MadRocketer
Determined to do it differently
Whatever you decide. It’ll look great!
Lakeroadster's Warhawk
- Thread starter lakeroadster
- Start date
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lakeroadster
When in doubt... build hell-for-stout!
Updated Sim... Looks like an E30 will be a good candidate for this one to ensure adequate off rod speed. Maybe an E-20, depends on final as built weight.
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lakeroadster
When in doubt... build hell-for-stout!
Stability Swing Test
The Warhawk tested as stable. Like... really stable.
"We're swingin' in the rain... we're swingin' in the rain. What a glorious feeling, the rockets' staaaable my friends."
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That was a real Colorado high country down pour. Next video will need some soft shoe and singing while performing the swing test. 
MadRocketer
Determined to do it differently
I am super interested in the rear ejection. I have yet to build something like that. Two questions:
1). How will you arrange the parachute and cord? Either side of the engine mount? Spooled around? Something else?
2). Since there is close to no volume for the gas to expand, will the ejection be extra energetic calling for a super long shock cord?
Bonus question. What are the chances the recovery spool will exit at an angle and possibly complicate things?
( Parachute gets pinched maybe? Probably nil, but anything is possible.)
1). How will you arrange the parachute and cord? Either side of the engine mount? Spooled around? Something else?
2). Since there is close to no volume for the gas to expand, will the ejection be extra energetic calling for a super long shock cord?
Bonus question. What are the chances the recovery spool will exit at an angle and possibly complicate things?
( Parachute gets pinched maybe? Probably nil, but anything is possible.)
lakeroadster
When in doubt... build hell-for-stout!
1) The chute doesn't wrap entirely around the spool. It wraps until it touches itself, then doubles back on itself.
2) A BT-300 is a pretty large body tube for a 24mm motor. I used this same arrangement on my Red Columbine and it flew and recovered without incident.
3) The front upper centering ring is smaller to prevent binding. I wrap crepe paper around that upper ring to help protect the parachute from flaming hot bits.
lakeroadster
When in doubt... build hell-for-stout!
Nose Cone Coating and Attachment to Fuselage
Now that the rocket successfully passed the swing test, I can complete gluing it together and begin finishing / painting it.
I coated the inside surfaces of the redwood nose cone with a combination of Gorilla Wood Glue and Titebond Quick and Thick. The motor ejection charge impinges directly on this surface.
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lakeroadster
When in doubt... build hell-for-stout!
Air Intake & Exhaust Headers
A few little detail items.
Air Intake
Made from a 1/2" dowel, sanded to suit.
Exhaust Headers
@Sandy H. suggested making some headers that protrude out... rather than a flat decal. Great Idea.
3/16" dowels should work. After the glue dries I'll sand the sub-assy's. to length with my benchtop disc sander.
Also updated the Open Rocket As-Built simulation
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Are your headers going to provide additional thrust like they did on the real airplane?
Tractor motors rule!
Tractor motors rule!
lakeroadster
When in doubt... build hell-for-stout!
Nope... unless I can find some 1/8" diameter BP motors.Are your headers going to provide additional thrust like they did on the real airplane?
Tractor motors rule!
lakeroadster
When in doubt... build hell-for-stout!
Exhaust Headers Day 02 - CWF
Sanded the headers to length, sanded the glassine off the body tube and wood glued the headers to the body tube.
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CWF... Day 01
Sanded the headers to length, sanded the glassine off the body tube and wood glued the headers to the body tube.
CWF... Day 01
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lakeroadster
When in doubt... build hell-for-stout!
Sanding the CWF
The Elmer's CWF I'm using I bought in May of 2018. This stuff is amazing. I store it in a ziplock bag, with a damp paper towel. Each time I use it I just add a little water in the corner of the container (or take some of the CWF paste out and put it in a yogurt cup and add some water). Then I throw out the old paper towel, put in a new damp paper towel, and stow it away.
I used 220 grit, then 400 grit, to sand down the CWF. Tomorrow... It's primer time. Stop! You can't paint this! (yet)
The Elmer's CWF I'm using I bought in May of 2018. This stuff is amazing. I store it in a ziplock bag, with a damp paper towel. Each time I use it I just add a little water in the corner of the container (or take some of the CWF paste out and put it in a yogurt cup and add some water). Then I throw out the old paper towel, put in a new damp paper towel, and stow it away.
I used 220 grit, then 400 grit, to sand down the CWF. Tomorrow... It's primer time. Stop! You can't paint this! (yet)
MadRocketer
Determined to do it differently
That’s going to be a fine looking model! Will we see hand painted chrome headers?
lakeroadster
When in doubt... build hell-for-stout!
Thanks, fellow woodsman.
Hand painted, yes. Chrome, no.
I'm wanting to do a weathered paint job, with carbon trails off the headers and machine guns. Sure, it's an oddroc, but I've always been a fan of patina.
The real ones were nice just off the assembly line. Then after just one flight they were covered in exhaust soot, dirty from take off and landing, and dinged up from maintenance and transport. Model rockets are the same!
lakeroadster
When in doubt... build hell-for-stout!
Primer Day 01
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I was gonna joke that the planes get dinged up after their first transport flight because (lady pilots); but I have to admit that most of those WASPs were damn good and had more air-hours than their male counterparts!
lakeroadster
When in doubt... build hell-for-stout!
Much respect. As the line goes, "all gave some, some gave all".
lakeroadster
When in doubt... build hell-for-stout!
Got my Apogee Components order today, and I just ordered the parts 2 days ago.
I'm tired of recovery harness failures on my LPR / MPR's.. so I'm stepping up to 300# Braided Kevlar.
And I'm oh so looking forward to flying the Warhawk on the E-20 white lighting motors.
The fin alignment fixture was free by using Coupon Code NL24JIG
I'm tired of recovery harness failures on my LPR / MPR's.. so I'm stepping up to 300# Braided Kevlar.
And I'm oh so looking forward to flying the Warhawk on the E-20 white lighting motors.
The fin alignment fixture was free by using Coupon Code NL24JIG
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lakeroadster
When in doubt... build hell-for-stout!
Awesome and relatively easy to replicate. I'll have to work up an Open Rocket simulation.
Thanks.
lakeroadster
When in doubt... build hell-for-stout!
Primer Day 02
320 grit sanded the 1st coat of primer, took some photos, then applied another coat of primer.
Almost Guud Enuff ... that's an industry term.
Last photo shows my weathered scratch-built P-40 windvane... the in-process scratch-build P-40 Warhawk... and the RSO Buddy the Gnome.
320 grit sanded the 1st coat of primer, took some photos, then applied another coat of primer.
Almost Guud Enuff ... that's an industry term.
Last photo shows my weathered scratch-built P-40 windvane... the in-process scratch-build P-40 Warhawk... and the RSO Buddy the Gnome.
lakeroadster
When in doubt... build hell-for-stout!
Army Green Paint
This is the same brand and color paint I used on X-Wing Alpha. The paint came out great on the rocket that I used the Rusto Filler & Sandable and then the Primer & Sealer. However, on the motor mount / spool that I used Rusto 2X Primer on, we experienced a flare up of the dreaded paint herpes. I just got back from throwing that 2X Primer into the trash can out in the garage.
One more thing: pew, pew... pew, pew, pew.
This is the same brand and color paint I used on X-Wing Alpha. The paint came out great on the rocket that I used the Rusto Filler & Sandable and then the Primer & Sealer. However, on the motor mount / spool that I used Rusto 2X Primer on, we experienced a flare up of the dreaded paint herpes. I just got back from throwing that 2X Primer into the trash can out in the garage.
One more thing: pew, pew... pew, pew, pew.
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lakeroadster
When in doubt... build hell-for-stout!
Painting The Belly White
Mocked up the toothy grin. It's scaled up from the Open Rocket simulation model, bigger is better for an oddroc.
Then I used a pencil line on the Army Green to determine the profile line for the white paint.
Next blue painters' tape is used to mask the area not to be painted.
I first sprayed a light coat of the camo army green to seal the tape edges and minimize white seepages, waited 10 minutes, then fogged on the flat
white paint.
With any luck there won't be a bunch of Aspen leaves stuck in the paint before it dries. A tad bit windy here today. The outside painting days are slipping away.
Turned out pretty good, needs a little touch up but not much.
SHARK!
Mocked up the toothy grin. It's scaled up from the Open Rocket simulation model, bigger is better for an oddroc.
Then I used a pencil line on the Army Green to determine the profile line for the white paint.
Next blue painters' tape is used to mask the area not to be painted.
I first sprayed a light coat of the camo army green to seal the tape edges and minimize white seepages, waited 10 minutes, then fogged on the flat
white paint.
With any luck there won't be a bunch of Aspen leaves stuck in the paint before it dries. A tad bit windy here today. The outside painting days are slipping away.
Turned out pretty good, needs a little touch up but not much.
SHARK!
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mixed blessing (or curse). If there was one area of the rocket that had to get messed up, I’d say that was likely the easiest to fix.
lakeroadster
When in doubt... build hell-for-stout!
Painting the Nose Cone Red.
I'm not a paint "huffer", but I gotta tell ya, nothing reminds me more of my childhood than the smell of Testor's paint.
Masking and spraying the Testors Gloss Dark Red was pretty straightforward.
I used my hobby knife and cut some blue painters tape longitudinally to have a nice fresh cut tape line at the paint dividing line. I rolled the dice and didn't spray down a layer of the previous colors, before painting the red. There was a very minimal amount of seepage under the masking tape, but not enough to be concerned about.
I ordered some decal paper from Micro Mark this morning, (5) sheets of clear, and (5) sheets of white. Looking forward to seeing how the white works out.
I'm not a paint "huffer", but I gotta tell ya, nothing reminds me more of my childhood than the smell of Testor's paint.
Masking and spraying the Testors Gloss Dark Red was pretty straightforward.
I used my hobby knife and cut some blue painters tape longitudinally to have a nice fresh cut tape line at the paint dividing line. I rolled the dice and didn't spray down a layer of the previous colors, before painting the red. There was a very minimal amount of seepage under the masking tape, but not enough to be concerned about.
I ordered some decal paper from Micro Mark this morning, (5) sheets of clear, and (5) sheets of white. Looking forward to seeing how the white works out.
lakeroadster
When in doubt... build hell-for-stout!
Hand Painting
- Gun Barrels; Gun Metal
- Headers: Gray with a touch of Red
- Also touched up the few little white specks that got on the Army Green.
lakeroadster
When in doubt... build hell-for-stout!
Rear Eject Parachute Packing
I took some photos of how the 28" parachute is folded and packed into the spool. As previously discussed, it is not wrapped all the way around the spool.... Think "Hot Dog Bun".
I took some photos of how the 28" parachute is folded and packed into the spool. As previously discussed, it is not wrapped all the way around the spool.... Think "Hot Dog Bun".
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