Let's talk about BT-101

[SolarYellow]

Estes used it in

• Saturn 1b
• Saturn V
• Maxi V-2
• Pershing 1-A

Nothing else comes up in Brohm's list.

Has it been used other places by other companies?

Not really being a Saturn V guy, I haven't paid much attention to BT-101 until now. Over the weekend, when discussing Estes 4-in tubing that is more like AT & LOC 4-in tubing, I got my head around the specs on BT-101. It is 0.021-in thick, same as BT-55, 60, 70, & 80. So it should weigh exactly 20 percent less than an Estes 3-in tube of the same length. Today, of course, I've been mulling over "big & beautiful," low & slow park flyers made from BT-101 that would fly well on E12s from Hobby Lobby, or maybe D12s.

Just wondering if anyone is using it for LPR/MPR sport flyers. Old standards, something as simple as an Alpha or Goblin, could be fun. A little bit of sound and fury from the motor, send them up a little bit, and bring them down very gently on a big chute.

I reckon the challenge is likely going to be nose cones that match up to the thinner wall and don't add so much weight then end up requiring more power, beginning an upward spiral of weight and power until you might as well double the body tube thickness and you've moved away from the whole idea entirely.

 

[Daddyisabar]

I know an old dude who bought out a supplier's last stock cheap, they couldn't sell the stuff. I got into his free pile and a BT 101 made a wonderful outer telescopic section for Jack in the Box. He has an old Pershing 1A nosecone set, maybe he will use it for a mold some day. I don't know if anyone sells them, maybe an ole tymer would know.

 

[BABAR]

Used it to make ring fins.

 

[markschnell]

It's the ring fin in Semroc's Satellite Killer. I'm not sure if it was also used in the original Centuri version.

 

[rharshberger]

I know BT101 is the same i.d. for a Loc 3.9 coupler to fit inside, and its much thinner than Loc 3.9 airframe. Beyond that I have only worked with it on the Saturn IV, but I do have a MaxiV2 and Saturn 1b waiting in the pile.

 

[Sandy H.]

Estes used it in

• Saturn 1b
• Saturn V
• Maxi V-2
• Pershing 1-A

Nothing else comes up in Brohm's list.

Has it been used other places by other companies?

Not really being a Saturn V guy, I haven't paid much attention to BT-101 until now. Over the weekend, when discussing Estes 4-in tubing that is more like AT & LOC 4-in tubing, I got my head around the specs on BT-101. It is 0.021-in thick, same as BT-55, 60, 70, & 80. So it should weigh exactly 20 percent less than an Estes 3-in tube of the same length. Today, of course, I've been mulling over "big & beautiful," low & slow park flyers made from BT-101 that would fly well on E12s from Hobby Lobby, or maybe D12s.

Just wondering if anyone is using it for LPR/MPR sport flyers. Old standards, something as simple as an Alpha or Goblin, could be fun. A little bit of sound and fury from the motor, send them up a little bit, and bring them down very gently on a big chute.

I reckon the challenge is likely going to be nose cones that match up to the thinner wall and don't add so much weight then end up requiring more power, beginning an upward spiral of weight and power until you might as well double the body tube thickness and you've moved away from the whole idea entirely.

I got some BT-101 and old NCR nosecone to do exactly what you were planning - a 4" rocket for Boyscout demos on small motors. Never did it, as I ended up getting out of the hobby for a while the next season. Depending on your goals and where you live, we might be able to work something out. I'm not proactively trying to get rid of it, but I have too much stuff I'm never going to use. . . Shoot me a PM if you'd like.

 

[burkefj]

All R/C rocket gliders and all BT-101, I used it when I kitted my upscale Mach 2 clone and 1/14 scale X-15 kits, Boyce uses it for their Pershing 1A clone.

 

[JPalmer621]

If you want to build the Boyce clone shutlle 1385 the ET is a BT101

 

[bjphoenix]

I was working on a design to potentially use BT101 but the selection of nose cones isn't good, I'm thinking about using that design in BT-80.