wadavidson
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Oct 10, 2016
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Ok, have been holding off on this one but have finally kicked off hoping to finish for Red Glare this year.
Some Back story: I built an 8.25" Sandia Sandhawk exactly 20 years ago in 1997 as my level 3 project. This was before 8" filament wound fiberglass was prevalent so sono tube was used as it was available and cost effective. Some may remember this photo as it was used on the cover of Tripoli's High Power Rocketry magazine.
Another unique aspect of this project was that I completed all three levels in one day soon after my 18th birthday and when the certification process was still young. Utilizing three different vehicles capped off with the flight of the Sandhawk on an M1419 and 4 x I211s. These flight were performed in Cedarville, NJ the home of the original RATS launches. To my knowledge this was the first time all three levels had been completed in one day and I believe it has been done since. Probably not the best way to certify but I say that now 20 years later. An 18 year old thinks it's a great idea!
Fast forward to today and I am older and like most of us not as lean as I used to be. So why not build a bigger not so lean Sandhawk.
The performance rocketry 11.675" V2 cone is the perfect shape so no making cones this time around. Ok so it's not quite full scale at around 11.75" diameter with the actual Sandhawk being 13" dia but this is typically close enough for this hobby.
Things are going well as all of the fins have been cut from 1" euro birch plywood laminated with phenolic on each side. Cap the fins with half round molding for a nice radius surface (not going for extreme detail)
Was going to go with 4x 98mm tubes but as a risk reduction went to one six inch mount. Will build a 98mm adapter to house the new Aerotech O5040X
Have also been working some of my own 6" hardware
This should be a fun project!
Sent from my iPhone using Rocketry Forum
Some Back story: I built an 8.25" Sandia Sandhawk exactly 20 years ago in 1997 as my level 3 project. This was before 8" filament wound fiberglass was prevalent so sono tube was used as it was available and cost effective. Some may remember this photo as it was used on the cover of Tripoli's High Power Rocketry magazine.

Another unique aspect of this project was that I completed all three levels in one day soon after my 18th birthday and when the certification process was still young. Utilizing three different vehicles capped off with the flight of the Sandhawk on an M1419 and 4 x I211s. These flight were performed in Cedarville, NJ the home of the original RATS launches. To my knowledge this was the first time all three levels had been completed in one day and I believe it has been done since. Probably not the best way to certify but I say that now 20 years later. An 18 year old thinks it's a great idea!

Fast forward to today and I am older and like most of us not as lean as I used to be. So why not build a bigger not so lean Sandhawk.
The performance rocketry 11.675" V2 cone is the perfect shape so no making cones this time around. Ok so it's not quite full scale at around 11.75" diameter with the actual Sandhawk being 13" dia but this is typically close enough for this hobby.
Things are going well as all of the fins have been cut from 1" euro birch plywood laminated with phenolic on each side. Cap the fins with half round molding for a nice radius surface (not going for extreme detail)

Was going to go with 4x 98mm tubes but as a risk reduction went to one six inch mount. Will build a 98mm adapter to house the new Aerotech O5040X

Have also been working some of my own 6" hardware

This should be a fun project!
Sent from my iPhone using Rocketry Forum