AT HV arcas

[rabidsheeep]

i had some money to burn after i got a bunch of reload casings and my new skateboard, so i was stuck between buying the HV arcas or the binder designs stealth jr. but after i found the 20 dollar coupons from e hobbies, i had to get the arcas...

is there any trick to this kit or is it just like every other aerotech kit?

 

[hokkyokusei]

It's pretty much just like every other AT kit.

One of my son's got one for his birthday last year. We built it together. It goes together very quickly if you resist the temptation to overbuild. We just just followed the instructions and used CA.

We've had successful flights on E30 (using the adapter) and, I think, an F20 and G35. He's very pleased with it.

 

[Chilly]

The only difficult part is the simulated fin can. It's a section of body tube that has to be cut and set between the fins. The best way to cut it would be find another BT for support - otherwise it flexes too much. Maybe the main bt with a coupler inside for extra measure - and put a piece of masking tape on the BT to protect it from your knife (and use a fresh blade). Cut a little more length than you need, then sand it down to a perfect fit.

Most important: make sure the fin can wrap is glued down as tight as possible where it's behind the launch lugs. Otherwise the launch rod will bind up.

 

[hokkyokusei]

Originally posted by Chilly
The only difficult part is the simulated fin can. It's a section of body tube that has to be cut and set between the fins. The best way to cut it would be find another BT for support - otherwise it flexes too much. Maybe the main bt with a coupler inside for extra measure - and put a piece of masking tape on the BT to protect it from your knife (and use a fresh blade). Cut a little more length than you need, then sand it down to a perfect fit.

I cut ours out with a sturdy pair of scissors.

 

[Chilly]

Well now, that does sound simpler! Wish I'd tried it...

 

[Donaldsrockets]

The HV Arcas is a great kit. I really didn't have any problems with the simulated fin can assembly, I just used a new blade in my hobby knife and cut the straightest lines that I could.

I have flown it on motors ranging from an F20 to a G80. My favorite motors for it have been the G33-5J and G64-7W reloads.

On the other hand, the G80 flight took off like a bullet.

Great kit, I highly reccommend it.

 

[firemanup]

Like ours alot.... great flier...

Only problem we've had with it is during cleanup.

I always mist my rockets down after a launch with windex then wipe them down... did this before with this rocket.

Then last launch when i did that, all the decals ran, unfortunately i didn't notice it until i'd already sprayed down the whole rocket so now it doesn't look very good.. but still should fly great...

 

[rabidsheeep]

thanks guys...

now, anyone got some mod ideas?

 

[saxophone]

Originally posted by rabidsheeep
thanks guys...

now, anyone got some mod ideas?

Yup! Check out my Video ARCAS at:

https://www.SoundingRocket.com/myrockets/video.shtml

I used an X10 wireless camera. The antenna fits nicely in the 2.6" diameter
payload section. This was my first attempt at a video rocket. If I were to
do it over gain, I would have painted it grey to cut down on the glare.

 

[rabidsheeep]

AHGHGHGHH i wish i had money... that would be great

 

[Donaldsrockets]

I've also heard of people making mods to the motor mount assembly so that they can fly it on 29mm H motors and using it as a level 1 cert attempt.

I would only reccommend it if you have a lot of room.

 

[rabidsheeep]

i got another 4 years to worry about lvl 1 so thats no problem

 

[DynaSoar]

Originally posted by rabidsheeep
thanks guys...

now, anyone got some mod ideas?

When my Mustang kicked the engine halfway out the back, I changed my mind about their engine hook.

I'm modding my Mirage to use a PVC engine retainer. It worked out great on my NCR Renegade-X. For $20 you could buy a Slimline retainer, but the $2 PVC bit works as well, even though it weighs a couple ounces.

 

[rabidsheeep]

got it delivered today... this thing is bigger than i thought it would be

just noticed three things...

1. the nosecone seems to extend alittle over the od of the body tube...
2. the parts seem alittle more... raw? the bases of the fins need to get cut (no biggie), the nosecone has alittle left over stuff needed to be sanded...
3. ok... maybe i am *alittle* paranoid, but i was looking at bag that the engine mount stuff is in, and i noticed the tube was bent alittle and the bag looked like it was cut open and heat sealed again (ok... just *alittle* bit paranoid )

seriously though is this how the nosecone should be? extending alittle?

thanks

sheeepy

 

[rocketsonly]

Originally posted by rabidsheeep
i had some money to burn after i got a bunch of reload casings and my new skateboard, so i was stuck between buying the HV arcas or the binder designs stealth jr. but after i found the 20 dollar coupons from e hobbies, i had to get the arcas...

is there any trick to this kit or is it just like every other aerotech kit?

$20 coupon? Where from ?
Thanks.

 

[rabidsheeep]

came with my previous order...

i opened the box and also found the gas baffle and the fin lock rings melted and distorted

this stinks.

gotta send it back i guess

this thing is a mess

 

[Justin Horne]

Melted and Distorted?! Yeesh! Darn, I hope you get that resolved quick...

 

[rabidsheeep]

i was looking at it, and thinking "hmm, must have a boattail end of some sort...

i emailed aerotech, ill prolly end up calling them

 

[n3tjm]

Any of the other plastic melted? Fins? Nosecone? To save yourself some money, call Aerotech first. They have always been good at resolving my issues with their kits and motors.

The HV Arcas is such a nice rocket. I have owned two of them. Be Careful, she looks big, but she really gets up there. I have flown mine several times with G35's, G54's, G64's, and then... I flew it with a G40... and it got lost . Landed in a very thick area of trees and bushes. I could not get into it even if I tried

 

[Initiator001]

Originally posted by n3tjm
The HV Arcas is such a nice rocket. I have owned two of them. Be Careful, she looks big, but she really gets up there. I have flown mine several times with G35's, G54's, G64's, and then... I flew it with a G40... and it got lost . Landed in a very thick area of trees and bushes. I could not get into it even if I tried

At NARAM 33 back in 1992, AeroTech performed a public demo of the NEW RMS-29 40/120 reloadable motor using either a F40 or G64 (I can't remember) in an HV Arcas.

It launched fine but suddenly changed direction and went off into the woods.

Gary and I spent almost an hour searching for it but never found the Arcas. As I stated, this was a demo flight of the RMS-29 using a custom prototype casing. Gary wasn't happy about the loss of the casing, it had cost several hundred $$$s to make.

 

[Donaldsrockets]

Originally posted by n3tjm


she really gets up there.

That she does. I have flown mine on two G33J's, G40W, G64W, and a G80T.

The flight I remember most was on the G64-7W. It roared up and out of sight in a hurry to about 1,700 feet, deployed the chute and came down about 100 feet away from where I was standing.

The G33-5J's provided nice slow and smokey flights up to about 1,400 feet with recoveries close by.

The G80-7T was absolutely mind blowing, I never thought a rocket that size could move so fast.

The G40-7W was very nice also, similar to the G80, just not as fast and had a nice flame with a large amount of smoke.

Awesome rocket. If you don't have one, get one. Nuff said.

 

[n3tjm]

Originally posted by Donaldsrockets
The G33-5J's provided nice slow and smokey flights up to about 1,400 feet with recoveries close by.

Oh Yeah! Forgot obout em G33's! I love those motors . I too have flown my Arcas with them. 3 second burn... sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!

 

[rabidsheeep]

WOW. ok, so after i got the replacement parts from AT's tech support, which is by the way awesome, and i assembled the rest or the rocket... bah, ill just put it in a list

the other fin lok ring was distorted, so yes, after sanding i got it on, just the mmt is alitte bent, but it still will fit a motor

two of the fin lok rings didn't exactly "lock" into place

the nosecone overhangs the body tube just a bit

there was an eye bolt missing (30 cents at a hardware store)

So, after all that, i finally get the thing finished (after a bottle of super glue literally pours on my leg... In the process of getting it off, i have now a silky smooth bald spot)

I go out to prime her, and whatta you know... My can of primer craps out...




This is halarious to me... Seriously though AT's support is awesome...

 

[DynaSoar]

Originally posted by rabidsheeep
WOW. ok, so after i got the replacement parts from AT's tech support, which is by the way awesome, and i assembled the rest or the rocket... bah, ill just put it in a list

[stuff]

This is halarious to me... Seriously though AT's support is awesome...

Take heart: Murphy is with you. When it all piles up in one place, that means it's not spread all over. Your other birds will go just fine.

 

[rabidsheeep]

heres the little devil sitting primed.

tomorrow we paint...

btw while priming, the cap of the paint can broke, so i lost the actual spray cap, couldn't find my fat cap, and had to go digging through a wet bag of garbage to find another nozzle for it...

i went on my back to go underneath it to get the bottom painted, and i just said "id rather not, with my luck it'll fall right on my chest and theres gonna be a grey paint stripe on my shirt"

wishfull thinking

 

[rabidsheeep]

finally done with it LOL

painting went smooth... too smooth *shifty eyes*

i cant leave a stock paintjob, so i just added some silver (which of course doesn't look "chromed" but i like the grey look) on the fins and the tip of the nosecone...

 

[rabidsheeep]

and just another angle

 

[RocketboyG80]

I like the gray you added, it really adds something to the look. Good job!

 

[rabidsheeep]

ITS DONE!!!

well, after decals i just didn't like the look, so i added alittle black stripe... i almost fainted in anticipation of pulling off the tape... i was just counting the number of things that might go wrong... BUT IT WORKED! lol...

so yeah, now im sitting here just waiting for it to spontaniously combust since nothing (horrible) went wrong in painting...

the other side:

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v64/sheeepy/arcasdone5.jpg

front:

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v64/sheeepy/arcasdone4.jpg

im actually really happy how it came out... my dads words were "woah, you made one that looks nice"

 

[loopy]

That looks great! What's it gonna fly on?

Loopy