Finally painted my Richter Recker

[TWRackers]

I had to take a guess as to whether a FlisKits Richter Recker on 3 E9 motors counted as low-power or mid-power. I decided to go with mid-power, so here's where this thread landed.

After flying my new RR "nekkid" at last month's club launch, I finally got it painted. I went with a paint scheme reminiscent of an AIr Force drone, or at least how I envision them .

And I named it in exactly the manner I threatened to a few months ago. Pictures are at the link below.

https://sears572.com/gallery/album23

 

[jj94]

Cool paint scheme. It's an original! Have you flown it on some E9's yet?

 

[TWRackers]

Originally posted by jj94
Cool paint scheme. It's an original! Have you flown it on some E9's yet?

Yes, so far it's flown once on three E9-6's. In fact it drag-raced against another fellow's Richter Recker. Flawless flight. Will fly it once or twice tomorrow (Saturday).

https://sears572.com/gallery/2006-09-09/IMG_2187

 

[jflis]

Tom,

That thing looks GREAT!

One thing that always bugs me about the RR is that if you get the whole rocket in the picture, you can't see the detail... ...If you can see the detail, then you can't see the whole rocket...

LOL

Good stuff from the "triple-R" ranch!

 

[jj94]

Originally posted by TWRackers
Yes, so far it's flown once on three E9-6's. In fact it drag-raced against another fellow's Richter Recker. Flawless flight. Will fly it once or twice tomorrow (Saturday).

https://sears572.com/gallery/2006-09-09/IMG_2187

Cool. I saw the thread about the drag races but I thought it you flew it on 3 D12's. I should've read it again to make sure... . Ya know what? The motors the Richter Reckers are flying on look like hybrids. Not a lot of flame or smoke. Now, if they were flying on AP, that'll be a whole different story .

 

[kelltym88]

Nice the pics of the drag race came out really nice too. Paint job came out fantastic.

 

[Johnnie]

The Richter Recker Rocks!

My son and I built one, and it is a great flier...

Nice job on the research style paint job.

Johnnie

 

[Bohica]

Outstanding Sir!

 

[loopy]

Pretty good piece of alliteration, I must say! Looks great, too!

 

[RevKeith]

Tom,

Great paint job...pictures don't do it justice. It looks even better in person.

 

[BobCox]

Originally posted by TWRackers
I had to take a guess as to whether a FlisKits Richter Recker on 3 E9 motors counted as low-power or mid-power. I decided to go with mid-power, so here's where this thread landed.

You chose correctly. A cluster of 3 E9 motors has 3.81 oz of propellant (1.27 oz each), which is under the 4 oz FAA limit for a model rocket. However, the weight of the engines (2 oz each) means that the empty rocket must weigh less than 10 oz for the take-off weight to be less than the 16 oz FAA MR limit. The Richeter Recker is spec'd at 11.37 oz, so it becomes a Large Model Rocket when loaded with 3 E9's.

With 3 D12-5's (1.52 oz each), the empty rocket must weigh less than 11.44 oz. The RR is awfully close to that. One extra coat of paint will put you over the limit.

The bottom of the Richter Recker product page says "When flying with a cluster of three E9 motors, you are required to notify the Federal Aviation Administration and comply with appropriate FAA regulations." I seem to recall that they used to have a comment on the RR product page to the effect of "this is the largest kit that can be legally flown on an 3xE9 cluster without FAA notification." Maybe I am mis-remembering and they were talking about a 3xD12 cluster.

BTW, Excellent paint and decals!

 

[jflis]

Originally posted by BobCox
I seem to recall that they used to have a comment on the RR product page to the effect of "this is the largest kit that can be legally flown on an 3xE9 cluster without FAA notification." Maybe I am mis-remembering and they were talking about a 3xD12 cluster.

BTW, Excellent paint and decals!

Bob, you are correct, that comment was in reference to a 3xD12 cluster. The E9's clearly pump the Richter Recker into mid-power.

and I just LOVE the paint job
jim

 

[mpraska]

Very nice rocket. I'm just starting building my Richter - hoping mine comes out looking that good!

 

[TWRackers]

Well... I didn't get to launch my new Richter Recker at our club launch on Oct 7th, because I discovered how much sideways force presses on the rocket on the pad from just the wind. I built the RR using the supplied 3/16" launch lugs, but the rocket sitting on the pad in 15 mph winds (my estimate) kept bowing the launch rod waaaaay over. This past Saturday (Oct 14th) my wife and I (coming from the west) and our daughter and her friend (coming from the east) gathered and launched some rockets with the NFCC Sentinel Rocketeers #675 in Madison, Florida. There I finally got to launch my newly-painted RR off their 3/16" rod, but we had an on-pad hold of several minutes until there was a lull in the wind.

I think I'm going to (1) replace the 3/16" lugs with 1/4", AND (2) add a pair of white rail buttons (thanks, "LaneKG" ) to the rocket in locations mirroring that of the launch lugs, so I can launch off 1" rail when it's the least bit breezy.

I also believe I'm going to replace that 8-10 feet of 1/4" elastic shock cord I used (yeah, I know, just say "no" to elastic) with some tubular nylon or Kevlar. The upper part of the rocket has a scuff mark right near one of the "R"s, and the black fin has white paint (or exposed white primer) on its leading edge.

Richter Recker #2 is getting launch guides straight away. I've already got the parts on order from PML .

 

[tazzdevl1]

Tom, I used rail buttons on my RR. Never had a problem with launching in windy conditions. I highly recommend them.

Cliff

 

[kelltym88]

Yea, that's exactly why I added rail buttons to mine as well.

 

[lanceS]

Man I keep missing all the launches...how ironic I was in Madison last Sat camping at Jellystone right off of I-10. Where was the launch in relation to that?

Originally posted by TWRackers
Well... I didn't get to launch my new Richter Recker at our club launch on Oct 7th, because I discovered how much sideways force presses on the rocket on the pad from just the wind. I built the RR using the supplied 3/16" launch lugs, but the rocket sitting on the pad in 15 mph winds (my estimate) kept bowing the launch rod waaaaay over. This past Saturday (Oct 14th) my wife and I (coming from the west) and our daughter and her friend (coming from the east) gathered and launched some rockets with the NFCC Sentinel Rocketeers #675 in Madison, Florida. There I finally got to launch my newly-painted RR off their 3/16" rod, but we had an on-pad hold of several minutes until there was a lull in the wind.

I think I'm going to (1) replace the 3/16" lugs with 1/4", AND (2) add a pair of white rail buttons (thanks, "LaneKG" ) to the rocket in locations mirroring that of the launch lugs, so I can launch off 1" rail when it's the least bit breezy.

I also believe I'm going to replace that 8-10 feet of 1/4" elastic shock cord I used (yeah, I know, just say "no" to elastic) with some tubular nylon or Kevlar. The upper part of the rocket has a scuff mark right near one of the "R"s, and the black fin has white paint (or exposed white primer) on its leading edge.

Richter Recker #2 is getting launch guides straight away. I've already got the parts on order from PML .

 

[TWRackers]

Originally posted by lanceS
Man I keep missing all the launches...how ironic I was in Madison last Sat camping at Jellystone right off of I-10. Where was the launch in relation to that?

Just south of Exit 251 off I-10, the Madison exit. Info on the group over there can be found at...

https://www.nfcc.edu/stu/activities/clubs/sentinelrocket/rocketclub.html

 

[lanceS]

Originally posted by TWRackers
Just south of Exit 251 off I-10, the Madison exit.

Thanks....
I was only 6 miles away...wish I would had known...not that I could had found room for my rocket equipment with all the camping gear, but sure would have come watched!

 

[TWRackers]

Originally posted by lanceS
Thanks....
I was only 6 miles away...wish I would had known...not that I could had found room for my rocket equipment with all the camping gear, but sure would have come watched!

When we traded in our Pontiac Montana earlier this year, we were looking at going to a Toyota Camry, until we realized it didn't have room for all our rocket stuff (including folding tables and canopy). So we got a Toyota RAV4 (with luggage rack option) instead. And when we had to take the cats along when we drove to Southern Thunder in June, we added a Sears 20 cubic-foot car-top carrier. Cats go in back seat, rocket stuff behind them, and luggage in the car-top.

The things we do for our (1) children, (2) pets, and (3) rockets....

 

[Rocketman101]

The paint job is awesome

 

[loopy]

Originally posted by TWRackers
When we traded in our Pontiac Montana earlier this year, ...

I love my wife's Montana for rocket launches. Fits everything nicely in the back, and for those times when I'm bringing EVERYTHING, I just flip up one half of the third row seat! Love that thing!