sale...what a deal, here is what arrived in the mail this past Thursday...

 

[Johnnie]

...yes, to sweeten the deal, he made a nice boat-tail retainer out of some aluminum to go with it.

To top it off, at todays Manchester, TN launch, I bought a package of D13-7W's for $8...

all photos curtesy of midpwrguy

I have not flown it yet.