Aerotech E18 users - what's different with this reload?

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5x7

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Quiz - What is different with these instructions? :)

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I think that's it. Flew one a few months ago and IIRC the grain spacer goes to the front within the liner, with the prop grain aft.

Greg
 
That's the old instructions with the grain at the head end of the motor?

Ding ding ding!!!!!!!!

8 minutes from question to answer. Great job! The other thing is it is a 10 second delay (slow delay formula, blue stripe) that is no longer produced. I think the instructions were changed because it's hard to thread a new igniter into the slot in case of a misfire, the motor needed to be disassembled.
 
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The other things that indicates this is a really old reload, an unopened package, what things indicate it is old here?

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The grain is swelled and the copper head is free.

(just guessing here, I'm too new to know old.)
 
The grain is swelled and the copper head is free.

(just guessing here, I'm too new to know old.)

You got one of two- the grain is puffed up like popcorn. It's true that copperheads were on the inside of the instructions later on, very good!- but not what I was going for. Look closely and compare to an unopened recent E18 Package.
 
You got one of two- the grain is puffed up like popcorn. It's true that copperheads were on the inside of the instructions later on, very good!- but not what I was going for. Look closely and compare to an unopened recent E18 Package.

It was $7.99 back in the day?
 
Ok, ok. Yes, four orings, but they had four orings for many years. NAR29996 is really close with his comment about a single load- that's it, this is a one pack. If you have a one pack I think they are from the mid - 1990s. (They were certified in 1994 I believe). So you are probably looking at a 15 - 19 year old reload.
 
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This came from a hobby store that buys stock from other stores. I saw this load and told them it was useless except to start a campfire, so they told me I could take it or they would throw it away. The grain is heavily swollen and pretty hard. Only White Lightning does this as far as I can tell, and only if it is not sealed well.
 
I removed it from the pack to see how bad it was.

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No way it was going into that tube. Normal WL oxidation is a few white specs. Here the white specs have taken over!
 
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I cut it apart to see how deep the oxidation goes, its a good 1/8 inch plus into the grain.

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No amount of sanding could save this one!
 
If I had Blue Thunder or Blackjack of this vintage I would not hesitate to fly it, or WL if the grain was in good shape.
 
That's the old instructions with the grain at the head end of the motor?

That's a very old reload.

Not long after the RMS system was released, customers started contacting AeroTech about the White Lightning reloads having a very dark colored exhaust.
We ran some tests at the AeroTech plant and verified the issue. It was/is caused by the paper propellant grain spacer burning up as the exhaust flame/gases go by it.
Gary tested out moving the spacer in front of the propellant grain and that 'restored' the White Lightning exhaust effect.

I would state that this specific reload kit is from 1992.
 
Oh man! Why did you cut it?!?!

If you had kept it a year or two longer, it might have grown into a "G"! :wink:

Greg
 
That's a very old reload.

Not long after the RMS system was released, customers started contacting AeroTech about the White Lightning reloads having a very dark colored exhaust.
We ran some tests at the AeroTech plant and verified the issue. It was/is caused by the paper propellant grain spacer burning up as the exhaust flame/gases go by it.
Gary tested out moving the spacer in front of the propellant grain and that 'restored' the White Lightning exhaust effect.

I would state that this specific reload kit is from 1992.

Great info Bob. Do you have any recollection of when AT started the Es and Fs in three packs?
 
REALLY old AT reloads are made by ISP and/or include a wetnap inside. Not sure if the 2 are mutually exclusive or not. Got a few that old at home.
 
That's a very old reload.

Not long after the RMS system was released, customers started contacting AeroTech about the White Lightning reloads having a very dark colored exhaust.
We ran some tests at the AeroTech plant and verified the issue. It was/is caused by the paper propellant grain spacer burning up as the exhaust flame/gases go by it.
Gary tested out moving the spacer in front of the propellant grain and that 'restored' the White Lightning exhaust effect.

I would state that this specific reload kit is from 1992.

I have recently started flying some very old reloads. Here is a slow-mo of a E18 launch. Notice the black smoke. I am wondering if I am following the "old" instructions and getting the black smoke.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4JRsEVyLbQ

Aaron
 
REALLY old AT reloads are made by ISP and/or include a wetnap inside. Not sure if the 2 are mutually exclusive or not. Got a few that old at home.

Can you post some pictures? I would love to see them.
 
I was going through my old stash of small reloads:

RMS 18/20: (multiples pack of each type...)
B6-4T
C6-3W
C6-5W
C12-10W
D13-7W
E27-4T

RMS 24/40
D9-7W
E18-7W

I also have a single use 18mm E25-4

I am pretty sure all are at least 10+ years old...

Aaron

Had to attach a pic of that single use motor:

IMAG0233.jpg
 
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This was the only one I found. Thought I had some larger ones - maybe not. Copyright Date is 1990.

WETNAP towelette included.
ISP Reload Back.JPG

From ISP
ISP Reload Front.JPG
 
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This was the only one I found. Thought I had some larger ones - maybe not. Copyright Date is 1990.

WETNAP towelette included.
<img src="https://www.rocketryforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=143646"/>

From ISP
<img src="https://www.rocketryforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=143647"/>

That is really neat. I bought two ISP RMS casings around 1992 but by the time I got reloads I think they were Aerotech.
 
I was going through my old stash of small reloads:

RMS 18/20: (multiples pack of each type...)
B6-4T
C6-3W
C6-5W
C12-10W
D13-7W
E27-4T

RMS 24/40
D9-7W
E18-7W

I also have a single use 18mm E25-4

I am pretty sure all are at least 10+ years old...

Aaron

Had to attach a pic of that single use motor:

<img src="https://www.rocketryforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=143632"/>

The Bs and Cs are cool, I still have a C4-5 reload for the 18 mm hardware, it is WL and has a shallow angled slot that makes the burn profile a moonburn.
 
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