BlackHawk Carbon 29mm Min. Diam. build

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blackjack2564

Crazy Jim's Gone Banana's
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This is Wildman Rocketry's first carbon kit sold exclusively under the Wildman Label. The BLACKHAWK 29.


This is a 29mm carbon fiber min dia.rocket.
41in long
12 oz. [ we'll find out when I weigh it] edit: finished rocket weighs 8.8 oz!
3 carbon plate fins
6 to 1 conical Graphite NC.
2 CNC machined fin guides
14ft of Kevlar shock cord. [1/8 in.]
12 in. Topflite nylon chute
Included in 2 parts, more than enough Pro Line Black High Temp epoxy to build it.
Should really perform well on f's and g's

Cost 100 bucks.

It looks relatively simple, but does require more than novice skills.

I thought about how to approach it for a day or two, never having done a minimum diameter rocket before, or having used high temp epoxy that must be mixed by weight.

And getting the fin guides set up tight enough they could not get mis-aligned, but still able to get the fins in them with their roots buttered for tacking on before the fillets.

I think I came up with a fairly simple but elegant build process.

The fins are on straight, the fillets gorgeous even without sanding yet, and I didn't even make a mess!

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Well as most know I like to build light and save weight, so I decided to go ultra light and just glue everything to the motor and toss the tube.

Kinda cute but deadly look to it.

The chute will go in the NC, don't know where to put the altimeter yet. Ah the details usually work themselves out.

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First I beveled the fins as they come blunt. Did with belt sander in vise, by eye.

Next the fin guide slots were sanded lightly, to allow for a smoother fin fit.


Mount fins 1in from rear, wrap tube with in tape.
slide on guide, tape in place, mark fin locations.

transfer marks into lines for sanding and forward guide location.

Sand for tacking fins [I taped this one 1/4in on each side of line for the fillets later and protect that nice carbon finish!]. Then remark after sanding.

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All 3 fins...

Sand from root edge [bottom] of fin with 60-80 grit , up the side 1/4 inch. for fillet adhesion and tacking.

I taped my rear guide into position first.

Then buttered the bottom of fins very, very lightly with the epoxy. slipped the rear of fin into guide.
Line up front of fin on the line.

Slide front guide over fin tip. Double check guides to marks on tube for correct placement. Set aside.

Make sure you don't glue the fin guides to the tube or fins.

I place a work light about a foot away from fincan to act as a heat lamp and speed the curing time of the epoxy.

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While the fins are curing............

The kit comes with14ft of Kevlar shock cord, so I cut a few inches off to make a nose cone harness.

Spread leads and glued to each side of interior cone.

I used JB weld for this, simply because some was left over , from just gluing an
aero-pac adapter on a 3in rocket.

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All 3 fins tacked on. Time for the fillets. There will be no fin to fin or any other reinforcement.

This comes with the same epoxy the the Mongoose series uses and is mixed by weight. A word about that:

5.5 to 1 mix ratio....so I mixed 2grams of hardener with 11grams of epoxy, this stuff is thick enough AS IS to hold it's shape and do all 6 fillets at the same time. The small high temp epoxy kit alone is 25.00, making this kit a bargain. Some sort of accurate scale is needed to measure these small amounts correctly. I used an old triple beam.

Taped off tube for fillets.
Mixed epoxy
Used 3/8 dowel to pull and smooth fillets , keeping in dipped in alcohol to make it glide.

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After putting an even coat into joint.Pull smooth with dowel from front to back.

Keeping it clean from build up, and constantly dipping in alcohol.

When done correctly. you can get a fillet that needs virtually little if any sanding.

Note the high sheen on finished fillet and hardly any on tape.

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I only waited 20 minutes before removing the tape. It continued to flow out and cure, leaving barley a joint line.

So little in fact, I won't bother sanding them.

I don't intend to clear coat the rocket either. Naked it shall be!

The finished product. Awesome.....this Pro-line stuff is fantastic! You be the judge.

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Is anyone else drooling slightly when seeing these pictures? Da&m, that looks like a nice rocket! Nice job building it, Jim (and thanks for posting it all ;))
 
Yep, had to wipe off my keyboard!LOL...Sweet is all I can say! I definitely want one now! :D
 
Of course after removing the tape, the Blackhawk must go into the custom Crazy Jim curing oven to give the epoxy better strength. I figure with the sun out and the heater running full tilt through the defroster it got around 130 .

It was definitely too hot to pick up. After 20 min. in this exotic oven, the fillets were hard as rock.

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wow, this is just what I have been looking to buy. When does it go on sale?
 
Using the car as a curing oven, very innovative! Jim you've got so many great ideas, you never cease to amaze me. :p

Great looking BTW! Just wondering though, how is this different from the Mongoose 29?
 
Using the car as a curing oven, very innovative! Jim you've got so many great ideas, you never cease to amaze me. :p

Great looking BTW! Just wondering though, how is this different from the Mongoose 29?

It is different because there is no Mongoose 29.
 
It is different because there is no Mongoose 29.
One thing I noticed from the photos is that the nosecone does not have the removable aluminum tip that is characteristic of the Mongoose line. Otherwise it looks very similar.

Jim...What about dual deploy? Are the parts for that extra?
 
One thing I noticed from the photos is that the nosecone does not have the removable aluminum tip that is characteristic of the Mongoose line. Otherwise it looks very similar.

Jim...What about dual deploy? Are the parts for that extra?

There is no mongoose because there is a Blackhawk.

As far as DD .... yes you can. Yes they are.

It should be able to fly on BP motors, as light as it is. You can cut it and make DD rocket...... couplers will be available soon.

Yeah it's just begging to be flown on big 29's.
 
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The extra parts to make it dual deploy will be available shortly after the release of the kit.
It looks like I should have all the parts to make the first batch of kits mid May.
The release time was a little accelerated (Thanks Jim).
We will be taking preorders soon.

Tim Lehr
Wildman Hobbies
 
CTI has Pro29's?

I guess I don't get out much, did not know that.

Who sells them?
 
CTI has Pro29's?

I guess I don't get out much, did not know that.

Who sells them?

No one...yet. They are in the process of being certified. Predictions are for May for the first batch. Sizes from ~ F - I with 1 grain - 6XL cases.
 
Install rail buttons
Tape paper edge flush with fin center
mark center of next fin.
Fold paper in half, mark center point/rail button location.
Mark between rear fins
Mark between front of fins draw line.

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Take largest motor intended to fly, figure cg.

Ground down [shorten] rail button screws to fit tube.

drill with 1/8 bit, install buttons, wrapped sandpaper around dowel to round off flush ........the screw tip protruding through airframe.

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The finished BLACKHACK CARBON 29 in all it's glory!

Ready for flight time.

This sexy little rocket came in WAAAYY under predicted.......only 249 grams or 8.8 oz complete with chute and shock cord!!!

This thing is going to rock on small motors, and be a terror on large 29's.

Did I mention that a R-das and 9volt WILL fit in the tube!

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This thing sat around with me staring at it long enough! I couldn't stand it any longer, the next launch is too far off.

Soooo out to the back yard with a E -15.
Thinking I couldn't get in any trouble with this small a motor.

WRONG......this thing was off the pad like a shot, in seconds a dot in the sky, went at least 1000ft on this little motor, even with the huge draggy lug taped on.

I had wrapped the Hawk with red tape to aid in finding it, during this first flight and taped a lug on so I could launch it on a rod, having no rail handy. Everything went smooth landing about 1/4mi away.

There is no doubt in my mind that this little screamer can fly on BP motors and I can't wait to try. I never been much on low power flying, but this opens a whole lotta doors.
G motors are going to be freaky with this little screamer, and I can't image what a H or I are going to do.

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Haha, nice. 1000 feet on an E is pretty impressive.
 
How would you attach recovery and DD it?

Eye bolt on motor casing-main shock cord attached to coupler/electronics- drogue shock cord attached to nose cone.

you can build something to retain your tracking device in the nose cone, and incorporate the shock cord into it, or just glue it in. 29mm electronics bay- ouch :eyepop:
 
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