Is Shooting a Viking Rocket legal?

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Matt_The_RocketMan

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just a wtf moment when i was prepping/ building the rocket "Viking" then it came to my attention as to how the hell does the engine stay inside the rocket without a Rocket Mount or holder.... We even used this rocket in comp and got DQ for retrieving it without its engine.... Please tell me i build it wrong....

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Friction fit it, a few wraps of tape around the motor should do it
 
Uh Does it actually work? Ejection charge is pretty powerful

we stopped using it entirely cause we shot it at comp in a grassy place and we retrieved the rocket without engine, its considered highly dangerous for that to occur
 
This is from the Estes website:
https://www.estesrockets.com/customer-service/viking/
"Friction fit" means to wrap some tape around the engine so that it fits snugly in the motor tube. You want it snug so that it doesn't eject, but not so tight that you will have a hard time getting it out. I bring a pair of pliers with me to every launch for getting tight motors out of the motor tube.
PS this is the way it was done when dinosaurs roamed, before engine hooks were invented.
 
If you're that worried about it once you have it in wrap tape around the bt and motor
 
so the engine ring is supposed to serve as a stopper so you can have some room to get the engine out ... i am now understanding , but i still do not think that under Comp rules that this rocket is legal
 
LOL That used to be the only way to retain a motor...engine clips and other retainers came later!!! Just don't use electrical tape to hold the motor!!! I learned the hard way on my very first rocket in 1967 :D
 
I know what he ment, I wanted to know if its NAR or some other?
 
If you accidentally spit the motor, I see his point. Friction plus a tailwrap, you should be fine. Thrust ring unnecessary since you put the cardboard ring in already.
 
As long as the motor IS retained it shouldn't be a problem, as with any rocket...
 
Maybe this wasn't too clear: in competition, the motor must be retained in the rocket. This is why the RSO DQ'd you. The Viking kit uses friction fit to retain the motor. Apparently you did not wrap tape around the motor to keep it in during ejection. The friction fit method works well as long as it's done correctly.
 
Maybe this wasn't too clear: in competition, the motor must be retained in the rocket. This is why the RSO DQ'd you. The Viking kit uses friction fit to retain the motor. Apparently you did not wrap tape around the motor to keep it in during ejection. The friction fit method works well as long as it's done correctly.

Well thanks for letting me know
 
I hate friction fit. I don't think I ever built a friction fit rocket that made more than 3-4 flights before the body tube got crumpled in the insertion or removal of a motor.

Instead of friction fit, I use 2-3 tape tabs (1/4 x 1/2) to serve as motor retainers.

I usually build minimum diameter rockets so the motor protrudes 1/4 inch from the base so tape tabs have room to secure the motor.
 
I hate friction fit. I don't think I ever built a friction fit rocket that made more than 3-4 flights before the body tube got crumpled in the insertion or removal of a motor.

Instead of friction fit, I use 2-3 tape tabs (1/4 x 1/2) to serve as motor retainers.

I usually build minimum diameter rockets so the motor protrudes 1/4 inch from the base so tape tabs have room to secure the motor.

that is exactly what i remember happening to the rocket + we added the engine holder from the Alpha rocket to the outside of this one to make a makeshift engine holder
 
I hate friction fit. I don't think I ever built a friction fit rocket that made more than 3-4 flights before the body tube got crumpled in the insertion or removal of a motor.

Instead of friction fit, I use 2-3 tape tabs (1/4 x 1/2) to serve as motor retainers.

I usually build minimum diameter rockets so the motor protrudes 1/4 inch from the base so tape tabs have room to secure the motor.
After looking at the directions for this kit, if it was built stock then there wouldn't be room for a tape wrap at the end of the tube since the trailing edge of the fins is even with the end of the tube. Tape tabs between the fins or friction fit would be the only options.
 
After looking at the directions for this kit, if it was built stock then there wouldn't be room for a tape wrap at the end of the tube since the trailing edge of the fins is even with the end of the tube. Tape tabs between the fins or friction fit would be the only options.

Yep, I use the tape tab option when the fins are flush with the bottom of the tube.

I don't think I've ever had a motor spit when using tape tabs. If you apply them correctly they are plenty strong enough to hold the motor in.

Adding a motor retainer to the outside of the rocket is another option but that always ends up looking really sloppy.

I believe the old time Astron Scout from the olden olden days of rocketry had an external motor retainer clip glued on with a patch of gauze-- I thought that looked like a mess, so I used a piece of a scrap body tube to cover up the motor clip.
 
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You would think so, but if he's also competing DQ's are his friend,,,
 
I would hate for an accident knowing what would happen.."I told you so." If somebody got hurt or a field burned, do you thing he would have said that?
 
Looks like you built the rocket great from your picture Rocket Man. If you don’t like or understand how friction retention works, then spend more than $7-8 bucks on a rocket. In the Estes instructions it clearly states how to safely launch each of there products. And probably not get Disqualified or worse lawn dart on someone!!! What is so hard to understand about this?
 
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