Another scratch clone: Der-V3

[Fore Check]

This one is close to stock. The bt5080 centering rings are 1/8 ply from BMS (rather than cardboard) and I moved the thrust ring forward 1" in the stuffer tube and used an "E" engine hook. All else is stock stuff. TangoPapa made the decals.

RocSim estimates about 1100 ft. on an E9-6 compared to the 600 ft. or so on the D12-5. No nose weight added, with a sim'd stability caliber of almost 2 with the E engine.



I never even considered buying one of these as a kid, but it's really grown on me since I put the parts together and built it.

 

[Fore Check]

Just experimenting with the camera now - another view.

 

[eugenefl]

SWEET!!! I absolutely LOVE my DER V-3. And yes, I bought mine as a kid back in 1991ish. (Ok, don't you old guys go and feel old on me now.) I remember paying $5 for it from KB Toy Stores when they carried model rocket products. As I recall, in that same year KB phased out all of their model rocket items. I remember seeing the Estes Jupiter-C there for about $12.99. (Kicks self in the rear...) That same day I purchased the OOP Skinni-Mini rocket for $1.95 on clearance.

Back then the DER V-3 was the BIG rocket in my fleet. All of my friends were envious because of its "massive" size and ability to fly on the "mighty" D engine. This was about the same time that we all drooled over the Estes Optima. What a BIG rocket that was...

Thanks for sharing. Your clone is not only gorgeous, but it also brought back some *very* fond memories.

 

[eugenefl]

Maybe I should post a picture of mine...duh!

 

[Fore Check]

Originally posted by eugenefl
This was about the same time that we all drooled over the Estes Optima. What a BIG rocket that was...

Thanks for sharing. Your clone is not only gorgeous, but it also brought back some *very* fond memories.

Oh, yes.... the Optima.

I have one of those to be built too. However, it will be modified too. I'm replacing the two 14 3/16" long lower body tubes with a single 28 3/8" tube (to eliminate the seam between tubes there) and it will have a three engine cluster, with the stuffer tubes for those three engine tubes being single long tubes about 31" long. It will fly on 3 x E engines. I even had BMS laser cut a continuous set of rear fins so they are not two-pieces glued together (as the original is.) I have all the rings and parts (and the original decals and stickers from an original kit off eBay) and will build it probably in January after the Christmas vacation/holiday.

 

[n3tjm]

I love the V3... I saw one at KB once.... I kick myself for not buying it

 

[Micromeister]

ForeCheck:
Great job. when I biult mine way back when It just screamed to me to be a 3 D12 cluster...so I did It did require some additional nose wight but she REALLY screams off the pad

 

[gothique_97]

Aah yes; Der V-3! One of my favourites. I built two of them back in the day [c.1991]. One I built stock, which ended up having its innards gutted after a D12 cato. The other I over-built with thru-the-wall G10 fins, heavy-duty shock cord, and some nose weight. I still have the heavy-duty one, but for some reason, I cannot fit a 24mm motor in the motor mount. Its like the tube shrunk by half a millimeter or something. Sadly, this means I can't fly it anymore.

But, I did use it as a basis for a 4" upscale V-3 that I built a year ago. I never bothered to match the decals, so its an upscale only in shape.

 

[Ryan S.]

*drool* I had a V-3 handed down to me and it was the greatest rocket of all time. I really need to make another one and some day a nice big upscale.