Apogee Saturn 1B D power

[Frank Claunch]

I apologize if this has already been discussed, and I missed it.

The Aerotech F20-4W is recommended for the Apogee Saturn IB. It is comparatively expensive and difficult to find. Has anyone tried to fly it on a D or E engine? Or, even a cluster of D's or E's? How did that work?

Does anyone have any thoughts on this idea?

 

[Micromeister]

Frank:
I have not built or flown Apogees version of the 1/70th Saturn 1B. I have and still fly one of the original Estes 1/70th Saturn-1B models which is a 4 C6-3 cluster. I imagine Tims model is a good bit heavier than the original but I'd be inclined to cluster 3 or 4 D12's to power the model before looking for the F20's.
You might want to look as interchangable motor mounts for the model, I've used this method to give myself more motor options on several models. I think the Core tube on the 1B with be your sticking point. unless you plan on makeing some alterations to the tube tanks the core tube will pretty much limit your clustering to 3 D12's.. I think the core tube is a BT-70 or something close?

The old Estes model flys great on 4 C's

 

[Chilly]

Actually I've found the F20's have been the easiest ones to get. Aerotech even sells them direct from their website. They work out to about 10 bucks per flight.

Keep in mind the Apogee kit is supposed to have scale-sized fins, with the option of stablization by nose weight or canted fins (spin stabilized). Either way, you'd want to guarantee some serious punch off the pad. Considering what that kit costs, I'd want a good motor under it. An F25 would be even better .

 

[vjp]

Another option is the 24mm, F24-4 RMS.

My Apogee Saturn 1B is stalled; when I resume work on it, the paramount concern (to me) will be how to do a 4X cluster on it; the main challenge will be ducting the 4 motors into the small 29mm core tube, without frying the motor mount.

I did some Rocksim run-throughs a while back and I seem to remember that two D12's and two E9's (diagonally placed for symmetrical thrust) would produce a nice flight.

 

[shreadvector]

In stock and on sale:

https://www.ehobbies.com/1001-7833.html

Any model must have a motor that can lift it off the pad fast enough to fly stable and then fly high enough to deploy a recovery system BEFORE hitting the ground (or a fine luxury automobile sitting nearby).

That is why the motors have recommended maximum lift-off weight that varies by motor type and delay time.

F20-4 should be great.

Anything less is dangerous.

Originally posted by Frank Claunch
I apologize if this has already been discussed, and I missed it.

The Aerotech F20-4W is recommended for the Apogee Saturn IB. It is comparatively expensive and difficult to find. Has anyone tried to fly it on a D or E engine? Or, even a cluster of D's or E's? How did that work?

Does anyone have any thoughts on this idea?