August Best Rocket Competition- The Uglies

[Pantherjon]

Well, the slacker that I am, here it is the 3rd and I am just now posting the opening of this month's contest! Oh well,,So here goes! Important notice at the end of this post, so read it all even the repetitious rules section!

Firstly a shameless plug for our wonderful sponsor this month! A BIG thank you goes out to Dave of Hot Rod Rocketry, producers of truly awesome kits ! Check out the site! I am sure there is a kit there that will tickle your fancy!

This is the official location of The Rocketry Forum Best Rocket Competition. This is a monthly event to show off your "stuff" and find out who has THE BEST ROCKET OF THE MONTH! When entering, make sure you follow the criteria listed below and you will do fine. From the 21st(or there about) until the end of the month we'll be polling to see who should win the Best Rocket Competition.

Double check to make sure you entering in the correct 'power level' thread! Only ONE entry per person per month(no entering BOTH LPR and MPR/HPR in a single given month!). The thread titles will reflect the power level: XXX Best Rocket Competition LPR or XXX Best Rocket Competition MPR/HPR.


Da Rulez

1. Header of picture should include, name, what kit or was it custom, LPR, MPR or HPR. Example: LPR Estes Hijinx..Put this in the 'title' block when posting.
2. A BRIEF description of rocket details. Anything that would make it apparent to somebody that yours is THE BEST.
3. Only ONE entry per month.
4. Please no extended off topic conversations.
5. Rockets made at any period of time may be used.Rocket needs to be in your possession/fleet at the time of the competition!
5A. Rockets entered MUST have at least one successful flight. Not simulated, but real world flying through the sky type..with successful recovery.
6. Rocket may be entered into the current months competition only ONCE! Rocket may be entered into a following months competition if it fits the given category.
7. If there is a monthly specified type of contest (such as red, white and blue themed), you can only enter rockets that are applicable.
8. Entries will be taken first 3 weeks of month and after the 21st of every month the contest closes.
9. The last week of the month we will be polling on who should win in each class.
10. Winners get bragging rights for a month!



Theme

Pretty easy theme this month: THE UGLIES! Do I need elaborate?..Just remember Rule #5a!

So, show us your awesome builds!


Remember detail, details, details! So don't be shy, include extra photos of the little bits that make YOUR model extra special!
If you entry is a kit, let us know who's kit it is!

PRIZE(S)

Our awesome sponsor this month is Hot Rod Rocket Shop! Rocketry like never before! And the prize is a 'graft bag of goodies'!Whatever that is, but, I am sure it will be well worth your time in entering!

So, let's get those entries in!


NOTICE: As a real slacker I didn't get around to getting MPR/HPR sponsorship this month As a result this months' contest is open to all power classes..Just keep in mind our sponsor this month is geared toward LPR, but if you wish to enter an MPR or HPR then feel free to do so..I just want to see a lot of LPR entries as well!

 

[ScrapDaddy]

A true classic, you see i left this around after a flight and found it 2 days later in the Master bathroom
and flight:
[YOUTUBE]Dk5fq3mgF5k[/YOUTUBE]
So the important question, what do y'all think?

 

[Rex R]

my 1st thought was gee do I have one that fits the catagory...then I remembered how many folks liked this ones larger sibling . taint purty but, it flies nice. the FTM2

 

[The EGE]

aka, the RSOs really don't like me anymore.

Cause, you see, They're trying to cramp my style. I took a D12-0 and taped on fins and a nose cone. I even put on a launch lug. But no-oo. Some crap about recovery systems and safety and all that.

Seriously, though, the Rokit! is just intended to make the RSO do a double-take. The D12-0 is just an expended motor casing, as is the 18mm casing inside it. It actually launches on A10s.

The D12 is in fact glued to the forward tube, and the fins, launch lug, and motor hook are all properly attached underneath the tape. It even has a recovery system:

It's got two sucessful launches under its belt. Here's the moment of ignition on the first:

 

[Rutrag]

I' m diggin' the humor of the Rokit.:clap:

 

[MarkII]

Jon, I just have this sneaking suspicion that you will come to regret choosing this theme. I hope I'm wrong, but...

 

[Pantherjon]

Jon, I just have this sneaking suspicion that you will come to regret choosing this theme. I hope I'm wrong, but...

In what way? That folks don't want to admit they have ugly rockets?:cyclops: You may be right..Will see..If there isn't a minimum of 5 entries by the 20th I may open the theme to 'anything' for the last 24 hours before the entry period closes at midnight on the 21st...

 

[H_Rocket]

Coming soon...


The winner of the LDRS28 ugliest rocket competition.

 

[Scotty Dog]

In what way? That folks don't want to admit they have ugly rockets?:cyclops: You may be right..Will see..If there isn't a minimum of 5 entries by the 20th I may open the theme to 'anything' for the last 24 hours before the entry period closes at midnight on the 21st...

With the promise of 2 more plus the one Im going to enter.I think youll get the 5. Scotty Dog

 

[harsas]

Hmmmm. The ugliest rocket. I can do this. The hardest part is to decide which one to post....

 

[brianc]

Well, it doesn't get much UGLIER than this[1]...
Bad enough to make one go back to flying just LPR (or get a train set).


You can read all about this rocket on my OP blog-
https://our.rocketryplanet.com/profiles/blogs/1014531:BlogPost:35885

And you can read about the successful reconstruction here-
https://our.rocketryplanet.com/profiles/blogs/american-thor-flew-finally






[1] Unless your name is Kevin. Or so I've heard.

 

[UPscaler]

NOW I'll enter the red crayon
https://www.rocketryforum.com/showpost.php?p=105874&postcount=1

This is my High power scratch built red crayon. It did fly once, successfully. then we tried again. I regret doing so.

notice the nosecone is almost completely reversed. That's a hard hit, and I've never seen a body tube banged up that bad from an impact. I wish I would have gotten a picture of it when we first went out there. The tube was still (somewhat) together. It was about a foot and a half long.

easy one this month :neener:

 

[Rex R]

silly me, I thought they had to be still flyable w/o needing repairs .

 

[adrian]

Not so. See June Best Rocket Competition MPR/HPR, in which the same rocket was entered after having crashed. The ruling then was:

Well, technically, the rules don't specify that the rocket HAS to be in flyable condition at time of contest, only that it need be in your collection and HAS flown successfully before.Which is kind of in a gray area..I need to consult the rules committee.....

So, after consulting with the rules committee I have decided that it would be acceptable with good before mishap picture(s) and at least one picture from a successful flight..

The only question is whether the rocket would qualify as it was before or after the crash?

 

[Pantherjon]

Not so. See June Best Rocket Competition MPR/HPR, in which the same rocket was entered after having crashed. The ruling then was:

Originally Posted by Pantherjon View Post
Well, technically, the rules don't specify that the rocket HAS to be in flyable condition at time of contest, only that it need be in your collection and HAS flown successfully before.Which is kind of in a gray area..I need to consult the rules committee.....

So, after consulting with the rules committee I have decided that it would be acceptable with good before mishap picture(s) and at least one picture from a successful flight..

The only question is whether the rocket would qualify as it was before or after the crash?

Whilst I did post that and it is a valid rule..I think, that in the spirit of the contest theme that 'crashed' rockets-ugly as they are(all crashes are ugly) shouldn't be entered..Maybe I should have made an explanation in the opening post that read to the effect: 'ugly flyable rockets'..Since I didn't, the 2 'crashed' rocket entries will stand, but no more..

Ugly flyable rockets..No crashed,smashed,cato'd, diced or sliced rockets, please..

 

[HotRod Rockets]

UGLIES!:.

So... what's the prize? The first of the "FLYING CIRCUS" kits.

https://www.hotrodrocketshop.com/Buffalo.html

You TRF folks are finnaly making me get off my butt and package this one up.
Same one I have been test flying for a while. (yup the one from LDRS in N.Y.:y

If I see some more of "the good, bad and the uglies" I'll dig in to my massive stack of stuff and get some second and third place prizes also.

So... Get UGLY!

.

 

[ScrapDaddy]

Whilst I did post that and it is a valid rule..I think, that in the spirit of the contest theme that 'crashed' rockets-ugly as they are(all crashes are ugly) shouldn't be entered..Maybe I should have made an explanation in the opening post that read to the effect: 'ugly flyable rockets'..Since I didn't, the 2 'crashed' rocket entries will stand, but no more..

Ugly flyable rockets..No crashed,smashed,cato'd, diced or sliced rockets, please..

Wait! I found a catch, you mentioned they must have a successful recovery! Check out rule #5
Sorry upscaler

 

[brianc]

the 2 'crashed' rocket entries will stand, but no more..

My entry was mostly a joke. When it comes around to voting,
please exclude it from the poll.

[youtube]KTwnwbG9YLE[/youtube]

 

[UPscaler]

Not so. See June Best Rocket Competition MPR/HPR, in which the same rocket was entered after having crashed. The ruling then was:
The only question is whether the rocket would qualify as it was before or after the crash?

It also was removed as an entry, I turned around and entered the blue crayon that I had built about a week prior to the ending. So it has not been entered in a contest.

 

[H_Rocket]

Gather around children for a tale of rocketry horror and redemption...

[house lights to 30%, cue eerie, but catchy theme music]

Long ago on a field in New York a brave young high power flyer with a shiny new Public Missiles Sudden Rush strode onto the field at METRA with the lofty goal of flying a mighty I motor. After consulting with the high priests from PML (thanx Henry) on the mysteries of the CPR3000 recovery system the knave assembled his first snap ring motor. A Loki I 405. Now brazen and bold he strode to the pad not realizing that the impish Jeff Taylor of Loki does not, in fact provide "extra" o-rings with the reload. Stepping back he heard the count and...

Well the now humbled young man stood gazing down on the smoking remains that was his pride and joy. A grizzled elder rocketeer (Gene Costanza) approached and provided this wise counsel to the distraught lad

"If this bothers you, go buy a train set" Yes, that is where the saying was born

Tail between legs the young man returned to his laboratory and with an infusion of money rebuilt his battered rocket. Arising from the ashes and smoldering plastic was "Born Again Rocket".

This time being humble the apprentice made homage to the rokit gods and tried again. But nay they were not happy and the electronics failed yielding yet another battered pile of parts.

[Meanwhile Off Camera, two other rocket flyers, Patrick McConnell and Rob Bazinet, are having similar results with the cursed Sudden Rush. They provided organ transplants from their lost causes)

Driven mad with frustration the apprentice crawled deeper into his lair and after an all night session (cue thunderstorm and more eerie music) he came forth with an insane grin dragging the fruits of his madness with him:

PROJECT FRANKENRUSH

Or at least most of it. It had no pointy part. This was soon remedied by Henry of PML with a custom built and crashed nose cone. Now complete, the abomination was ready to fly...

And fly it has, soiling the air around it as it leaps howling with the glee of a forsaken soul to the sky over and over; mocking those self same rockit godz that gave rise to it.

It reigns near indestructible. Warp 9 motors - it sneers. Nine months in a tree at Geneseo, it comes back (Thanks Nat). And even at LDRS, as Nadine Kinsey recoiled in horror, it proudly now arrogantly bears the title "Ugliest Rocket - LDRS 28" Even lost there in the potatoes the local farmers turned out to help find it before it brought ruin to the crops.

So here it is in all it's malignant glory. As Greg Gardner puts it, the worlds only completely Pre-Disastered Rocket.

It has complete disrespect for its club logo

The rail guides are put on with drywall screws

And it always carries a small part of the accursed ground from which it was spawned into the air.

 

[Rutrag]

That. . .
. . .was. . .
. . .hilarious!

 

[judo]

My entry is my Explorer Aquarius. This rocket landed about 15' - 20' up in a skinny oak tree just on the other side of the fence of my local rocket flying park. Now the trees around here love rockets. This was their first taste. They have since consumed my Holverson Silver Hawk, Estes Scissor Wing Transport (maiden flight) and Dragon_Rider10's scratch Plummisher.

After about a week in the tree and at least two thunderstorms, I decided I at least wanted the nose cone back. So I made a late afternoon run to the park armed with a 5/8" nylon rope and my 18V Dewalt recipricating saw. I tied one end of the rope to the saw, climbed the fence, and then the tree. Securing my perch, I hauled the saw up by the rope and lopped the offending limb.

I discovered that the rain had debonded one fin but it was on the ground not far from the fence line. I took the rocket home and shelved it. Until now. Last night I reglued the fin and this morning I present it to you, the forum.

 

[Micromeister]

Wait! I found a catch, you mentioned they must have a successful recovery! Check out rule #5
Sorry upscaler

Than your is out also SD, your TP thing is not only not a model rocket it has not had a successful flight.

Humm! gonna have to check thru the photos files I'm sure i've got several uglies to choose from!

OK I found one...it wasn't a kit, or a clone it's a scratch built Micro Odd-Roc K-Mart Chapstick. Gotta be the ugliest micro I have in the fleet but surprisingly flys fairly good. Recover's with a 9" yellow teflon tape streamer and 30" 90lb kevlar shockline. Little stubby .032" basswood fins, hand painted with day-Glo painted to help with spotting on the ground. Top of the white cap also smeared with Day-Glo Yellow.

 

[Pantherjon]

Might as well..I was digging around and came across my lonely Aura..It had been stuck in a box and forgotten..While it was in 'storage' 2 of the 3 fins had gotten knocked off, and it was looking a little on the ragged side..So, I proceeded to do some sanding, made a couple shallow fin slots and glued the fins back on..I have flown this model numerous(9-12) times and it almost always has a habit of popping a fin on recovery. Once I get finished I am going to put a smallish parachute in it in place of the stock streamer and hopefully it will be able to land without popping a fin off..

PIC 1 beginning of restore
PICs 2 and 3 fins on looking ugly but flight ready..

 

[Pantherjon]

Just a reminder that the entry period ends tonight at midnight EDT(or when I get home from work) which ever is later! So, if you have an ugly intact rocket, then post and you may win this month's grand prize of a Grab Bag from Hot Rod Rocketry!

 

[rseazk5]

Here is mine the prototype version of a scratch built called Neutron. After many crashes, more duct tape, etc. I built the final version https://www.rocketreviews.com/reviews/all/scratch_design_neutron.shtml

The prototype was the work horse - the final one only flew once!!!

Ray

 

[Pantherjon]

Well, that time is here! Time for me to go to bed!..Oh, no, it is the official closing of the entry period of this months competition..Some real uglies out there!:roll:

Poll to be posted after I get some sleep..Right now I think if you asked me what 2 plus 2 was I would probably say 5 or 3.

 

[Gnomad]

Looks like I found this thread just in time -- I'm pretty sure I have the ugliest rocket. It was built primarily to test my larger sugar motors (up through G class) in a relatively small field. In addition, it is a test of design an materials I intend to apply to future "real" projects. This thing has taken some amazing abuse. I'm using a very undersized parachute not to lose it. One of the primary tests is a novel rear-ejection system -- which works great when you pack the chute right. Needless to say, it has come in hot several times. I blew a forward bulkhead in one of my motors today (getting a little too casual putting new designs on the pad prior to static chamber testing) which gutted out the central core.

However, you are only going to get to see it if you keep the contest open to the ugliest rocket. ;-)