GlenP
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Link to the plans of the Estes Astron Sprint at JimZ
https://www.spacemodeling.org/jimz/k-49.htm
This is sort of a variation on the theme, instead of a 1" boat tail at the end, we just have a 1" tube for the nose cone shoulder and an entire body that is the boat tail, or a very long transition. This can be built pretty light and might not even need a streamer for recovery, but might require some nose weight for stability, do your own string test if you build it. I just printed this up and have not built it yet, so hopefully no major problems, but if I discover any issues I will try to update the pattern. I just was thinking about this rocket due to another thread, and thought, how could I make this differently (note I did not say "better") and for the heck of it thought why not make the body a transition, like some other contest models are made, and try to make it from cardstock to keep the weight down. Not sure if the cardstock fins will be lighter than balsa, depends on how many plies, I am going to try for as few as possible, just not sure if 3 will be strong enough, so I might taper the plies and have more at the root, but less at the tip, to mimic how you would sand the shape of the balsa fins.
Here is the pattern, feel free to post a picture of your build, if you happen to give it a try. I will post mine when I get started on it. Just wanted to go ahead and share the pattern with the rest of you paper modelers out there. The engine mount and nose cone come from Greg P's PDFs in the Project Paper thread, those are very useful. There is no thrust ring or centering ring in the template, I just kind of cut strips of paper by hand and wrap them to fit, not sure how many wraps will be needed for the top of the engine mount in the transition body tube.
https://www.spacemodeling.org/jimz/k-49.htm
This is sort of a variation on the theme, instead of a 1" boat tail at the end, we just have a 1" tube for the nose cone shoulder and an entire body that is the boat tail, or a very long transition. This can be built pretty light and might not even need a streamer for recovery, but might require some nose weight for stability, do your own string test if you build it. I just printed this up and have not built it yet, so hopefully no major problems, but if I discover any issues I will try to update the pattern. I just was thinking about this rocket due to another thread, and thought, how could I make this differently (note I did not say "better") and for the heck of it thought why not make the body a transition, like some other contest models are made, and try to make it from cardstock to keep the weight down. Not sure if the cardstock fins will be lighter than balsa, depends on how many plies, I am going to try for as few as possible, just not sure if 3 will be strong enough, so I might taper the plies and have more at the root, but less at the tip, to mimic how you would sand the shape of the balsa fins.
Here is the pattern, feel free to post a picture of your build, if you happen to give it a try. I will post mine when I get started on it. Just wanted to go ahead and share the pattern with the rest of you paper modelers out there. The engine mount and nose cone come from Greg P's PDFs in the Project Paper thread, those are very useful. There is no thrust ring or centering ring in the template, I just kind of cut strips of paper by hand and wrap them to fit, not sure how many wraps will be needed for the top of the engine mount in the transition body tube.
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