Estes Coldpower Land Rocket

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skippy-2

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I was discussing this beastie in another thread. I thought it deserved one of its own.

My Estes Coldpower Land Rocket arrived today. Original and complete. These were last made in 1977, so this puppy is probably the best part of 30 years old.

Box_RS.jpg

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The pictures are not the greatest, it was hideously overcast and I wasn't able to drag out the extra lighting. Best pics will have to wait for another day.

Assembly instructions, operating instructions, and a scan of the decals have been uploaded to:

https://australianrocketry.org/mediagallery/album.php?aid=30&page=1

No ejection facility with this small XR-100 motor.

This is the part most people will be interested in...

Motor dry weight: 14 gm

Overall length (including nozzle): 110.00 mm

Diameter: 15.94 mm - 16.48 mm (slightly wider where the end sections have been joined to the main motor tube).

Size_RS.jpg

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Car dry weight est. 92 gm

As a comparison, an Estes Blurz Funny car weighs 120 gm ready to run with an A10-PT on board. Probably what the Scorcher weighs ready to roll.

With that in mind, I think this motor will find itself in a rocket glider or saucer before it gets too much older.

I'll try some propellant tests in the next week or so and let you all know how it comes together.

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I had the Lightnin Bug as a kid, and we raced these on the street in front of my house. IMHO, these Land Rockets were safer than the new Blurz cars. Besdies the weight issue, the new cars always struck be as a fire hazard, or a good way for a kid to burn themselves.

The freon fuel (ugh!) we used back in the 70's is no longer available, but I have heard that some people are using airbrush propellant cans as a substitute.

Have fun with it!!

Fred
 
I had the Lightnin Bug as a kid, and we raced these on the street in front of my house. IMHO, these Land Rockets were safer than the new Blurz cars. Besdies the weight issue, the new cars always struck be as a fire hazard, or a good way for a kid to burn themselves.

The freon fuel (ugh!) we used back in the 70's is no longer available, but I have heard that some people are using airbrush propellant cans as a substitute.

Have fun with it!!

Fred

I too had the Lightnin' Bug. Those things were a lot of fun.

That being said, I enjoy my Blurz also.
 
Thanks for that link rstaff3.


The choices are looking like this:

1. An R-134a based airbrush propellant with the imaginative name of "R-134A Airbrush Propellant". The shop I found this in wanted a kidney and change ($20) for a 250gm container, but the can does have a threaded outlet and a simple valve to depress. I'll have to check and see if my old Badger airbrush kit has a similar coupling on it.

2. 'Can Power" I think was the name. Another airbrush propellant. Standard aerosol nozzle and thin plastic pipe. A 250gram can was $10, but the ingredients bothered me: 95% Propane, 5% Butane. I'm thinking there could be a small flammability issue here...

3. Dick Smith "Freeze Spray". Standard aerosol nozzle and thin plastic pipe. This is made by Electrolube in the UK, and appears to be what the manufacturer markets there as "Freezer". (Where are the advertising gurus when you need them?):

https://www.electrolube.com/docs/bmaint01.html

From the MSDS:

TYPICAL PROPERTIES

Form: Colourless Gas
Density: 1.13
Flashpoint: None
Boiling Point: -26.5°C
Ozone Depleting Potential: Zero

This is now sitting on the shelf waiting for some spare time to start testing.

Any thoughts people?


BTW: There is great info on R-134a here:

https://encyclopedia.airliquide.com/Encyclopedia.asp?GasID=141
 
No, still waiting to complete some tests. I have some freeze spray, but I'm waiting for it to warm up over here!

Anyone else have any data?
 
OK, where did you get the time machine to go back to 1976 and force Estes to print a Union Jack on the box cover?
 
I had one of these. I remember one time the deflector slipped and the freon thrusted directly on my hand. I got a frostbite type burn right on my skin. I began loosing interest after that and went back to launching my rockets.

Have fun, but be careful.
 
Well, it was in the batch of kits I sold to fund the business. I have bruises from kicking myself.

I think Cold Power has great possibilities if we can get environmentally safe propellants sorted. I'd buy lots of them. And sell them in kits. 😁
 
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