At ROC’s May launch, I attempted to fly an Apogee Apprentice kit on an AeroTech D24 reload that I had assembled at ROCstock and let sit around for a month.
I wasn’t able to get the igniter cap on at ROCstock, and during the interceding month, I discovered why: the nozzle was very slightly misaligned. I held onto the motor, afraid to disassemble it and maybe get the ejection charge leaking where it didn’t belong, and flew it at my first opportunity. This was the result:
![IMG_1749.jpeg IMG_1749.jpeg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/rocketryforum/data/attachments/562/562694-5a087e41ba4b1a36a6567eea988ba97c.jpg)
The misalignment wasn’t nearly that bad before, sadly I don’t have a photo. Best I can figure, it didn’t manage to screw together as much or as neatly as it needed to, and the aft O-ring seal didn’t actually seal anything. Flames probably shot out of the joint and ate through the casing.
The ignition of this motor-turned-flamethrower set the fin can on fire, and I had to put it out with a water bottle somebody was kind enough to contribute. The rocket is completely toast. By that I mean it’s toasted, the blackened paper and plastic were snapping off and crackling off like actual burned bread when I was trying to extract this motor.
Interestingly enough, the forward closure appears to have survived this whole ordeal. It even felt like the threads were still very greased and smooth, so at least I don’t think I have to replace the entire hardware set.
Oh, and of course, here’s the video.
View attachment IMG_3789.mov
My choice to fly it rather than troubleshoot it some other way is almost certainly going on somebody’s Top 10 list of dumb decisions at the range. Never ignore reload issues, Shane! Ask for help! Stupid! Bad!
I wasn’t able to get the igniter cap on at ROCstock, and during the interceding month, I discovered why: the nozzle was very slightly misaligned. I held onto the motor, afraid to disassemble it and maybe get the ejection charge leaking where it didn’t belong, and flew it at my first opportunity. This was the result:
![IMG_1749.jpeg IMG_1749.jpeg](https://cdn.imagearchive.com/rocketryforum/data/attachments/562/562694-5a087e41ba4b1a36a6567eea988ba97c.jpg)
The misalignment wasn’t nearly that bad before, sadly I don’t have a photo. Best I can figure, it didn’t manage to screw together as much or as neatly as it needed to, and the aft O-ring seal didn’t actually seal anything. Flames probably shot out of the joint and ate through the casing.
The ignition of this motor-turned-flamethrower set the fin can on fire, and I had to put it out with a water bottle somebody was kind enough to contribute. The rocket is completely toast. By that I mean it’s toasted, the blackened paper and plastic were snapping off and crackling off like actual burned bread when I was trying to extract this motor.
Interestingly enough, the forward closure appears to have survived this whole ordeal. It even felt like the threads were still very greased and smooth, so at least I don’t think I have to replace the entire hardware set.
Oh, and of course, here’s the video.
View attachment IMG_3789.mov
My choice to fly it rather than troubleshoot it some other way is almost certainly going on somebody’s Top 10 list of dumb decisions at the range. Never ignore reload issues, Shane! Ask for help! Stupid! Bad!