Looking for a nice 24mm MMT kit

The Rocketry Forum

Help Support The Rocketry Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

mpitfield

Well-Known Member
TRF Supporter
Joined
Jul 6, 2013
Messages
4,902
Reaction score
460
Location
Toronto, Ontario
I am looking for a mid-power rocket with a 24mm MMT. Because I sometimes like to push boundaries, I am looking for something that is not fragile, so it should be simple in design and be able to reasonably stand up to normal abuse, with low maintenance. It should also be able to handle the higher thrust G motors but be small and light enough to still be stable on the mid E motors.

This rocket will be flown locally @ LP-MP launches, but also at a HP launch to fly between HP flights; just as a simple, quick-prep, pop and drop flight. My AeroTech Arreaux has serviced this purpose well, however it is 29mm MMT and in my case a bit too heavy for anything in the E class.

Just too add to the laundry list, the airframe needs to be a large enough diameter for me to have the option of using my JLCR, modifying the nosecone to accommodate an Eggtimer Quark @ 1.8"L x .75"W for electronic deployment (apogee only), and even throw in a EggFinder Mini @ 3.5"L X .7"W, for those flights that may hit 2-4K.

I realize its a long laundry list and it may come down to a scratch, but I would prefer to purchase a kit and modify from there.

Thoughts?
 
Estes V2 is a classic. :cool: https://www.hobbylinc.com/estes-v2-model-rocket-kit-skill-level-3-3228
Estes Magician is another nice kit: https://www.hobbylinc.com/estes-magician-model-rocket-kit-skill-level-3-2440
If you want a 2 stage rocket, this is about the best one you can get: https://www.hobbylinc.com/estes-extreme-12-model-rocket-kit-skill-level-3-7225 Yes, I know I HATE the fins. So I'd recommend switching them out, if you don't like them.
Estes Hi-Flier XL. https://www.hobbylinc.com/estes-hiflier-xl-model-rocket-kit-skill-level-2-3226 Good, cheap kit. And easy to build, too! :)
Hobby Linc has about the lowest prices ever.
eRockets is great, too! :)
Hope this helps!
Thanks,
 
LOC Onyx or Little Nuke maybe. They are 29mm but a quick email or call and I'm sure they could be made 24mm.
Same for Madcow Lil Goblin or Lil Squat, maybe even their fiberglass ones too, just build it light.
 
Last edited:
I'm a big fan of the Estes Solar Warrior. 24mm power and a solid flyer. The only weak point is the fin tips; I would paper them, glass them, or just remove them. I've used a JLCR in mine with no issue and the NC is plenty big. The kit is out of production (but was a GREAT deal before it went out - like $7 for a $20 kit, I think!) but there are a lot of them floating around....

https://bellevillehobby.com/solar-warrior?gclid=CPDew8ij0NMCFUhqfgodlxUL5w

I would beef up the motor mount, though - mine blew the centering rings off on about its 10th flight. Cut everything out, put in a new mmt with a bunch of epoxy, and it's been fine since. Has had several hard landings and a tree recovery. The only damage has been that the fin tips have cracked or snapped off; they get glued right back on and it's ready to fly again.

I also made a double-length Solar Warrior - 2 BT60s with a coupler and baffle in the middle and a 29mm motor mount. I had to put some strakes down the side for strengthening the longer BT, but it's a sharp looking rocket.
26972686611_7e3700d1a9_k.jpg
 
Have a look at the cardboard Madcow mini series. My Mini Pike weighs just 8 ounces and recently maidened on a D12-5, but the instructions also show big altitude on a G64. Yes it's a 29mm motor mount but it is light enough to fly on 24mm BP motors.
 
I am looking for a mid-power rocket with a 24mm MMT.

Thoughts?

Been looking for the same thing. Wish I could find one of Gary Torturo's Painkiller Micros:jaw:

Can still find a Baddazz Defender MkII out there if you look really hard, but that would go really high on the G:surprised:
 
I'll second the BMS 3" School Rocket: https://www.balsamachining.com/# For $15.00 it's a simple, solid rocket. Flies well on a D12-3. I've had 2 kids build this rocket for my rocket club and for the price and size it's hard to beat. It comes with a motor hook but you could easily use another form of motor retention. The plastic parachute it comes with is ok but I'm having the kids make up some nylon parachutes to replace them.
Tim
 
I'd suggest the Estes "Stormcaster", but you'd need to clone it. Upscale it a bit to fit the JLCR
I've done a Fatboy with a 24mm mount. Clone it, and extend it a bit..
I've done the Estes Patriot in a 24mm flavour as well. Upscale it a bit to fit the JLCR
Any of the Estes PSII kits should also fit your bill, provided you can find them!
LOC Graduator?
 
Second vote for the big BMS school rocket. Paper the fins and you should be fine up to an F, glass them and I don't think you'd find a motor big enough to break it.
 
I think Michael would rather do this from scratch...
Just get some 38mm Carbon airframe tubing ,,
a length of 24mm motor mount tube,,
and some centering rings...
See where that takes you....

Teddy
 
How tough do you want it? We have a few 24mm mid power rockets, including the 3" school rocket Jonah was flying on D12's last weekend. But most 24's are intended to be very light and therefore not so tough. My wildman sport is setup DD, as Billy The Kid, but would do well SD on 24mm motors with an adapter. 54mm has plenty of room for electronics or a chute release.
 
Forgot about the E motor part... Painkiller micro was 24mm...

Now you got me thinking, I have an un built rocketry warehouse 38 special I got for like $20. it has a 32" body tube but if cut down to 24" it looks good on E's :)

BCh93cZ7_4QCeSPdsYX4x4YJCHaSuBiGdzBW1z8qGvCaBI_yBukL2Bllh5n85zfXjL0GVCLi7i_zarBQxp3VTwUd1mGQyC2gbmxYsMZ0Rq1ut89GHodBy7TxfFor9Aa8H-Yv-5QdlfehR0S6SqIPj6mXwDo8sscBGqwfWF57qmQNczbBf-9E4U-NcasCSgwB4fNGuU0V7_M_Utym9tm0c1cWmep1UazHMDwbtfFvEtACMirgu9eJSLJJrpKXtC4uvxVcbNPMJw_2HbdqrlFZ80BaaIWADsEHhDyko_VZnH_F-Wm0T_TVDMfMeVBojRwSeu5tJHkYvGgofGi-PQxsW7kEgDMj78d4OFG08qLGqBF92q4wZio2OGSklrDNAldiPodJBO0EMobtXRbb1juXnaiarubIT_H_eChYPE9WBklZ_FpU7FHYco9xN1vdaBadCVN19F34Hs07_z7rQfa84IELDktiAdEvsXjOuZGU-wBLLEYgLRB-dQ6LAnnKsT-lMQMQYoUoibGBdmWql81FXqRRHZPd13Ip9s4V6H3n7eJIPuEUyPux2ng-_L3m14c-1hTEjQ9hqbERKAoSx2OXXWUjAdcOzDHk9t5CG1UCfayaQ82sqi3jbLzcF-7tNPNFHHG9yb7dvPjKqNYkYEqjtedBk31KKUwAAEZYOKvHQQ=w1204-h545-no
 
Last edited:
There is also the Madcow fiberglass 2.6" V2 with 24mm mount. Neat little rocket!
 
Or how about an Estes Super Neon XL. It's big and light, a tube fin so it is draggy. Easy to build and put a 24mm threaded retainer on it. Shoot, I need to drag mine out and build one.
 
I may be biased, but the new LOC park flyer series is designed for just this thing. An MMA1 to bring it down to fly on 24mm but standard 29mm up to G. Slotted Airframe to take a beating!
 
Dave,

What differentiates the park flyer series from say the Aura? BTW, I like the sounding rocket theme you have going with the new series. I did the same thing with my Aura.

DSC_0002-L.jpg
 
So back when we had Yank rolling yet, it was really important for us to make sure you have everything you needed in a rocket kit. The little things back then we're standard tubular nylon, rail buttons, quicklinks, motor retention etc. So the park flyers are a bottom up approach to get some of those "all inclusive" features in a rocket kit. They have slotted airframes which the standard LOC kits do not (yet), and a nomex blanket, some include a vinyl decal. They are also boxed and packaged a bit differently per some vendor requests. We'll more than likley slot the 38mm LOC airframes as well for the Aura and Weasel on the next production run. But we don't really want to change anything LOC unless it's a quality add or something along those lines.

And the sport kit part of it was always the heart of what we did too. We loved our sport flyers so yes, they'll be coming back as well!!!
 
Wow lots of great recommendations, thank you to everyone for your input!

I have looked at all of your recommended options, plus anything else I could find. It appears that this is a bit of an anomaly. That is my laundry list with a 24mm MMT. If I keep everything on the list then the most interesting option for me is to scratch build something. The Big Daddy is the most appealing of the kits to get close to my needs, that is besides the Madcow V2, but it turns out that it is a 29mm MMT which I have a good selection of in my fleet already.

I looked at the LOC "park flyer series" and "novice kit series" very nice looking kits, but they are 29mm MMT, which I have a bunch and I am really after something specific. Having said that when I get the need for another 29mm MMT kit I will be hitting LOC's site. Wow Jarrett you did an amazing job putting that Aura together!

When it comes to 24mm MMT rockets, I have five in total. Three that are currently flyable, one I destroyed are URRG last weekend, and the last kit is un-built. However, of the three that are flyable, two are inherently unstable requiring a very narrow motor selection and the third is not robust enough for my liking.

After some very preliminary designs I am leaning towards a five fin, using a Mac performance 16" x 54mm phenolic canvas airframe with a 5:1 plastic pinnacle nosecone, and a custom tailcone. The current design is 28" overall. If I can keep the mass down to get the performance as well as the stability over a wide range of 24mm composite motors, then I will refine the design and put a model together to see how it performs.

Here is a very preliminary mock-up...meet "Black Fly"

 
The madcow 1.6" V2 is 24mm motor mount, but I like where you're headed with the scratch build.
 
I may be biased, but the new LOC park flyer series is designed for just this thing. An MMA1 to bring it down to fly on 24mm but standard 29mm up to G. Slotted Airframe to take a beating!

Might have to get me a Hyperloc 160!
 
The madcow 1.6" V2 is 24mm motor mount, but I like where you're headed with the scratch build.

Yeah my bad, I thought it would be unusual for RKeller to quote something incorrect. You correct, I was looking at the 2.6" version, with the 29mm MMT, not the 1.6" version with the 24mm MMT.

As far as where I am headed. I contacted Mike from Mac Performance to see if he could help out. We had a nice collaborative discussion on the design and he likes the design and sims as much as I do. He has literally printed the tailcone already, here it is with a 54mm Mac Performance Canvas tube and a 29mm Aeropack Retainer.

Love the rockets in the background!



Bottom line, I will have this kit assembled and ready for testing in no time. As you may have noticed Mike convinced me to make it a 29mm MMT for this version...can you say HP. I adjusted the design and re-simmed it up and this little Black Fly handles everything from a mid Es to a low Hs like a champ...possibly a nice L1 bird.



Also, when and if the JLCR v2 comes out, and if it is realistically functional out of a 38mm tube, then I have the downscale 38mm version (Gnat) waiting with a native 24mm MMT.

Below is a very impromptu rendering. If it works out I will come up with an appropriate theme.
 
Back
Top