Bash an Alpha - Two to Five Engines

[baxterl]

John Hudson of Hudson Classic Hobbies will be hosting a kit-bash contest at Southern Thunder 2004. The formal title is "Bash an Alpha - Two to Five Engines" (you can work out the acronym yourself).

The rules are simple, you must use some portion of an Estes Alpha kit, your modification must pass NAR RSO inspection, and it must use no less than two, and no more than five engines.

All entries need to be turned into John by 1200 on Saturday so that they can be flown. Judging will be by secret ballot after all entries have flown, and will be based on both the flight and static display. Prizes are TBD, but with all the stuff we have donated for Southern Thunder, you can bet they will be good.

For launch details, check the website at

https://www.hararocketry.org/st2004.html

 

[powderburner]

I hope you are planning to snap some shots of the entries, so you can post them here on TRF?

About the rules you posted; is that really all there is to it? Any clue what the judging criteria are? This sounds like a really fun contest. I can see lots of potential for fun with something like a Fat Boy or Big Bertha for a starting point.

 

[baxterl]

Indeed, that is all...the purpose of the contest is to flex the creative muscle of rocketeers everywhere. (and to have a contest wth a cool name). The judging will be voting by anyone who cares enough to drop by and vote after the launching.

Actually it seems to me that perhaps the most speactacular launch will have an edge, whether it is totally successfull or not!

Hope we get lots of people out!!!

 

[Fore Check]

I don't get the acronym thing. Putting together the capitalized letters in the title means nothing to me.

 

[Stymye]

I have had an idea for a "mutant" alpha for some time...This is the perfect excuse to try it!........

I'll post a report here if it works ,OK

 

[baxterl]

ForeCheck -

Just think of our favorite alphabet soup government agency...

You will get it eventually...they are mentioned many, many times on this board...

 

[sandman]

Fore Check,

Come ON!!!

Really!??

sandman

 

[Neil]

Bash and Alpha- Two to Five Engines.

BATFE! AKA: ATF, ATFE, BATF ETC. "Buerau of Alchohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives" "Bash and Alpha- Two to Five Engines". Put all the capitals together: BATFE.

It took me all of 2 seconds...

Sounds like fun! Ill have to buy an Alpha kit sometime...

But I see a flaw: you said "use some portion of an ALpha kit". Someone could make a 10" diameter rocket with a transition down to BT50, with the Alpha nose cone on top! No offense, but you might want to be just a wee bit more specific....

Other than that it sounds like fun! I see many many outboards....

 

[Mike]

Originally posted by Neil
Someone could make a 10" diameter rocket with a transition down to BT50, with the Alpha nose cone on top! No offense, but you might want to be just a wee bit more specific....

Neil, my guess is that that would be alright!

 

[WiK]

Someone needs to do an Alpha-Deuce!!!

 

[Neil]

Itd be fun to watch, but it might blow the competition away... Literally!

 

[WiK]

Hmmm...


Take any rocket of yours thats ready for an M motor. Remove the NC and put in a transition to a BT50. Stick a C6-5 in the alpha. Put it on top with some ignition electronics.
There you have your competition winning M staged to C6-5 rocket

 

[Neil]

That would be cool! But, the in-flight stress might too much for the Alpha, unless you used a fiberglass tube and reinforced Alpha cone.... You could put it INSIDE the nose cone, though... And have the nose cone split apart to reveal a Porta Pad with a timer....

 

[WiK]

LMAO!

 

[baxterl]

As long as it passes RSO inspection, anything is game...of course, if the crowd thinks you have "gamed" it too much, they might not vote for you. You also have to take into consideration the little kid who gets the sympathy vote, or talks the hordes of other little kids into voting for him!!

I would love to see some of these ideas built, anyone actually coming? My entry will be the "Mega-golden snitch", three E-9s it should be spectacular.

Lance

 

[Neil]

Hmm.... Sympathy vote? Tell me more... Does 13 qualify as "little"?

I wonder if my local hobby shop has any Alphas in stock...

 

[baxterl]

Muwhahahaha (diabolical laugh)...

I have located the needed body tubes to resurect the "Mega Golden Snitch"...it will now be a "Frankenstein Mega Golden Snitch with way more engine than any little rocket should ever have..."

Any challengers?

 

[SwingWing]

Originally posted by baxterl
My entry will be the "Mega-golden snitch", three E-9s it should be spectacular.

Lance

Does that make it a BATFE Snitch?

 

[baxterl]

In all the craziness that was Southern Thunder 2004 (AWESOME LAUNCH BTW). The Bash and Alpha contest didn't get off the ground...watch for a retry at a future Music City Missile Club launch!