November's Best Rocket Contest: Sponsored by Hartle Engineering!

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HotRod Lincoln

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This is the official location of the TRF Best Rocket Competition. This is a monthly event to show off your "stuff" and find out who has THE BEST ROCKET OF THE MONTH! When entering, make sure you follow the criteria listed below and you will do fine. From the 22nd until the end of the month will be polling to see who should win the Best Rocket Competition. If you so happen to win, Hartle Engineering has offered to supply a rocketry Prize.

Da Rules

1. Header of picture must include, name, what kit or was it custom, LPR, MPR or HPR.
2. A BRIEF description of rocket details. Anything that would make it apparent to somebody that yours is THE BEST.
3. Only ONE entry per month.
4. No extended off topic conversations.
5. Rockets made at any period of time may be used.
6. Can only have a rocket in competition ONE time.
7. If there is a monthly specified type of contest (such as red, white and blue themed), you can only enter rockets that are applicable.
8. Entries will be taken first 3 weeks of month and after the 21st of every month the contest closes.
9. The last week of the month will be polling on who should win in each class.
10. Winners get bragging rights for a month!

Good luck to you all... AND HAVE FUN!------------------------------------------





This month's subject is SCALE MODEL Rockets.

So, show us your awesome scale builds!
Please helps us with a brief description of the real life subject matter.
Also if possible, add book titles and web-links so we can do a bit of research ourselves.

Remember detail, details, details! So don't be shy, include extra photos of the little bits that make YOUR model extra special!
If you entry is a kit, let us know who's kit it is!

Anything goes as long as it is a model of a real rocket!

.

--------
-November's Best Rocket Contest is Sponsored by Hartle Engineering!

(Evil) ED Hartle's Chuteskinz and Skygrippers are available at fine rocketry retailers everywhere!

Support the Vendors who support the hobby.


.***Note to Moderators Please make this a “sticky post”... thank you!***



.:D
 
This is the official location of the TRF Best Rocket Competition. This is a monthly event to show off your "stuff" and find out who has THE BEST ROCKET OF THE MONTH! When entering, make sure you follow the criteria listed below and you will do fine. From the 22nd until the end of the month will be polling to see who should win the Best Rocket Competition. If you so happen to win, FlisKits has offered to supply a rocketry Prize.

Da Rules

1. Header of picture must include, name, what kit or was it custom, LPR, MPR or HPR.
2. A BRIEF description of rocket details. Anything that would make it apparent to somebody that yours is THE BEST.
3. Only ONE entry per month.
4. No extended off topic conversations.
5. Rockets made at any period of time may be used.
6. Can only have a rocket in competition ONE time.
7. If there is a monthly specified type of contest (such as red, white and blue themed), you can only enter rockets that are applicable.
8. Entries will be taken first 3 weeks of month and after the 21st of every month the contest closes.
9. The last week of the month will be polling on who should win in each class.
10. Winners get bragging rights for a month!

Good luck to you all... AND HAVE FUN!------------------------------------------





This month's subject is SCALE MODEL Rockets.

So, show us your awesome scale builds!
Please helps us with a brief description of the real life subject matter.
Also if possible, add book titles and web-links so we can do a bit of research ourselves.

Remember detail, details, details! So don't be shy, include extra photos of the little bits that make YOUR model extra special!
If you entry is a kit, let us know who's kit it is!

Anything goes as long as it is a model of a real rocket!

.

--------
-November's Best Rocket Contest is Sponsored by Hartle Engineering!

(Evil) ED Hartle's Chuteskinz and Skygrippers are available at fine rocketry retailers everywhere!

Support the Vendors who support the hobby.


.***Note to Moderators Please make this a “sticky post”... thank you!***



.:D

Hey, wait a cotton- pickin minute here!

I never AGREED to this, heck, I wasn't even CONTACTED !:surprised:

After months of inactivity due to a health problem, and the associated apathy (Which I think is worse than the health problem), I was considering sponsoring one o' these thingies to get myself and Hartle Engineering back on track!;)

While it is true I wasn't contacted, I wanted to do one this month and am excited to be doing it(@#%%$^! psychics). Thanx Hotrod:)

Now for the prize:
The winner will get a 50/50 prize this month.
$50.00 worth of stuff that I make,
PLUS
$50.00 worth of stuff made from somebody else!

At the end of this puppy, just contact www.jonrocket.com and pick your stuff. The only requirements are: 1)that you have to post a pic of what you picked, and 2) Y'all gotta win this sucker!

Now I gotta do sumthin' for Jim Flis and and John Arthur( they don't want to make money, they just love to sell rockets). For each original, genuine, first-of-its-kind dual canted engine "Deuces Wild" sold by www.jonrocket.com over the Thanksgiving weekend(Thursday through Sunday), the buyer will also recieve a small assortment of "Thermal Rider" chutes and a package of "Chute Skinz"
of their choice. Heck, I'll also throw in a pack of each size "Sky Grripper"
streamers too! This is a $14.50 freebie for buying a "Made in America" original "Deuces Wild"!:D
Now, don't forget to pester Jim about the release of his Goony version, the "Li'l Deuce Coupe":)

Evil Ed is back frim the Dead!
"it's showtime!"
 
InFlight Nike Smoke LPR

I think the Nike series is so ubiquitous that I'm going to refrain from posting any specific data about the prototype.

This was my first serious attempt to do something scale. I built it as a beta test for InFlight Rockets. The build was simple but enjoyable exvept for getting the bevel in the fins. That was enjoyable too but it was my first experience trying something like that.

The rocket performed extremely well on a C11, so much so that I was afraid of losing it that day with a D12. It did recovered under a Thermal Rider chute and I need to cut a spill hole in it for next time cause it really wanted to ride the thermals.

I entered it into my club's informatl sport scale and was delighted to place.

The photos are below and here is a link to video of the actual flight:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/23694991@N03/2894228286/in/set-72157607542664004/

I can't say that my rocket is the best. I can only say that it represents MY best.

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I've never entered one of the monthly contests before, but here goes.

My scale model is the Estes Patriot. I know that doesn't sound like a very good scale model, but I made some modifications.

It is a 24mm motor mount with a zipperless design and a baffle. The fins and centering rings are 3mm ply with positive retention but no motor stop in the motor mount tube. It is also my night flight bird and has a flashing LED lamp in the nose cone. When it's not flying at night, the light rides along for extra nose cone weight.

It's made five flights with D12s and an E18. It's a great flyer and sims to 1600+ with the E18. The E28T or F24W should really get it going and I'm sure a F39T will be a great flight too.

View attachment P full shot 02.JPG

View attachment P motor.JPG

View attachment P night config.JPG

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If it is sponsored by Hartle Engineering, why is fliskits offering the prize?
 
My entry is a scratch built 1:22 Nike Hercules. This was a real challenge to build, especially the transition between the booster and sustainer. Peter Alway's dimensional drawings were very helpful. It's single staged, 4 x 18mm, approximately 20.5 inches tall. With a few exceptions like the two custom 1/8 inch ply rings in the transition between the booster and the sustainer, and some paper shrouds, it's built using mostly commercially available parts, including the nose cone.

NikeHercules01.jpg

NikeHercules02.jpg
 
My entry is a scratch built 1:22 Nike Hercules. This was a real challenge to build, especially the transition between the booster and sustainer. Peter Alway's dimensional drawings were very helpful. It's single staged, 4 x 18mm, approximately 20.5 inches tall. With a few exceptions like the two custom 1/8 inch ply rings in the transition between the booster and the sustainer, and some paper shrouds, it's built using mostly commercially available parts, including the nose cone.

That is really a beautiful piece of work.
 
If it is sponsored by Hartle Engineering, why is fliskits offering the prize?

Hotrod agreed to take over running the contests. In the interim until Hotrod could work out all the bugs, Jim Flis probably stepped up and guaranteed there would be a prize if one was needed.

Slight confusion, but all bases are covered!

Evil Ed
 
If Chan is entering, I wanna quit now...

Moi?

Thinkin' about it, so many already done to choose from, but I'm starting a new job next week and not sure I'll have time to cobble together a decent entry. Besides, I've been slipping lately--I built (2) of the 35 Saturn 1b's for the big celebration for Walt Cunningham last month, and neither one could even crack the top (3) that wound up getting autographed and returned to the modelers, so clearly I need to work on improving my modeling skills.:eek:
 
Scale: Way KEWL!

Soviet SS-N-2 Stix anti-ship missile.
It's a scratch build. 1:11.346 scale Dia.2.6"(BT-80) OA length: 21.6816" WingSpan: 9.695" Flys on D12-3's Ewt: 292.6g, LOWt: 334.3g,
Booster is inert but fully detailed including wound nozzle and hanger attachment cables and launch rail hardpoints.
6" boattail is tracing vellum CA Soaked sanded filled.
Basswood fins are attached directly to the boattail.

Now at 16 flights, she gets out every once in awhile.
After motor burnout the model, goes into glide mode until ejection.
returns on nylon chute.
Keep em flyin Micronized or Well Scaled:)

147b2b-sm_SS-N2 Styx Liftoff_02-11-95.jpg

147b2c-sm_SS-N2 Styx under Canopy_02-11-95.jpg
 
This is a 1/70th scale Semroc Saturn 1B that I built as part of Apollo 7’s 40th Anniversary Celebration. I was invited by Carl McLawhorn and Mark Mayfield to participate in this very special project. This rocket was one of 33 that were used as table centerpieces at the celebration honoring the Apollo 7 crew in Dallas last month. This was the first Saturn 1B I’ve built, and due to the timing of the event, it needed to be built in about 3-1/2 weeks.

The Semroc kits for this project included the Apogee Capsule and Escape Tower along with SA-205 decals. For these versions, we had to use the built-up fin method.

To make the model even more authentic, I reshaped the second stage retro rockets, and I painted the Vector Control Housings silver instead of white and painted the antennas yellow instead of silver. I also added decals for the camera targets and some custom made decals on the escape tower, LEM shroud and the Service Module. The Service Module decal even includes authentic details like rivets and running lights, and has the words UNITED and STATES offset like the actual Apollo 7 SM did.

(Special thanks to the entire special build group for providing excellent tips on how to make these models more authentic, and thanks to Jeff Taylor for making the custom decals for the LEM shroud and the Service Module based on details from the Space in Miniature Apollo book loaned to Jeff by Mark Thell.)

The 33 Saturn 1Bs built for the celebration were judged, and the top three were returned to the original builders complete with a special acrylic stand commemorating the Apollo 7 flight, and the rockets were autographed by Walt Cunningham, the only surviving Apollo 7 astronaut. I am honored to have been a part of this celebration, and I am proud to be one of the 3 modelers that got their Saturn 1B rockets returned with Walt’s autograph!

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OK, I'll throw my hat in the ring with a modified Roachwerks 1:64 Soyuz TM-11. I posted an extensive review of it, including build and flight details here, and I have a photo album posted here.

While it started out as a "kit", I had to substantially modify and add details to it for a NARAM scale competition entry. Splitting hairs here, I am assuming the theme this month is (true) scale, not sport scale, meaning models that look about right aren't quite as the same as models that are dead on, and a good many of my modifications were to nail down the true scale.

Highlights:

  • Dimensions based on the outstanding Minakov prints distributed in the US by Dorffler Replicas
  • 7 different paint colors used, including 3 that I mixed up custom
  • The interstage truss was hand made from scratch, using music wire
  • The upper stage screens were also scratch, using near-true scale mesh, mounted in scale orientation (offset angle)
  • Dozens of hand-formed shrouds and nozzles, most scratch
  • Roughly 30 hand-made wooden details above/beyond the scads of resin details that were included in the kit
  • Check out the scallopd/trimmed booster tubes in the photos--scratch modification there...
  • Custom/scratch modifictation to rig (16) Micromax motors in the outboard strap-ons (plus the central 24mm). Just for kicks and added stability, these were aligned with thrust angles through the CG of the model using a laser beam (cheap penlight laser).
  • The clustered ignitition was handled by a custom-designed spider ignition system, essentially a controlled mini-explosion (rapid burn) of Pyrodex shooting up tiny little ducted vents aimed at the individual motor nozzles. The alignment of that was insanely difficult.
  • Dimensional accuracy was checked using a 5-axis CNC inspection machine, and optimum scale factor derived for best fit. Over 120 dimensions were factored in, with none being off more than 1.5%. That included more than 10 diameters, lots of slopes/angles, etc. In fact, I had to rig a truss to clamp the boosters together under tension to pull them back into alignment the week before NARAM.

While I can't claim anything nearly as cool/amazing as getting Walt's autograph on this (and in fact, I was one of the Saturn builders that got beat out of the top 3 prizes by Ammogirl), I did enter it in a pretty big competition--NARAM 50's scale event, with most of the serious competitors devoting hundreds of hours over the course of the year on these models. I managed to take first place overall in C division (adult/solo) and my score wound up being the highest of the 53 models entered.

The only downside? Since I had to actually FLY this, it's got a bit of smoke staining now and I have to repair the tower (plus remake 12 stinkin' 0.045" diameter engines). I'd love to have just left this as a display model, but then again, the flight was a friggin' awesome experience :D.

--Chan Stevens
 
Four days left! Get those entries in.


This is an outstanding group of contestants ! All very Nice!





.
 
One day left to get your final entries in.




Also note: this is my last month to run the contest, so someone needs to step up and help out.
PM or Email me.




.
 
Saturn 1B SA-205

My entry is my 1/70th Scale Saturn 1B that flew at NARAM-50 and took second place in "C" Division. The model started as an Apogee kit and was modified for mission points. The motor mount was changed first. The original was set up for a single 29 mm motor. I modified mine to fly on four 18 mm motors I chose four C6-3's. I also added four 13mm mounts to allow for four A10-PT motors also. This configuration was "scale" like the original that also flew on an eight motor cluster.

I cut the model into two sections at the "scale" staging point at the base of the SIV-B stage. The stringer "wrap" with the kit had to be cut and a coupler was added inside to mate the upper and lower stages.

The sustainer was powered by a single C6-3 and was ignited using a perfectflite timer 2 seconds after iniatial liftoff. Four "pop-out" fins were added to the motor tube that was installed from the bottom of the Apogee BT-70 parachute tube.

The model was flown twice at NARAM-50 and the second flight was near flawless with all eight motors igniting in the booster and the sustainer igniting two seconds later with a nice overall flight trajectory and recovery. Flight photos can be seen at www.naramlive.com and several nice photos were printed in the last edition of "Launch" magazine.

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Man, seeing Chan has entered, it almost tempts me to enter my 1/72 scale shuttle model.

The attached photo is NOT it. That is a pic of a large display model at Marshall Space Flight Center (Huntsville), probably at 1/25 scale.

- George “not entering anything” Gassaway

GeorgeShuttleMSFC.jpg
 
Was going to enter my Energia/Buran, but missed the deadline - sorry for the extra posts below!

Drew
 
Edit - took this post out as the deadline was past.

Drew
 
Man, seeing Chan has entered, it almost tempts me to enter my 1/72 scale shuttle model.

The attached photo is NOT it. That is a pic of a large display model at Marshall Space Flight Center (Huntsville), probably at 1/25 scale.

- George “not entering anything” Gassaway

Lucky me, though you would've been just a hair past the entry deadline ;). You'll have to bring it to NARAM this year and let me get a good look at it sometime. I mangled a 1/62 shuttle, and one of these days want another shot at building a better one.
 
Dang, missed the deadline:mad:

Gotta check in more often . . .:eek:

Drew
 
Well, if I made the deadline, I would have entered my Gemini Titan, I need to read up more.:cry:

Can we have a scale competition next month?
 
Man..that one is so sweet!! :cool: Clear fins? and where mounted?

I am very jealous, what motors do you use?

Here's where I got it from https://www.cjsaviation.com/GEMINI.html .

Since the new G80s don't have a 4 second delay, and reloadable closures don't fit over the nozzles, it's stuck on G77s for now. (2 G77s) Are there any ways of getting/making closures flush to the casing? If so, then it will fly on H's :cool:

I think the entry time should be extended. ;)
 
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