Estes Maxi Brute HoJon

[JAL3]

One of my sentimental favorites is the Honest John I'v put so much time into. Its original build thread can be found here: https://www.rocketryforumarchive.com/showthread.php?t=46267

As the rocket demo for my church's VBS program came towards the end, there were 2 little boys who really wanted to see the HoJon fly. OK, there was one little boy and there was me.

It got a D12-3 and was set up on the pad. Blast off was a good event.

 

[JAL3]

The boost was good and she started to arc over during the coast phase.

 

[JAL3]

Both chutes deployed and it came gently to earth. There was no damage which is an accomplishment with this rocket.

 

[LightThisCandle]

Great story and pictures. The Honest John has always been one of my favorite rockets.

LTC

 

[JAL3]

Great story and pictures. The Honest John has always been one of my favorite rockets.

LTC

Thanks.

It didn't start out as one of my favorites but grew into the position. I enjoyed working on it. It was my first experience with the vac formed plastic and it flew much better than I expected.

 

[Fred22]

I beleive i remember the build thread great shots John To me that big olive drab rocket just has a presence and it's size makes for good photos combined with it's flight characteristics.
Cheers
Fred

 

[JAL3]

I beleive i remember the build thread great shots John To me that big olive drab rocket just has a presence and it's size makes for good photos combined with it's flight characteristics.
Cheers
Fred

Thanks.

It may be silly, but one of the things I love is the sight of the 2 chutes.

 

[Fred22]

Thanks.

It may be silly, but one of the things I love is the sight of the 2 chutes.

Not at all Everybody has their own way of enjoying the hobby. To me a good chute is always nice especially on a big rocket Means you get to fire it again I like rocket gliders a lot. I plan to do a swing wing and paint it like a U2 in the black "we're going where we should not" paint scheme I wonder if I could build a little gary Powers to kick out of it
Cheers
Fred

 

[JAL3]

Not at all Everybody has their own way of enjoying the hobby. To me a good chute is always nice especially on a big rocket Means you get to fire it again I like rocket gliders a lot. I plan to do a swing wing and paint it like a U2 in the black "we're going where we should not" paint scheme I wonder if I could build a little gary Powers to kick out of it
Cheers
Fred

Best of luck on that.

I have a dreadful feeling that I missed something in Leviticus that says something to the effect that gliders are prohibited to John..:jaw:

 

[dcastle]

Thanks.

It didn't start out as one of my favorites but grew into the position. I enjoyed working on it. It was my first experience with the vac formed plastic and it flew much better than I expected.

I have one of these in my fleet and I haven't flown it yet. I've been nervous about using a D with it and was going to fly it on an E18 at the latest CMASS launch but I got a bit lazy and didn't feel like assembling the motor. It looks like from your pictures that you did get a good safe flight on a D though. How high do you think it went? Was it fast enough off the pad to be stable even if there was a bit of a breeze?

Mine is stock; I'm not sure what it weighs, I'll have to put it on my scale tonight. I also have the nose and main body recovering seperately rather than together.

Anyhow, these are some great shots. Good job.

 

[JAL3]

I have one of these in my fleet and I haven't flown it yet. I've been nervous about using a D with it and was going to fly it on an E18 at the latest CMASS launch but I got a bit lazy and didn't feel like assembling the motor. It looks like from your pictures that you did get a good safe flight on a D though. How high do you think it went? Was it fast enough off the pad to be stable even if there was a bit of a breeze?

Mine is stock; I'm not sure what it weighs, I'll have to put it on my scale tonight. I also have the nose and main body recovering seperately rather than together.

Anyhow, these are some great shots. Good job.

My experience with a D12-3 has been good. I'm not very good at estimating altitude but it went "high enough". It went high enough with a D12-5 too but the plunge waiting for the chute was NOT WORTH IT. :shock:

FWIW, I tend to build a bit heavy. These most recent photos are taken of a flight where multiple repairs have been made and most of those have involved epoxy.

My favorite motor for this one is an AT F12-5: A video that does not do it justice is here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/23694991@N03/2953358434/in/set-72157608161028533/

I have more than my share of character flaws. One of the big ones is against walking too far to recover rockets. That's why most of mine recover in a single parcel. Its also easier to track one descending object.

 

[Fred22]

My experience with a D12-3 has been good. I'm not very good at estimating altitude but it went "high enough". It went high enough with a D12-5 too but the plunge waiting for the chute was NOT WORTH IT. :shock:

FWIW, I tend to build a bit heavy. These most recent photos are taken of a flight where multiple repairs have been made and most of those have involved epoxy.

My favorite motor for this one is an AT F12-5: A video that does not do it justice is here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/23694991@N03/2953358434/in/set-72157608161028533/

I have more than my share of character flaws. One of the big ones is against walking too far to recover rockets. That's why most of mine recover in a single parcel. Its also easier to track one descending object.

John's experiance reflects my own. It works just fine on a D12-3 IMO.
Cheers
fred

 

[Luv2launch]

I have one of these in my fleet and I haven't flown it yet. I've been nervous about using a D with it and was going to fly it on an E18 at the latest CMASS launch but I got a bit lazy and didn't feel like assembling the motor. It looks like from your pictures that you did get a good safe flight on a D though. How high do you think it went? Was it fast enough off the pad to be stable even if there was a bit of a breeze?

Mine is stock; I'm not sure what it weighs, I'll have to put it on my scale tonight. I also have the nose and main body recovering seperately rather than together.

Anyhow, these are some great shots. Good job.

I have to say with my HoJo using a D makes for a nerve racking flight the one time I used one it arcd over quite a bit and when the the nosecone finally blew it was facing down maybe 100 feet up.I flew it at a CMASS launch last year I believe it was on an F39 which made for a nice straight boost and a not so scarey deployment of the chutes.If its breezey avoid the D12-3 and go with an aerotech E at least.

 

[judo]

From JAL3:

I have a dreadful feeling that I missed something in Leviticus that says something to the effect that gliders are prohibited to John.

Your translation may vary. My NIV says it's ok. Let's see...there's KJ, NKJ, NIV, LB, NASB. :roll:

Tongue firmly in cheek.

 

[JAL3]

From JAL3:


Your translation may vary. My NIV says it's ok. Let's see...there's KJ, NKJ, NIV, LB, NASB. :roll:

Tongue firmly in cheek.

I usually use the NIV or NRSV.

I better check the BHS just to make sure.

 

[dcastle]

I have to say with my HoJo using a D makes for a nerve racking flight the one time I used one it arcd over quite a bit and when the the nosecone finally blew it was facing down maybe 100 feet up.I flew it at a CMASS launch last year I believe it was on an F39 which made for a nice straight boost and a not so scarey deployment of the chutes.If its breezey avoid the D12-3 and go with an aerotech E at least.

According to my not terribly accurate food scale, my HJ weighs in just under 13 oz without motor or wadding.

 

[Luv2launch]

According to my not terribly accurate food scale, my HJ weighs in just under 13 oz without motor or wadding.

Yeah mine weighs about the same came in at about 12.8 ounces on my scale.