Hello everyone.

[fthomas1234]

I am happy to find other rocketry enthusiasts to share with. I used to get Estes mail order back in the late 60s. When my boys were young we built a few rockets and launched them. A few years ago I bought the Estes Mercury Redstone. I am now thoroughly hooked on the hobby for the second time in my life! I went a little crazy during the covid lockdown. I'm looking forward to being part of this forum. I just completed a scratch build of the Artemis and now need to design some temporary fin system to fly it. It is 26" tall and will use D and E engines. Any ideas? Thanks for checking it out.

 

[James Owen]

Welcome to the forum! Beautiful collection you got there.

As far as a temporary fin system, what manufacturing methods do you have available?
If it was my rocket, what I’d probably try first is some sort of “clamp” for lack of a better term, with fins on it that can go around the SRBs. This is kind of hard to explain, so I’ll rephrase it to try to add clarity.
The fins are attached to some sort of tube with a cut in it lengthwise. This allows the tube to be opened slightly, so you can put it onto the SRBs. It should pull itself closed to “clamp” into place.

Hopefully that makes sense, but you don’t have to try it if you don’t want to as it is just my first hair-brained idea.

 

[cthunter01]

Is it weird that my favorite part of your collection, from your photos at least, is actually the launch tower/crawler for the Saturn V? The one thing that doesn't fly? Wow, that is amazing!

You have a beautiful collection. And I'm not sure about the temporary fins. I was going to suggest looking at what Estes did for their new SpaceX Falcon 9 model with the clear plastic, but I'm not sure if you will be able to do that. Another possibility might be to insert temporary fins into the side boosters a la Estes' SLS scale model and launch with a single Aerotech E or F in the middle?

 

[hobie1dog]

to the forum, thanks for the pics

 

[Huxter]

Yeah, love the crawler - it gives a good look of authenticity! Very nice collection!

 

[tsmith1315]

Is it weird that my favorite part of your collection, from your photos at least, is actually the launch tower/crawler for the Saturn V?

Not weird at all, that crawler is awesome!

 

[fthomas1234]

Is it weird that my favorite part of your collection, from your photos at least, is actually the launch tower/crawler for the Saturn V? The one thing that doesn't fly? Wow, that is amazing!

You have a beautiful collection. And I'm not sure about the temporary fins. I was going to suggest looking at what Estes did for their new SpaceX Falcon 9 model with the clear plastic, but I'm not sure if you will be able to do that. Another possibility might be to insert temporary fins into the side boosters a la Estes' SLS scale model and launch with a single Aerotech E or F in the middle?

1:100 Scale Apollo Launch Umbilical Tower (LUT) Model Kit for Estes, Dragon 4D Vision or any 1:100 Saturn V Model

Launch Umbilical Tower model kit, for Estes, Dragon 4D Vision or any Saturn V plastic model kit, in 1:100 scale. A must-have for your Apollo 11 to 17 spacecraft collection. Also called LUT, designed to bear all loads. Realistic like the KSC Apollo pad.

www.educraftdiversions.org

Thanks for the kind comments. After I built the SDS Saturn 5, my kids got me the launch Tower project for Christmas. It comes rolled up in a tube! There must be 30 or 40 sheets of cardstock pre-printed. You cut them out, fold them up and it's almost unbelievable how they form into the shapes needed. It blew my mind to think of who was able to come up with that. I built the crawler later to go with it and entered it in our local County Fair for the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 landing. Check out the link above.

 

[fthomas1234]

Not weird at all, that crawler is awesome!

1:100 Scale Apollo Launch Umbilical Tower (LUT) Model Kit for Estes, Dragon 4D Vision or any 1:100 Saturn V Model

Launch Umbilical Tower model kit, for Estes, Dragon 4D Vision or any Saturn V plastic model kit, in 1:100 scale. A must-have for your Apollo 11 to 17 spacecraft collection. Also called LUT, designed to bear all loads. Realistic like the KSC Apollo pad.

www.educraftdiversions.org

Thank you. Here is a link for the tower. I think the crawler is on the same page as well. You supply a bit of your own corrugated cardboard and the rest of it is cardstock pre-printed with all the pieces. Unbelievable how they were able to think of it all that and make it come out right!

The coolest thing about the crawler is that it is still being used today at Cape Canaveral!

 

[fthomas1234]

1:100 Scale Apollo Launch Umbilical Tower (LUT) Model Kit for Estes, Dragon 4D Vision or any 1:100 Saturn V Model

Launch Umbilical Tower model kit, for Estes, Dragon 4D Vision or any Saturn V plastic model kit, in 1:100 scale. A must-have for your Apollo 11 to 17 spacecraft collection. Also called LUT, designed to bear all loads. Realistic like the KSC Apollo pad.

www.educraftdiversions.org

Thanks for the kind comments. After I built the SDS Saturn 5, my kids got me the launch Tower project for Christmas. It comes rolled up in a tube! There must be 30 or 40 sheets of cardstock pre-printed. You cut them out, fold them up and it's almost unbelievable how they form into the shapes needed. It blew my mind to think of who was able to come up with that. I built the crawler later to go with it and entered it in our local County Fair for the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 landing. Check out the link above.

Thanks for the ideas about the fins!

 

[fthomas1234]

Is it weird that my favorite part of your collection, from your photos at least, is actually the launch tower/crawler for the Saturn V? The one thing that doesn't fly? Wow, that is amazing!

You have a beautiful collection. And I'm not sure about the temporary fins. I was going to suggest looking at what Estes did for their new SpaceX Falcon 9 model with the clear plastic, but I'm not sure if you will be able to do that. Another possibility might be to insert temporary fins into the side boosters a la Estes' SLS scale model and launch with a single Aerotech E or F in the middle?

Thank you for your kind comments. I was playing around with that type of approach last night. I slit a piece of body tube and was trying it around the SRB. The problem is it's wider at the bottom where the nozzle is. I can try it up higher and test it with the old string and swing to see if it's stable. I think I might be able to get it to work. One other thought was to maybe put four b70 pieces of body tube around the base somehow but I think your idea is better.

 

[fthomas1234]

Thank you for your kind comments. I was playing around with that type of approach last night. I slit a piece of body tube and was trying it around the SRB. The problem is it's wider at the bottom where the nozzle is. I can try it up higher and test it with the old string and swing to see if it's stable. I think I might be able to get it to work. One other thought was to maybe put four b70 pieces of body tube around the base somehow but I think your idea is better.

I guess I'm getting a little mixed up on which post I'm commenting on. I guess I'll get the hang of the forum as I practice. Clear plastic fins are definitely a possibility. I think they'd have to be permanent and probably through the wall to the inner body tube. Thanks again for your ideas.

 

[fthomas1234]

Welcome to the forum! Beautiful collection you got there.

As far as a temporary fin system, what manufacturing methods do you have available?
If it was my rocket, what I’d probably try first is some sort of “clamp” for lack of a better term, with fins on it that can go around the SRBs. This is kind of hard to explain, so I’ll rephrase it to try to add clarity.
The fins are attached to some sort of tube with a cut in it lengthwise. This allows the tube to be opened slightly, so you can put it onto the SRBs. It should pull itself closed to “clamp” into place.

Hopefully that makes sense, but you don’t have to try it if you don’t want to as it is just my first hair-brained idea.

Thanks. That is definitely a possibility. I was experimenting with that last night. I actually commented farther down the post by accident. Thanks again!

 

[cwbullet]

Welcome

 

[Dane Ronnow]

Welcome to the forum! Beautiful collection you've got there. Thanks for sharing pics.

 

[Ronz Rocketz]

Maybe you could adapt the Estes clear fins.

033331 - New Shepard Clear Fin Unit

Clear fin unit for the 2198 Blue Origin New Shepard.

estesrockets.com

Another alternative is to use the Dr. Zooch approach. The fins slide into the boosters. Works great.



Here’s my Falcon Heavy.

 

[bschultz32]

fthomas1234, it's obvious you have two of the prerequisites for entry into high power rocketry: talent at building things, and an enthusiastic interest in rocketry. Have you joined Tripoli yet? Have you considered seeking your Level 1 HPR certification?
Bob

 

[lakeroadster]

Wow, quite the collection. And a place for everything, and everything in it's place. Well played.

 

[dmaaero]

Welcome to the group, your crawler is way cool ! I also like your white rocket with the black nose fins, is that a SAM ? Did you build it or is it a kit?

 

[fthomas1234]

Welcome to the group, your crawler is way cool ! I also like your white rocket with the black nose fins, is that a SAM ? Did you build it or is it a kit?

Hello. Sorry for the late response. I think you are looking at the Estes Sidewinder Missle. It is a kit that comes up on eBay pretty regularly. The kit has the nose cone separating from the main body and descending on a 12" chute. I modified that by keeping both pieces together with a length of elastic shock cord. I could see myself watching the top drift off into oblivion. I modified it to fly on D engines but it has a nice slower lift off with a C65. Thanks for commenting.

 

[fthomas1234]

fthomas1234, it's obvious you have two of the prerequisites for entry into high power rocketry: talent at building things, and an enthusiastic interest in rocketry. Have you joined Tripoli yet? Have you considered seeking your Level 1 HPR certification?
Bob

Hello. I've thought about joining NAR. Not sure what Tripoli is. I will check it out. I have a reasonably sized field behind my house that I can launch rockets for fun. Not really leaning towards the high powered side of things at this point.My 4 year old grandson lives about an hour away and there is an NAR club near there (Hudson, Ohio). I hope to get him involved in the hobby. Right now he likes his foam stomp rockets I got him for Christmas!

 

[fthomas1234]

Wow, quite the collection. And a place for everything, and everything in it's place. Well played.

Thanks. Fortunately, I have a nice area in the basement that has worked out well. I doubled my shelf space a couple of years ago but have out grown it with all the spare building time during Covid!

 

[tsmith1315]

I've thought about joining NAR. Not sure what Tripoli is. I will check it out

https://www.tripoli.org/

Both clubs are great. It's probably best to look at both and see which one has a local club closest to you, and/or which has launches closest to you. Most launches welcome flyers that belong to either club.

 

[JeffBigg]

Welcome to the forum. I don’t live too far away from you. I’m in Milan. I fly with Northern Ohio Tripoli and Skybusters (NAR) at their field in Amherst. Here are some links if you are interested in flying with us.

NOTRA Northern Ohio Tripoli

Tri City Skybusters

The Skybusters Rocketry Club is an organization of volunteers dedicated to the promotion of the safe and fun use of model and high power rocketry.

www.skybusters.org

Feel free to reach out anytime,
Jeff

 

[fthomas1234]

Welcome to the forum. I don’t live too far away from you. I’m in Milan. I fly with Northern Ohio Tripoli and Skybusters (NAR) at their field in Amherst. Here are some links if you are interested in flying with us.

NOTRA Northern Ohio Tripoli

Tri City Skybusters

The Skybusters Rocketry Club is an organization of volunteers dedicated to the promotion of the safe and fun use of model and high power rocketry.

www.skybusters.org

Feel free to reach out anytime,
Jeff

Thanks!

 

[Ez2cDave]

And a place for everything, and everything in it's place.

"OCD" "?

LOL !

Welcome to the Forum !

Dave F.

 

[lakeroadster]

"OCD" "?

LOL !

Welcome to the Forum !

Dave F.

One man's organizational skills is often times defined by disorganized men as OCD

 

[fthomas1234]

Thanks!

Thanks. I will try to get to a launch sometime. You are only one hour away!

 

[fthomas1234]

"OCD" "?

LOL !

Welcome to the Forum !

Dave F.

My wife says I'm just B.A.D.

 

[fthomas1234]

Thanks! When is your next launch day?

 

[tsmith1315]

My wife says I'm just B.A.D.

Which version- Michael Jackson or L.L. Cool J?