Back with something different....New Way square tube custom

[EchoVictor]

Hey all,

I haven't poked my head in here for a while, and just thought I'd say "hi" again. Been a crazy past 12 months with family stuff, as well as getting relocated to Michigan. Haven't really had the time (nor the inspiration) to work on anything for a while, but I had a day to myself yesterday, and had the itch to build. But what to do?

Back at NSL 2009, I had the opportunity to talk a bit with Rick Randol of New Way Space Models. If you haven't seen them, he's making some pretty cool square-tubed rocket kits;

https://www.oldrocketforum.com/showthread.php?t=5309

Anyways, knowing my propensity for the odd and different, I picked up a 4 Square kit, and Rick was nice enough to let me bargain for an extra body tube and couple of pieces. Seeing as I almost never do anything normal, this is what I came up with.......

Overall

Side View

Rear View

Close-up

This is progress so far. I'm still thinking about putting some sort of paper cockpit or bridge up near the nose. Maybe some canards, or armament detail. I've still got these pieces left...

Whatcha guys think???

Later,
EV

 

[dave carver]

The Romulans are missing a War Bird:dark:

 

[Gillard]

so, on an all square rocket, what shape are the launch lugs?

 

[rstaff3]

And, tell me you aren't going to round off the fine edges....:roll:

 

[conleyt]

so, on an all square rocket, what shape are the launch lugs?

They're square....take another look at the pictures.

Tom C.

 

[KerryQuinn]

Great looking bird EV.

I'd use the square couplers you have left as tube fins for a ROUND rocket.

I'm thinking about using a sqaure launch lug or two as components on my next micromaxx sized rocket.

Two suggestions on the Newways....

* Be careful packing the chute into the square tube - I've taken to always wrapping the chute with wadding rather than trying to stuff a couple balls of wadding into the square tube - the exhaust gases always seem to shoot thru the corners of the tube past the balls and scorch the chute.

* I've taken to shortening the length of the nose "cone" shoulder that fits into my body tubes - I am now using only 0.2" engagement - which is much shorter than the stock parts supplied. I've found that with the full length engagement, I've had a 3 (of my first 18) Newway flights end with the nosecone coming part way out and then cocking-over and wedging into place - since I made them shoulder shorter I've had 14 additional Newway flights without this issue.

-Kerry

 

[mjennings]

really cool work EV. can't wait to see it all detailed and painted

 

[EchoVictor]

Yep, those two little tubes in the last pic are the square launch lugs. I'm probably going to use a normal lug buried inside one of the side tubes (I'm a big fan of hidden lugs) and use the square ones for detail.

Kerry,

thanks for the launch tips. I was a bit worried about wadding already, and you've confirmed it.

Later,
EV

 

[BAR_Daddy]

Freakin cool.

 

[blackjack2564]

Great looking project!

The only thing I see lacking is more motors for those "empty" square motor mounts. LOL

 

[EchoVictor]

Got some painting done on this one tonight. Given the "Bird of Prey" look it has, and the fact that Rick of New Way seems to like the letter "Q" in his kit names, this will be called the Qestrel. As such, I decided to use that bird's coloring on the rocket;

Custom decals to follow...

Later,
EV

 

[EchoVictor]

I had the opportunity to catch up with my old club in WI (https://www.wooshrocketry.org/) for the "Decertified Launch of Death" this past weekend. Beautiful flying weather let me get this bird in the air....

On the pad;

First flight was on a D12-3. Nice, straight boost and flight, but she was still climbing as the ejection charge fired. The body carried forward which resulted in the chute snagging on one of the wings, but luckily the snow was enough to cushion the landing.

I launched her again, but this time on a D12-7.

With your humble narrator/creator;

and at liftoff. (Note to self: don't take ignition pics in the snow. The white background hides the motor flame and the smoke,)

Once again, a nice straight flight, but this time I think the delay was too much. Ejection charge actually broke the kevlar shock cord, and also pulled the screw eye out of the cone. Thus, I had three separate pieces to track (body, nose cone, and chute). Although the landing broke off a wingtip pod, I recovered all the pieces.

Nose cone made a nice crater in the snow;

She'll definitely fly again, but forever more......D12-5!

Later,
EV

 

[Peartree]

Once again, a nice straight flight, but this time I think the delay was too much. Ejection charge actually broke the kevlar shock cord, and also pulled the screw eye out of the cone. Thus, I had three separate pieces to track (body, nose cone, and chute). Although the landing broke off a wingtip pod, I recovered all the pieces.


She'll definitely fly again, but forever more......D12-5!

Later,
EV

Just for clarity, was the delay too long, allowing the rocket to gain too much downward speed and thus a really hard shock when the parachute opened,

OR

did the ejection charge break the shock cord and pull out the screw eye?

I would suspect the first as you suggest that future flights will use a motor with a shorter delay BUT, if it is the second, then reinforcing the screw eye and using a longer shock cord would be a good plan.

 

[EchoVictor]

^ I would say it was both. I've got a stack of washers up on the nose weighing almost a full ounce, so there's a lot of mass moving around up there. In addition, only about half the threads of the screw eye were engaged, so a longer eye is in order as well.

Later,
EV

 

[EchoVictor]

Presenting the EVR/NewWay "Qestrel".

Had some fun on this one with the custom decal paper from Sirius Rocketry. Unfortunately, the fancy all-in-one print center in my new office really didn't like this paper, so no colors. But, the back-up laser jet had no trouble at all, so black decals it is!

Overall;

Wing detail;

Fin detail (lower logo is from the 4Square donor kit, upper logo is my own design);

Nose detail;

Later,
EV