LPR: SPEV to use Left Over Booster from Lost Mongoose

[brockrwood]

I am starting a build of an odd-roc “SPEV” (spare parts elimination vehicle).

I have a left over booster from a 1990’s or early 2000’s era Estes “Mongoose” two stage rocket. This is the older version of the Mongoose before Estes changed the design and updated the color scheme and decals.

I must have launched the Mongoose on a C6-0 and a C6-7, because the sustainer and all of the rocket is missing except for the booster section. That must have tumbled straight back down. Memory fades…

Anyway, I have had this booster section in my parts bin for years. I have a BT-50 tube (18” long), a plastic nose cone to fit, some papered Apogee “Avion” fins left over from another project, 18mm motor mount kit, straw piece for lanch lugs, and all other stuff to turn this booster into a functioning two-stage rocket again.

The color scheme on the old Mongoose was yellow, pink, orange, and black.

Those colors have to be the colors of some country’s flag.

The hardest part will be measuring to figure exactly where to install the sustainer motor mount.

Does anyone have the instructions for the old version of the Mongoose? That might help me install a sustainer motor mount so that the booster part connects to it nicely.

 

[brockrwood]

Oh, I see. The engine mount from the sustainer actually nestles itself right down inside the booster section. Nifty.

 

[brockrwood]

The sustainer is coming along. Motor mount created and glued in. Fins are glued on and drying in the fin jig.

 

[brockrwood]

I guess it is not THAT much of an oddroc. It is to me. I have never built a complete rocket using just the left over booster from a 2 stage kit.

 

[brockrwood]

Coming right along. Launch lugs on.

Needs a little nose weight.

 

[brockrwood]

Looks like I slathered on the wood filler a little too thickly. I am using 320 grit sand paper to knock it down.

 

[brockrwood]

Hmm. Primer went on sort of “sandy”. Weird. Good quality primer. Doesn’t matter. Going to sand most of it off anyway.

 

[brockrwood]

Definitely did something wrong here.

 

[brockrwood]

Dang. Even the 320 grit sandpaper is having trouble with this. Maybe I didn’t let primer dry long enough? It had been drying for 14 hours before I started sanding.

 

[brockrwood]

Says wait 4 hours before dry sanding.

Oh waited a lot more than that…

 

[brockrwood]

Here is the completed model rocket to make use of the old, left over booster from the Estes Mongoose. Pretty close color match, if I do say so myself!







Now to get the stability right. This model rocket is a bit shorter than the original Estes Mongoose. I may need to put some clay in the nose.

 

[brockrwood]

I guess it is not really an “odd roc” other than the fact that I built an entirely new scratch built rocket just to use the booster from a kit rocket where the sustainer was lost.

 

[brockrwood]

Launched the Renewed Mongoose on a B6-0 and A8-5 combination. Excellent flight!

I put some clay in the nose just to be on the safe side, stability-wise.

Pics:



Photo courtesy of @milehigh