MPC LUNAR PATROL

[Relative Dimensions]

Hello everyone, I just have a few simple questions.I have what appears to be an original run MPC Lunar Patrol, still sealed in the original package.I've be fascinated with this particular model ever since way back in the day.But in all these years i've never seen one flown ,so how does it perform? It was one of the very first rockets I ever saw.I'm a little apprehensive about starting to build it, so are the balsa fins and wings precut or do they need to be cut and shaped? The reason I'm asking is that I have a slight tremor in both hands and I don't want to end up hacking it into pieces.The tremor isn't constant, it tends to come and go.So, can someone suggest a way to do this properly? It would a shame to mess up such a cool old kit.

 

[georgegassaway]

I built one of those, around 1971. Flew well. I made the gliders different colors to tell which was which.

IIRC, the patterns are printed onto the balsa sheet. Is there someone who might be able to cut the parts out for you? If so, if they are not a modeler, mark some patterns onto scrap wood so they can practice to learn how to cut balsa and follow the patterns.

It would be "nice" to round the edges of the wings. But I think that delta design can do OK if they are left squared. But trimming them to glide, would be a bit easier if they were rounded.

 

[Relative Dimensions]

I built one of those, around 1971. Flew well. I made the gliders different colors to tell which was which.

IIRC, the patterns are printed onto the balsa sheet. Is there someone who might be able to cut the parts out for you? If so, if they are not a modeler, mark some patterns onto scrap wood so they can practice to learn how to cut balsa and follow the patterns.

It would be "nice" to round the edges of the wings. But I think that delta design can do OK if they are left squared. But trimming them to glide, would be a bit easier if they were rounded.

First off,George, thanks for the glider tip, that will probably come in handy.Unfortunately, I don't have anyone else to do the cutting for me.It's not that I can't do it, it's just that I can't be certain when the tremor is going to act up, it can stay dormant for months at a time.It's not a major problem, it just makes things a little more difficult then they need to be.

 

[Relative Dimensions]

First off,George, thanks for the glider tip, that will probably come in handy.Unfortunately, I don't have anyone else to do the cutting for me.It's not that I can't do it, it's just that I can't be certain when the tremor is going to act up, it can stay dormant for months at a time.It's not a major problem, it just makes things a little more difficult then they need to be.

It's gonna be nice to get back into this,been away far too long it seems.Can't afford to get into the high power realm but I'll be just as happy with the smaller ones.

 

[georgegassaway]

It's gonna be nice to get back into this,been away far too long it seems.Can't afford to get into the high power realm but I'll be just as happy with the smaller ones.

THere's lots of great stuff that can be done with Model and mid-power rockets. About 1991, I got my Level-1 cert, but have never flown bigger than a G (at that time, a G flight counted for a Cert). I have made use of that L1 cert for a few times with clustered or staged models that had total propellant mass (and/or liftoff mass) that made them HPR models.

I decided that I'd rather do several fun LPR models, that I can fly a lot of times a year, than have a cash-eating big HPR model I'd only fly a couple of times a year.

There is a heck of a lot more variety and fun stuff that can be done for LPR, than HPR, This Lunar Patrol is just one example.

 

[Relative Dimensions]

THere's lots of great stuff that can be done with Model and mid-power rockets. About 1991, I got my Level-1 cert, but have never flown bigger than a G (at that time, a G flight counted for a Cert). I have made use of that L1 cert for a few times with clustered or staged models that had total propellant mass (and/or liftoff mass) that made them HPR models.

I decided that I'd rather do several fun LPR models, that I can fly a lot of times a year, than have a cash-eating big HPR model I'd only fly a couple of times a year.

There is a heck of a lot more variety and fun stuff that can be done for LPR, than HPR, This Lunar Patrol is just one example.

Yeah, I agree with you on that, there just seems to be a lot more flexibility with the smaller models.I've never flown clusters and boost gliders but I'm looking to get more experience in those areas, but I have done many multi stagers and have have always had really good luck with them.All I need now is a new flying site, the ones I had disappeared a long time ago.