More Der Red Max cloning questions...

[Steve]

Maybe some of you with some Der Red Max experience could offer some quick advice. Mainly, I’m just undecided as to which mods to make. For example should I go with a 24mm - or is that overkill? If I did go that route – that might mean beefing up the bt, I know. And I understand the 18” stock chute might be replaced with a smaller one to reduce drifting (especially if modified for bigger motors). I planned on going ttw with the fins, but would balsa suffice? Would it need any nose weight?

As a side note – I’ll be using a Screamin’ Mimi nose cone, and after checking out the contents of the bag, aside from decals and fin material, it looks like it has just about everything a person needs to clone a Red Max. Cool.

Thanks.

S..

 

[sandman]

The Screaming Mimi DOES have everything you need to clone a Der Red Max except the decals.

You DON'T have to "beef it up" for a 24mm motor!

A streamer would work!

sandman

 

[OKTurbo]

I built two dRM clones stock...just like Estes. The only mods were the more up-to-date Kevlar thread to motor mount shock cord mount. I also used a 12" mylar parachute on both.

A stock dRM on a C6-5 is very "spirited". A 24mm D would really be a sight. You're finding out what makes the der Red Max such a cool kit. It's really just 3 fins and a nose cone so you can make it as simple or as complicated as you like.

I'm currently working on a BT80 sized Red Max and for this one I'm going "complicated". It will have interchangeable motor mounts, TTW fins, and a removeable baffle system.
https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7882

A single 24mm mount may be overkill, but you can always make up an adapter to use 18mm motors in it. This is what I do with my Goblin clone. You're probably just fine with balsa fins, you could always "harden" them with some CA for a little extra toughness.

Good Luck,
John

 

[billeblurzz]

Bushrat, I built my clone (my first clone by the way) using the Screaming Mimi kit too! I used the 24mm tube figuring I could use the new 24mm C motors. If you use the whole 18" Mimi body tube, you have the right length to build DER BIG RED MAX!

 

[Fore Check]

My Red Max was built from scratch parts, and I used a 24mm mount with kevlar shock cord attachment (I did not bash a Screamin' Mimi.)

I also used 3/32" balsa for the fins rather than 1/8". They are attached with yellow glue with thick yellow glue fillets, no TTW. It rips pretty darn good on a D12-5! It is still standing up quite well after at least 15 flights on D power.

No nose weight is needed for D engines. I wouldn't even bother with E's.

If you decide to go with a 3 x 18mm cluster, I think it needs a tad of weight for 1.0 stability (It's been a while since I put that together on RockSim, but that's what I remember anyway.)

 

[Steve]

Originally posted by Fore Check
(I did not bash a Screamin' Mimi.)

That struck me as funny in an odd, Drew Carey kind of way

What I think I'll do is:

a. use a smaller chute
b. ttw fins (mainly because I want to see how much of a challenge it would be)
c. forget the nose weight

Still don't know about the fin material and thickness, and not fully committed to the shorter DRM rather than the DBRM.

Will be using Quest©-style Kevlar© recovery setup.

Definitely will take some pictures.

S..

 

[slim_t]

So are the Screamin Mimi fins and DRM fins the same?
Tim

 

[Conan]

I built mine with the 18mm mount. C motors are just fine and will get pretty decent altitude. I flew it once on the 18mm RMS D motor and it was awesome, but be sure you have a big field.

Concur with using a smaller chute. I ditched the 18" pretty fast and fly it pretty much exclusively on 12" chute now.

I submitted a review on EMRR if you want to check it out. The clone has flown 17 times to date, all on C6 motors except for the one RMS flight. Other than the cracked nose cone from the D flight and one popped fin (from the move, not from a flight), it's held up extremely well...

You'll enjoy it!

 

[Steve]

Originally posted by Conan

I submitted a review on EMRR if you want to check it out.

I enjoyed your review when I first read it a while back, and I continue to use it as a reference.
I have already installed the 24mm engine mount, and forgot to modify the fin pattern (1/8" balsa) for through-the-wall construction before I cut them out - so I will probably glue them on with epoxy (as well as the fillets) and hope for the best. I have a Black Brant II, and that thing rips off the pad on a D - without TTW fins, so maybe...
So far, I have cut the BT to 8.5", and tied a loop of Kevlar to the mmt. I could post some pics, but you've all seen the same thing before - nothing innovative or new here.
I appreciate all the info, and maybe someone else with plans to build themselves a DRM will find it useful, too.

S..

 

[Habu]

Bushrat,
my DRM clone has 24mm mmt and stock fins.
I used carpenters wood glue but other than that,
all standard modroc stuff. Even kept the Estes style
shock cord mount (I did use about 3 feet of 1/4" elastic).
Has flown great on C-11's and D-12's.
Fins still attached. No problem.