LOC KING VIPER III

[Kaycee]

I've always wanted to build the KING VIPER III since I first saw it in the LOC catalog many years ago. Being old-skool and liking cardboard and wood I simply couldn't stand it any more...so I pulled the trigger and ordered one.

https://shop.locprecision.com/product.sc?productId=153

The quality of the kit is first-rate.

There is little info on the forums on this rocket, and even a with a google search the best I can come up with is a CP ~81.46" from Rocket Reviews. I haven't modeled the KING VIPER III yet in either Rocsim or Open Rocket, but if you have a .rkt or .ork file that you might be willing to share, I'd love to see it.

My KING VIPER III is scheduled to fly at AIRFest 18 on (3 x 54mm) motors TBD...

 

[troj]

My KING VIPER III is scheduled to fly at AIRFest 18 on (3 x 54mm) motors TBD...

That I like to hear! The King Viper III is another rocket that has always intrigued me!

-Kevin

 

[H_Rocket]

I've flown (Kevin style) the King Viper on 3 x 54mm (K550-ish)


Both times it came apart at about 3,000'. I'm not sure why, however there was some discussion that it went unstable with that much weight at the tail. I suspect the thrust actually caused a failure at the base of the BT as that was where most of the damage was. I have a simulation file somewhere and if I can find it I'll share. It might be attached to a post in the TRF Archive though.

Mine was rigged for zipperless dual deploy, and covered in two wraps of 4.5oz glass. I will re-build it someday along with its big brother - the Motherlode (3 x 75mm - 7.5" BT) which I have in the man-cave.

 

[atxcple]

here you go

View attachment PK-92 King Viper.RKT

 

[qquake2k]

Wow, 3x54mm? Will it be dual deploy?

 

[dixontj93060]

Just finishing the final fill coat on King Viper's younger cousin, the 4-29SS.

 

[H_Rocket]

Funny thing is the King Viper was never meant to fly on 54mm motors. The original kit shipped with 3 motor adapters and when built stock was supposedly a low and slow flyer on H180 motors.


Odd thing about the 4-29SS (Got that one too) - the fins are different.

 

[cavecentral]

My brother had one of the ones in some catalog / magazine. It was wrecked / scrapped. He rebuilt it. They flew nice on 3 Vulcan H260's. I'd imagine 3 I357s would be a similar flight. I don't remember delay info that would be appropriate.

 

[cavecentral]

The Viper III is the little cousin. The 4 29SS came out shortly after I made a very similar rocket. (We flew with Ron & Deb). Not sure if mine was the original or just coincidence. Mine was before the Silver Streak motors, the name implies that the LOC kit was designed for clustering them.

 

[dixontj93060]

The Viper III is the little cousin. The 4 29SS came out shortly after I made a very similar rocket. (We flew with Ron & Deb). Not sure if mine was the original or just coincidence. Mine was before the Silver Streak motors, the name implies that the LOC kit was designed for clustering them.

Nope, in my definition the Viper III is the little brother (given the matching three MMTs), that is why I specifically said cousin (as it is similar/from the same lineage without as close a gene match).

 

[cavecentral]

Nope, in my definition the Viper III is the little brother (given the matching three MMTs), that is why I specifically said cousin (as it is similar/from the same lineage without as close a gene match).

Gotcha!

 

[crossfire]

I built a King Viper clone of fiberglass tubes it flys very well om 3-38mm motors.
GP

 

[MountainRocketeer]

It seems odd that LOC talks about I motors but uses 54mm mounts. When I think of about a 54mm motor mount, I expect to feed it Js and Ks.

 

[Kaycee]

here you go

View attachment 89216

Thanks...that's a big help!

 

[Kaycee]

Just finishing the final fill coat on King Viper's younger cousin, the 4-29SS.

View attachment 89217

Looks good! I bought one of these when they were introduced ('93 maybe?). 4-F50SS in this rocket was a one-way ticket to 'where the heck did it go!'

 

[Kaycee]

Wow, 3x54mm? Will it be dual deploy?

Yes, most definitely. I'll have 2 altimeters...one PF MAWD and one PF SL-100 Stratologger.

 

[3stoogesrocketry]

Also dont forget that when the KV3 came out , almost all 54mm motors where single use . I loved the single use 54 mm I 65 white , I 220 blue , and the J 125 white . I watched somebody attempt to cluster the KV3 with I 65 's , using augmented flashbulbs . One lite and lifted the bird about 30 feet up and flat on its side , then the other two powered up . It was the best 400 mph post hole digger I ever saw .

 

[crossfire]

Thats because young man back when Aerotech and LOC were new to rocketry Ron the founder of LOC and Gary from Aerotech got together and Ron built the EZI65 kit and Gary built the I65 single use motor which was a 54MM motor. Thats history lesson of the day.
GP

 

[cavecentral]

Also dont forget that when the KV3 came out , almost all 54mm motors where single use . I loved the single use 54 mm I 65 white , I 220 blue , and the J 125 white . I watched somebody attempt to cluster the KV3 with I 65 's , using augmented flashbulbs . One lite and lifted the bird about 30 feet up and flat on its side , then the other two powered up . It was the best 400 mph post hole digger I ever saw .

Mini vipers were great for that. Much shorter and turned on a dime!

 

[Kaycee]

Right now, it's looking like mine will fly on (3) CTI J-140 3-Grain long-burn whites, as the thrust profile is just what I'm looking for.

 

[JDcluster]

Loc's Mother Load is even bigger.
It was intended on fly on 3x 54mm , no?
I have an old Culpeper video of someone attempting to fly it on 3x AT SU K 400 BT motors.

JD

 

[cavecentral]

Loc's Mother Load is even bigger.
It was intended on fly on 3x 54mm , no?
I have an old Culpeper video of someone attempting to fly it on 3x AT SU K 400 BT motors.

JD

That was 3 3" motors, right?

Then there was the K-Load (4" motor), Top Gun (7 54mms), Esoteric (5 54mm), 12 pack (12 29mm), and several other large cardboard classics.

 

[jimzcatz]

Just finishing the final fill coat on King Viper's younger cousin, the 4-29SS.

View attachment 89217

Im sorry but the Viper III is the King Viper"s baby brother...same design but smaller. Or the Minie-Viper, as a close cousin

 

[jimzcatz]

Loc's Mother Load is even bigger.
It was intended on fly on 3x 54mm , no?
I have an old Culpeper video of someone attempting to fly it on 3x AT SU K 400 BT motors.

JD

I helped prep that flight. One of the K400's (aluminum single use cases) was dented, but we went ahead anyway. Needless to say it let go. You can imagine what happened. But I did get all 3 to light simutaneously with just ematches and thermalite!!. Oh how I miss the old days!!

 

[3stoogesrocketry]

8 years ago I aquired from Chuck Sackett loc precision top gun number 1 , look in your old HPR mags , its the red white and blue one . I also convinced him to let me get the 3rd one ever built , used as a promotional prop and never flown . I have flown it once on a J 415 just to break its cherry , I am toying with the idea of loading it up with 7 54mm J 365 skids all on the ground .

 

[dixontj93060]

Im sorry but the Viper III is the King Viper"s baby brother...same design but smaller. Or the Minie-Viper, as a close cousin

See post #10. :eyeroll:

 

[jimzcatz]

See post #10. :eyeroll:

Yep, consider myself bit%$slapped.I swear I didnt see that post when I jumped in with mine.

 

[dixontj93060]

Yep, consider myself bit%$slapped.I swear I didnt see that post when I jumped in with mine.

No problem.

BTW, I keep checking this thread for some build progress... Kevin?

 

[DJDeadParrot]

That was 3 3" motors, right?

Then there was the K-Load (4" motor), Top Gun (7 54mms), Esoteric (5 54mm), 12 pack (12 29mm), and several other large cardboard classics.

LOC Custom Engineering. Found an ad in an HPR magazine from 1994. They were, for the most part, designed for K or equivalent impulse, but they were still cardboard and plywood.

K-Load was 7.5 feet by 5.5" with a 98mm motor mount...which, at the time, pretty much meant just the coffee can K reload. For an extra $10, you could order it with a 54mm mount.

Top Gun was 8.5 feet by 7.7" with seven 54mm motor tubes. The ad says it flew at a Colorado LDRS with 7000 N-sec.

Esoteric was 10.5 feet by 7.7" with five 54mm motor tubes.

Mother Lode was 11.8 feet by 7.7" with three 54mm motor tubes. The ad says it flew to 3 miles on 11500 N-sec, which, as far as I can guess, would be three Vulcan L750s.

King Viper III being discussed here. Recommended motors in the ad go no higher than three I140s.

Ultimate Max was 7.5 feet by 5.5" with seven 38mm motor tubes.

And then the V-2, which is still available.

One of the strangest flight attempts I've ever seen was someone at one of the early Culpeper launches flying a King Viper on three different motors. Predictably, it went in three different directions.

 

[cavecentral]

LOC Custom Engineering. Found an ad in an HPR magazine from 1994. They were, for the most part, designed for K or equivalent impulse, but they were still cardboard and plywood.

K-Load was 7.5 feet by 5.5" with a 98mm motor mount...which, at the time, pretty much meant just the coffee can K reload. For an extra $10, you could order it with a 54mm mount.

Top Gun was 8.5 feet by 7.7" with seven 54mm motor tubes. The ad says it flew at a Colorado LDRS with 7000 N-sec.

Esoteric was 10.5 feet by 7.7" with five 54mm motor tubes.

Mother Lode was 11.8 feet by 7.7" with three 54mm motor tubes. The ad says it flew to 3 miles on 11500 N-sec, which, as far as I can guess, would be three Vulcan L750s.

King Viper III being discussed here. Recommended motors in the ad go no higher than three I140s.

Ultimate Max was 7.5 feet by 5.5" with seven 38mm motor tubes.

And then the V-2, which is still available.

One of the strangest flight attempts I've ever seen was someone at one of the early Culpeper launches flying a King Viper on three different motors. Predictably, it went in three different directions.

Thanks for the info. Just trying to go from memory. I think the 12 pack and K-Load were both very magnumish.

Funny on the 3 different motors. We had a Long rocket with a 3 x24mm cluster. Flew a D12, E30, and G42 in a single cluster. Went straight just fine. With the smaller motors all 3 nozzles are close to a central point. It probably would have flown on just the G42 with the others plugged.