rbeckey
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- Joined
- Jul 18, 2012
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I finished a clone of the Estes 1279 Nike Ajax this evening. Of course, it is still naked. Now I know why I never built one before. There are a total of 18 fins or finlets, plus four strips that run full length of the upper stage between the fins. What a bear.
I did upgrade to 24mm. The rocket weighs 3.65 oz. naked and dry after adding 1/2 oz nose weight. It sims to 385 feet on a C6-3, 707 feet on a D12-5 and 1323 feet on an E9-6. It is stable on the E9-6.
I got the NC and transition from BMS, the strips are spruce and the engine hook I made from the metal strips in an old windshield wiper. The larger upper and lower fins are cut from 1/8 lite ply and the smaller upper stage fins are balsa. The weight is lead shot imbedded in epoxy putty in the short BT20 section above the transition. All gluing was done with CA and I might put small fillets on the lower fins for strength. If it looks as good as I hope after it is painted, I might just fly it once on a D and retire it to display. Hope to get a picture soon. Keep forgetting to "borrow" that digital camera from work for "practice."
I did upgrade to 24mm. The rocket weighs 3.65 oz. naked and dry after adding 1/2 oz nose weight. It sims to 385 feet on a C6-3, 707 feet on a D12-5 and 1323 feet on an E9-6. It is stable on the E9-6.
I got the NC and transition from BMS, the strips are spruce and the engine hook I made from the metal strips in an old windshield wiper. The larger upper and lower fins are cut from 1/8 lite ply and the smaller upper stage fins are balsa. The weight is lead shot imbedded in epoxy putty in the short BT20 section above the transition. All gluing was done with CA and I might put small fillets on the lower fins for strength. If it looks as good as I hope after it is painted, I might just fly it once on a D and retire it to display. Hope to get a picture soon. Keep forgetting to "borrow" that digital camera from work for "practice."