LOC 3" Hawk...anybody got one?

[MikeyDSlagle]

I have been wanting a Hawk in some flavor for quite a while now. I got one as a gift for my birthday back in February. I've had little time to dedicate to rockets but finally getting around to it today. I asked myself a few questions about the build back when I first opened the box but since I wouldn't have time to fool with it I didn't bring the questions here. Now that I am getting started, though it will be shelved for a while after tomorrow, I thought I would bring the questions to the hive mind.

The instructions and the website state this is suitable for high power F and G motors. For starters, F and G are not high power motors...not in the US anyway, but whatever.

So...
Bag-O-Parts weight is 31.08 oz give or take a smidge, adding nose weight per instructions will bring it to ~33 oz. Realistically it will weight more of course and will take more nose weight. Around 6 to 8 oz probably.
It is getting a mite heavy for F motors. All but the punchiest in fact, unless I use a longer rail.

I will be able to fly it on the 29/40-120 'Gs', but I thought I would fly it on my 29/180 and 29/240 motors. But now looking at the fins, they are somewhat flimsy and not sure how they will handle 'H' motors. I know they will stiffen up when I get the fillets on there but not sure how much.

Anyone have one of these in 3" that has flown it on 'H' motors?
I just don't see the good folks at LOC releasing something like this with the intent of sub 1000' flights on F and G motors. But maybe so.

Second question for those who have built one:
It comes with a coupler and the coupler is on the parts list in the instructions but nowhere else is the coupler mentioned. I'm thinking maybe it slides into the body tube down to the forward fin slots to give a little extra for the fin tabs to grab? It'll be a long way to slide down in there though, and that doesn't sound very fun. I thought to use it for a dual deploy setup but that isn't really feasible either.

May be a good time to learn layup on the fins. I really don't want to go down that road but building composite fins to get the airfoiled profile would look nice.

Thoughts?

Thanks folks,
Mikey D

 

[dhbarr]

Those enormous fins will be very stiff post-fillet. Many H's and some I's will probably be just fine.

 

[MikeyDSlagle]

Thanks for the comment Dave. I suspected they would be and would have found out for myself once the fillets are laid.

 

[base890]

I adapted mine to 38mm and added an adjustable nose-weight tube within the nose cone (also holds a tracker). So far I've only flown it on an I180 but it sims well with the smaller H motors and 650' on G80. I epoxied 100g BB's in the tip top of the nose then use a bolt with 38mm fender washers (as many as it takes) in the foreward most portion of the 38mm motor tube. It was a fun build. I'll round up some pictures if you are interested.

 

[base890]

 

[base890]

 

[MikeyDSlagle]

I adapted mine to 38mm and added an adjustable nose-weight tube within the nose cone (also holds a tracker). So far I've only flown it on an I180 but it sims well with the smaller H motors and 650' on G80. I epoxied 100g BB's in the tip top of the nose then use a bolt with 38mm fender washers (as many as it takes) in the foreward most portion of the 38mm motor tube. It was a fun build. I'll round up some pictures if you are interested.

Very cool. I like what you have going on there in the nose cone. I'll do something similar myself. Lead shot then a removable system of some sort. Haven't worked out the particulars yet. I'll probably use one of MAC's nose cone bays to keep it simple.

Also trying to decide if I want to do the conduits like the real thing...then it'll be ready for primer. Then I can decide on color scheme.

I wanted to up mine to a 38mm as well but decided to keep it 29mm to use that 180 case which is still in bubble wrap and the 240 which has been unflown as well. I have an aeropack 38/29 adaptor, but it is unopened as well. Lol. If I build 38, I'm gonna fly 38, and most of mine are 38. So I needed a 29mm high powered bird.