Generic E2X Two-Stage Conversion

[smstachwick]

My latest order from AC Supply just arrived: Two kits to create two boosters for two rockets in my fleet.



The conversion of the Generic will be documented here.

The first step I took was to verify the staging method as best I could without committing to assembly of the booster or modification of the sustainer. This was my result:


Given that the sustainer motor went into the booster’s motor mount without a fuss, it was time to commit to the first modification to the sustainer: snipping the motor hook and testing the fit from there. This was the result:



Two pumps with wire cutters snapped it like a twig, which is in stark contrast to the hook for the Goblin I converted similarly.

The fit:



Success! Next is to assemble the fin can/motor mount assembly and glue on the body tube, which will be cut down to the correct size later.

That’ll have to wait for another day, though. I traveled 600 miles by jet, over 30 miles by public transit, and an estimated 5 miles on foot today. I am exhausted.

 

[PDawg]

I love the fin can on the Generic E2X/Mongoose, they are very durable and fly very well. I flew a Mongoose and several E2Xs recently and am a huge fan. That thing will have an impressive flight.

 

[jmasterj]

You're making a Mongoose, which is a nice easy two-stager. The fin can is heavy, but I like it. B6-0 to B6-6 works well.

 

[smstachwick]

You're making a Mongoose, which is a nice easy two-stager. The fin can is heavy, but I like it. B6-0 to B6-6 works well.

I hadn’t realized that, but that’s pretty cool!

I’ve run a few simulations with it, it does indeed seem pretty heavy. Making full use of the extended delay on the purple-label motors doesn’t seem to be happening, especially given the heavy repair I made to it a while back.

 

[smstachwick]

Purchased some motors. I’ll likely be mixing and matching the different motors available for different flight profiles, but this is a good start.

 

[smstachwick]

Motor mount assembled and trimming of the body tube underway. At this point the excess is about an inch long.



Trimmed down to final size. A few millimeters short but workable overall.



Launch lug installed and alignment verified. The sustainer had its lugs cut into quarters and only two segments used. The booster only has a single quarter-length section to reduce the friction.




All prettied up as best as I can with this beat up old airframe.



First flight will likely be with DART on 5/14, hopefully on an A8-0 / A8-5 pairing.

 

[PDawg]

Looks like you got your moneys worth out of that E2x.

 

[smstachwick]

Looks like you got your moneys worth out of that E2x.

Eh….

I rescued it after a splashdown and repaired a spot in the tube that got crushed. I was hoping it would last a lot Ionger than it did.

Mistakes were made, lessons were learned.