BMS Astron Drifter

[JAL3]

After a day to let the silver dry, I masked the body of the rocket leaving only the fins and the launch lug exposed.

 

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The rocket was then taken to the booth and sprayed with a bright blue. When it had started to harden a bit, it got another coat.

 

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The masking was then removed and the results inspected.

 

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As I mentioned before, the rocket was nowhere near perfect, due to my own blunders, but I was satisfied.

 

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I got the decals for this kit from Gordon at Excelsior Rocketry. They were good quality waterslides and consisted of 2 long logos in red and black, some white numbers, some black numbers and a pair of old style Estes logos.

Working from memory, I placed the long logos along the body tube on the two sides without the launch lug.

 

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The numbers, I went with the white, were placed to number each of the three fins. The estes logos went below the long logos.

 

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I gave the rocket a coating of Future and it was ready to fly.

 

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Since this is a light rocket meant for duration, I wanted to start out with a small motor and chose a 1/2A6-2. A streamer was connected to the elastic, the motor was inserted and the rocket was taken out to the pad.

 

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When the launch button was pushed, it shot up quickly flying straight and true.

 

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Ejection occurred while the rocket was still moving up at a pretty good clip but everything came out fine and it began its descent under a streamer.

 

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When I got to the rocket, I was glad to see that those long fins had not broken. It was fine to fly again.

 

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For the second flight I loaded an A8-3. I knew at the time I should have gone with a 5 second delay but I had a 3 sitting on the table in front of me. I loaded the motor and took it out to the pad.

 

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Upon launching, it really screamed upward on a full A and soon became very difficult to see.

 

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Ejection occurred early once again but the streamer deployed fine and it drifted back down with no damage.

 

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Persons wishing to follow the life cycle of this rocket can check it out here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/collections/72157620072814335/

 

[Handeman]

If you really want to see what the drifter can do, use a C6-7 and 24" chute. I did that once back in the day! I got the rocket back when I was a mile away and some kids brought it back from further away. I didn't think there was any wind that day. The flight was at least 15 minutes and probably closer to 20.

My current drifter has flown on a C6-7 with a 12" chute. It landed 200 yards from the pad on what I consider the most perfect windless day I've ever launched on. About a 6 minute flight.

Have fun and enjoy. The Drifter is a really cool rocket.

 

[JAL3]

If you really want to see what the drifter can do, use a C6-7 and 24" chute. I did that once back in the day! I got the rocket back when I was a mile away and some kids brought it back from further away. I didn't think there was any wind that day. The flight was at least 15 minutes and probably closer to 20.

My current drifter has flown on a C6-7 with a 12" chute. It landed 200 yards from the pad on what I consider the most perfect windless day I've ever launched on. About a 6 minute flight.

Have fun and enjoy. The Drifter is a really cool rocket.

I can easily believe it. It scoots.

I don't do anything in the way of formal competitions but occasionally join in a friendly competition my club holds. I may enter it some time.

 

[Micromeister]

Great build and launch shots John!

The Drifter was one of my favorite flying models back in the day. So glad to see folks starting to discover some of the old designs are really wonderful sport flyers.

Last summer the Drifter was on my list of downscale for Micro Maxx power coversion. It hasn't disappointed in this smaller scale either performing as well as I though it would in T3 size.
Those interested in building one of these downsized neck snappers can find the one page plan in the files section of the MicroMaxRockets Yahoo group.