Almost another RED MAX...my Semroc rockets!

[billeblurzz]

Here are my latest SEMROCS: LASER-X

 

[astronboy]

That came out VERY nice!!

Fred

 

[billeblurzz]

And the ALMOST ANOTHER RED MAX: HYDRA VII...the choice of colors was with the intention of using DER RED MAX decals...but with the size of the fins, I had to CLIP the IRON CROSS and it just would not have looked right to me. If someone can resize the standard decals, this would make an awsome RED MAX! The body tube is the right size for the wrap around black and skulls! I decided maybe for a "classier" look with the HYDRA decals.

 

[CTimm]

Those "white" leading edges on the fins really look nice against the red fins!!!

Very sharp.

Chris Timm

 

[billeblurzz]

Hey Fred, yea I have several of your RED MAX decals left...I will use them on a more suitable rocket. HINT...the GOONEY-MAX is in planning for the Estes CLUSTER-BOMB!....LOOK at that nose cone and vision the German SPIKE-HELMET!!!! There the secrets out....someone will probably beat me to it now! Since everyone likes to LOOK up a rocket's a@@, HERE is the impressive BUSINESS END!!!

 

[slim_t]

Man, those look great.
I wish I had the patience to paint like that.
Got many a rocket in need of some paint.

Tim

 

[Karl]

billEblurzz :

That is the most awesome Hydra 7 that I've ever seen ( I should know , I have 3 myself ) ! What paint did you use? Im soooo gonna have to buy yet another hydra now! Or maybe I could use your paintjob on my 2x upscale ?
The attached picture is of one of mine before it got wrote off :kill:

billEblurzz you have a PM.

 

[n3tjm]

Wow... looks very similar to my Hydra VII.

 

[Karl]

n3tjm have you got a picture of yours?

 

[n3tjm]

I took the little fins off because I had problems with them. That was covered in a earlier thread. Semroc really helped me with that

 

[billeblurzz]

Hey Karl, thanks for the nice comments....your silver, blue, and red color scheme looks just as good or better than mine! You must have done some hand painting with that too? I do as LITTLE of that as I can. The paint is just KRYLON GLOSS. I did all fin finishing and painting of the body fins and augmenter ring and fins separately as they were assembled into two parts first so the hard to reach parts would be smooth as the rest. The inside of the ring was blackened with a black sharpie so it would be black inside. Since the inside was not black PAINT, when I epoxied the painted and finished ring and fins to the painted body and fins, there would still be a paper surface inside for good adhesion. I used epoxy throughout. It seems as strong as a tank and weighs approx. 8oz. without chute. The nose will be only press friction fit so can be removed to add multiple metal washers screwed behind the nose for needed weights as to the number of motors to keep the center of gravity constant. I plan to swing test to check this out.

 

[billeblurzz]

Doug, your paint IS simlilar to mine...maybe your red is brighter or is that just the camera flash...very nice job with the many fillits! Did you use epoxy? I had planned on doing a RED MAX....reason for the red and black....wanted to do the stock scheme like Karl's fine paint job, but I just did not want to do some hand painting. Now I know you can launch on three or seven C motors, but is there any reason you cannot launch the HYDRA on 5 motors...looking at the mount would 5 motors be out of balance somehow with using the center? If you use the center for parachute ejection, do you use C6-0 or C6-? with delay as the same as the center and let the outer motors eject from the rocket?

 

[Karl]

Yep I painted the Bodytubes & motor tubes using Plastikote spray paint.
Then painted each fin , the argumentor tube and nosecone by hand. It took a good few coats but I was happy with the finished result *attached picture below*

The metal washer idea is the first thing that popped up into my head when my #2 hydra wrote itself off. Or drilling a 5-6mm hole down the center of the nosecone to add some sort of removeable noseweight.

Flying it on 5 motors , hmm I wouldn't be to sure. Because it's sorta breaking the 'circle of power' that the shape of the mmt's give. I've flew my #1 Hydra on 3 C6-5's before using the central motor tube , and a outboard either side. Perfect flight , to around 600-700ft. I would suggest using a 18" Ripstop Nylon or Nylon 'chute in her , as I used 2 of the Semroc 12" 'chutes and it stripped one of them.
Are you planning on letting the rocket split in 3 peices like the instructions say? Hey , gotta comment on awesome rockets

 

[Karl]

Sorry I forgot to attach the picture , here it is .
Karl

 

[billeblurzz]

For the first flight, I would like to try 3 C-motors. I added weight behind the nose cone to bring the center of gravity forward for a good swing test. Here is where it balances with 3 C6-3s:

 

[Karl]

I dont realy thing you need nose weight for 3 C motors , mine flew perfect without . I thought about making a 'well' inside the balsa nosecone and filling it with plasterscene when needed.

Sorry about that picture being so small heres a better one .
Karl

 

[billeblurzz]

This point is right at the tip of the half-cones about 20" from the tip of the main nose. At this point it is probably overstable...in the swing test the rocket immediately swung forward into flying position. At less nose weight and a balance point just behind the base of the half-cones, the rocket would try to swing forward and then begin to hunt and try to swap ends. By experience, it might have still been somewhat stable at that point. Here is the swing test:

 

[billeblurzz]

Here is my question! Any and all comments appreciated! The all-up weight with 3 Cs and chute and nose weight is about 14 oz. Would 3 C6-3s handle this weight? I have available 3 C5-3s if anyone thinks those would be better....but if the replaceable C6-3s would work, I would rather use them. Wow, the new QUEST D20s would really be nice!!! What do you HYDRA VII flyers suggest? (yea, I know....LOSE THE EPOXY and the NOSE WEIGHT and BUILD LIGHT!!! )

 

[Karl]

Im sure they will be able to lift that , I built my first Hydra tough , and that means alot more weight! It still lifted it on C motors! I suggest using C6-3's , thats what I used and apogee was perfect . If you want a video of the liftoff of that hydra flight visit this page :
https://rocketrygallery.tripod.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/hydravid.avi

Karl

 

[billeblurzz]

Launched the LASER-X and HYDRA VII today! First up, the LASER-X:

 

[billeblurzz]

Liftoff on a B6-4: wish I could catch all my shots like this!

 

[billeblurzz]

Nice quick and high straight flight and recovery on a .....OOPS!....FLISKITS!! chute! I guess I need JIM with me ALWAYS in some way!

 

[billeblurzz]

Now the HYDRA VII....was concerned about the weight. I went back and checked the balance point with all seven motors with the nose weight that I added in the swing test. The balance point only moved back to the base of the half-cones....so if this flight on only 3 C6-3s is good, I believe it will be great with all seven! I am going with a single 24" nylon Estes chute!

 

[Steward]

Don't ya love it when a plan comes together...!!!

unlike my John Deere green "Goblin" on another thread...LOL

Good Job...!!!

 

[billeblurzz]

Liftoff on 3 C6-3s: the center motor was friction fit with tape for chute ejection....the two outboard motors were allowed to be ejected... ....little early on the shutter!

 

[billeblurzz]

Beautiful slow liftoff....good height....STRAIGHT UP....smoothest liftoff I have ever had! maybe 500-600 ft.

 

[billeblurzz]

INCOMING....INCOMING!!! two motors popped and ejected....the remaining stack comes down really quick on even a 24" chute....with more motor weight, might need to come down on multiple chutes! It made a big THUD when it landed....but there were NO marks or damage....NO Estes dents....NO clipped fins on either SEMROC!!! I LOVE it when a plan comes together!!!

 

[rebar_rocketry]

I see they finally cut the grass out there