Early Father's Day Cosmodrome Black Brandt II

The Rocketry Forum

Help Support The Rocketry Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

firemanup

Well-Known Member
TRF Supporter
Joined
May 1, 2002
Messages
1,565
Reaction score
487
Location
Central Iowa
Well my beautiful wife got me a new Cosmodrome Black Brandt II for father's day and I received it yesterday, a little early but that's ok we'll be gone on a launch this weekend.

So after seeing the info on BHP's modifed Estes V2 i've decided this would be a cool kit to mod also..

Right now i'm in the brainstorming stage and am considering these mods.. drop the 29mm motor tube for a 54mm. Mod for dual deployment, possible mach busting.

I'd like to go with a 54mm motor but may if conditions dictate go with a 38mm... this will also be my first glassing project so it's definately going to be a learning experience.

Anyone else modified this kit for dual deployment...?

Anyone know where I could get a plastic nose cone? (will be easier to add the massive amount of nose weight i think i'm going to be needing)

Any advice or suggestions welcome...
 
Oh, forgot to mention the target load for this will be either the AT K550 or the Pro54 K445..:D

Anyone have case dimensions, mainly length on those two..? thanks..
 
www.RedArrowHobbies.com has resin tailcones and nosecones for a 2.6" Black Brant 2. That will probably fit the bill. A 54mm may not fit in the scale boat tail.

The problem is that the balsa nose and tail are beautiful and the main points of the kit!!! If I were you I wouldbuy the resin nose and tail with some FG tubing to make the 54mm bird, and keep the Cosmodrome stock or 38mm. It will streak on an H motor.
 
Oooh...this one's on my wish list too. I'm anxious to try my hand at sanding the complex airfoils on the fins.
If I'm right one of the EMRR reviews mentioned fiberglassing the nose cone. And it'd be easy to drill out the balsa to epoxy in some fishing weights.
 
I'm building the Cosmodrome Nike Smoke and I agree that the balsa nose cone is one of the best features of the kit. Sanding complex airfoils into 3/16" plywood is a real bear. I am on my second set of fins - it is very tricky IMO. If you come up with a reliable technique let me know. I'm actually considering trying to make a "built - up" fin with basswood and thin plywood skins.

Good luck on converting the Black Brandt - that thing will scream on a 38/54mm motor!:D
 
I have all the components for one of the Red Arrow Hobbies 2.6" Black Brant II's

Just to be different I was gonna go with the 4 finned version.

I'm going to stick with the 38mm mount. anything bigger (54mm) and there's no room for motor retension.

Maybe a 4"???

sandman
 
maybe a 18.5".

Anyway, I made a 3", and a 38mm just fits with the tailcone. I suppose you could cheat on the tailcone, but where would the fun be?
 
Well i got the kit out today and did some preliminary measurements....

With different mods there's plusses and minuses.. and it looks like for what i'm going for and want 38mm is going to be the way to go..

I may order another later from Red Arrow as was suggested above and see about getting that one setup with a 54mm.

Looks like if i target the 38/600 casing or even the 720 casing i'll have the room I want for recovery systems and dual deploy with a midship avionics setup..

I'm guessing a finished weight of 36 to 38 oz and will have some nice flights on I211's, I284's and maybe even a J350..
 
Back
Top