Good "Low and Slow" rocket?

[ActingLikeAKid]

I'm hoping to do a launch for my kids' school. I should be able to use a decent-sized athletic field for the launch (well within NAR guidelines for an A motor) but I'd like to send up something that goes up high enough for some "oohs" and "aahs" but not so high that I spend 10 minutes chasing it down.

Looks like the Curvilinear - with a max altitude of 175' - ought to be a decent choice. Has anyone here flown one? Does anyone have other good "low and slow" suggestions?
I also have a Quinstar that I may put up - that's always a crowd pleaser, and on a B6-0, is pretty easy to keep track of.

Thanks!

 

[BDB]

I like the Quinstar idea. I just built an Art Applewhite Stealth for this very reason.

 

[Flyfalcons]

Big Daddy

 

[ActingLikeAKid]

I like the Quinstar idea. I just built an Art Applewhite Stealth for this very reason.

It's been a while since I've looked at Art's page. Might have to print one of those out for Saturday's launch

 

[ActingLikeAKid]

Big Daddy

Seriously? I've never built a BD; the things I've heard about them are:
-Everybody loves to stick enormous motors in them
-There's a great chance of CATO with E motors.

Are they low-ish with the C11 24mm in them?

 

[LW Bercini]

Build an 18mm pyramid and fly with C6-0. Low altitude, smokey, and easy recovery.

Actually, any high-drag design like a saucer or cone. Since it is not aerodynamically efficient, you automatically get Low-N-Slow

 

[Johnly]

The Estes Fat Boy was a good rocket for this application, but for some reason they decided to discontinue it. I'd suggest a Estes Big Bertha as it's such a classic rocket.

John

 

[Flyfalcons]

Seriously? I've never built a BD; the things I've heard about them are:
-Everybody loves to stick enormous motors in them
-There's a great chance of CATO with E motors.

Are they low-ish with the C11 24mm in them?

Stick a C11-3 and you'll get maybe 200' with it.

 

[sl98]

I'd like to send up something that goes up high enough for some "oohs" and "aahs" but not so high that I spend 10 minutes chasing it down.

A Super Big Bertha on a E18-4W will give oohs and aahs. This is a 450-500' apogee. No longer in production but it is an easy scratch build with parts readily available.

 

[MALBAR 70]

A properly built Estes Sat V on a D 12-3...If you don't have heart problems...:cyclops:

 

[TangoJuliet]

I'll add another vote for the standard Big Bertha. A C6-3 should do the trick.

 

[Bat-mite]

For a more general answer, look for something that requires a good bit of thrust, and then find a lower impulse motor in that thrust range. If you already have the motor selected, then get the heaviest rocket that you can safely lift with that amount of thrust.

 

[ActingLikeAKid]

Thanks, y'all!!

 

[dr wogz]

Estes V2 on a C11.. get into the history of it as well

Big Daddy also on a C11

The Flistkit Acme Spitfire, and really get Ooohs and it does actually fly!

Something with lots of stickie-outie & danglie bits, the more drag the better.. Again a few Flistkit's "space / fantasy" builds come to mind..

 

[AfterBurners]

Polecat FAT MAN or LOC Mini Mag

 

[MikeyDSlagle]

Big Daddy on a D12 is fun, but the C11 will be lower.
Baby Bertha on an A
Big Bertha on a B

All low and slow. The baby Bertha on a B6 doesn't go too terribly high either. And their cheap and readily available. Light enough to probably use a streamer if your landing surface is kinda soft.

Super Neon XL should make good ooh ahh flights on a D or maybe E. Haven't flown one, but it's a long fat tube fin, light and draggy.

 

[ActingLikeAKid]

I'll check out the Baby Bertha, definitely, thanks!
And I'm definitely putting together some Applewhite saucers.

 

[neil_w]

I put a D12 in my Quinstar and it still landed very close to the launch pad. Same with a C6. Fun flier.

 

[Oberon]

Not really low-n-slow, but not that high either, the Mean Machine on a D12 is a crowd pleaser at demo launches. As long as it's not windy, "decent sized athletic field" would be fine for that.

But if you're looking for an in-production kit, I'd second the Big Bertha or Big Daddy. Or the recently re-released Executioner. Tall rockets seem to get more buzz than squat ones at schools FWIW. Estes does have a neat mini-engine 2stage saucer, which would be fun as well.

Another option: Right now on the Estes website on the specials page you can get a 4 pack of "Sizzler" ARF rockets for $10.99. These are a squat BT-60 based design with a one piece fin can that doubles as a screw-on motor retainer, you can launch them about 5 minutes after you open the box. An A or B engine will be nice and low for a schoolyard demo. They also have the "Astron II" launch controller for $5.49. Rig up a cheap PVC or 2x4 based launch pad and you can have the kids do a 4 bird drag race for about $50 and very little time.

 

[ActingLikeAKid]

I put a D12 in my Quinstar and it still landed very close to the launch pad. Same with a C6. Fun flier.

Me too .... and another time, it was a good 200 feet away. Which isn't much, but is pushing the edges of where I'm flying (I'll have probably ~300 feet in two directions and ~150 feet in the other dimension. So as long as the wind is coming from the north or the south....

Not really low-n-slow, but not that high either, the Mean Machine on a D12 is a crowd pleaser at demo launches. As long as it's not windy, "decent sized athletic field" would be fine for that.

I love the idea of a Mean Machine, but this is ...okay, maybe "modest athletic field" is more accurate - and not a complex of fields (which I used to fly at ages ago and is great), but a single field; buildings and trees on 3 sides (with courtyards and parking lots, so ...not necessarily bad), street on the third. Also this is a launch for a preschool, so I need something where I KNOW it's going to come down away from the kids - this is an age where they might not understand "GET AWAY FROM THE FALLING THING".

I may do an unofficial "okay, if you liked that...." launch for the kids, where if they liked watching that, they can come out the next weekend to a decent flying field and I'll put up some bigger stuff.

 

[75Grandville]

Fliskits Trifecta. Three stages, A10-0 to A10-0 to A10-0 or A10-P. Apogee is about 150'. Lots of fun. Unfortunately, the middle stage of mine re-kitted itself, and its awaiting rebuild.

https://fliskits.com/products/01prod_fs.htm With shipping from eRockets.biz for under $20.

 

[smugglervt]

Squirrel Works

https://squirrel-works.com/oddroc.html

 

[Woody's Workshop]

I'll add another vote for the standard Big Bertha. A C6-3 should do the trick.

Yeup, I also go for the Big Bertha.
There is a reason for it's continuous production since it was first released.
Easily converted to the Ranger, a 3 engine cluster for faster, higher flights and payloads.

 

[Oberon]

Ah, yes, if those are your size constraints you probably want to keep it around 250' or less, so no Mean Machine

I do think that Sizzler pack, or some of the other Estes ARFs that are BT-60 based, would be a nice A engine option. Personally I just prefer something like that for a demo compared to a saucer, because it's more like a "real rocket".

The other upside is that since they are super cheap on the Estes special, and don't take any time to build, you won't feel so bad when a preschooler inevitably steps on one in their exuberance. Same goes for a folded paper Applewhite style saucer. If there's anything I've learned from school demos, it's "assume your rocket is disposable".

 

[MikeyDSlagle]

I recently snapped a fin off of my Big Bertha while rummaging through my rocket tote. So now I gotta repair that.
I thought the Big Daddy had been discontinued? Maybe not though.

 

[neil_w]

I do think that Sizzler pack, or some of the other Estes ARFs that are BT-60 based, would be a nice A engine option.

An Estes Crayon would probably be good.

Personally I just prefer something like that for a demo compared to a saucer, because it's more like a "real rocket".

Both types are good. At one of the launches that led to my BARdom, they launched, in addition to a bunch of ordinary stuff, a Cool Whip container. I thought it was mildly amusing, but it was all my daughter was talking about afterwards. Saucers are crowd pleasers.

 

[RocketFeller]

My pie plate rocket will do maybe 100' on a C6-0 or C6-3.

 

[Mitkof]

I’m just getting back into LPRs to introduce the grandkids this summer. I have a Sizzler with B4-4 [225’] and B6-4 [250’]. Flying Colors with B4-2 and B6-2 [250’]. Spectra with B6-2 and B6-4 [250’].
These rockets will also do about 550’ on C6 engines. I’m trying to stay under 750’ for all rocket flights the next few years. Not altitude hunting, as that holds no interest. Best part of LPRs is having total sight of flight profile and easy predictable recovery.

 

[samb]

The Estes Fat Boy was a good rocket for this application, but for some reason they decided to discontinue it. I'd suggest a Estes Big Bertha as it's such a classic rocket.

John

Squirrel Works

https://squirrel-works.com/oddroc.html

John and Jim V are on the right track. I like my old Estes Fat Boy for low and slow demos because it's a good stable traditional model rocket with a recovery device. I like the applause when the parachute deploys. I'll have to get a weight for you later but I've lobbed it up 80-90 feet in low wind conditions on an A8-3. Squirrel Works has many good choices - odd rocs, sci fi, and the Acorn !



https://squirrel-works.com/catalog/acorn/acorn.html

https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?69061-Estes-Fatboy-Squirrel-Works-Acorn

 

[CaptainVideo]

While the Fat Boy is not in production it looks like Estes sells a Mini Fatboy which goes 250 feet max. A little higher than the Curvilinear, but you can always reduce the height by using a lower powered engine.