Public Enemy 3" Honest John

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LMazza

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I received the PER Honest John as a x-mas present last December and have been building on and off since then. This will be my second high power rocket, the first being a PML Intruder, and my first attempt at using fiberglass which went pretty smoothly. I decided to do photo documentation, Tulanko style this time around seeing as how I've enjoyed seeing the other members pics so much. And as I've come to find out, we do love pics around here! :D I still have yet to do a few things on this one, namely paint the thing once the weather warms up a bit. I plan on flying this sometime this month, possibly on an I161.

I was really pleased with the price and quality of the kit, a definite recommendation. Plus, you just can't beat the unique look of an Honest John! Just make sure that you know what you're doing as the instructions do not lead you by the hand as some do. Thank you to all the TRF members that have answered my questions, you've all been a big help. Hope you enjoy the pics....

PER Hojo Pics

Be sure to click next get to the first picture. The html script is a little weird.
 
Yep. The HoJo is another fav in the military department birds I would like to build. They had one of the older Estes Maxi HoJo's at a local shop here that was a little pricey so I let it go. I'd like to scratch build it but, obviously, one will need to score the NC to get that project of the ground.
Looking forward to see the paint job on the one you've built here.
 
Looks awesome Luke! You did a great job for your first attempt at glassing. Looks as if you have done it plenty of times before, very professional. Can't wait to see that thing in person! Should fly well, saying that you can con that I161 off of me;)
 
Thanks guys! Stones, the paint job is still up in the air. I'd rather do one of the less common scale themes than the standard olive. I've only seen one or two other paint schemes from looking around. Dan, looking forward to that motor. :)
 
I'm just curious about the launch lug placement. Did the kit come with any standoffs? I am assuming that by this picture one of the lugs is mounted on the fin up a ways to make up for a standoff of some sort.

This kit looks great! I think we'll all be interested in seeing the finished pics. Thanks for documented build.
 
Originally posted by eugenefl
I'm just curious about the launch lug placement. Did the kit come with any standoffs? I am assuming that by this picture one of the lugs is mounted on the fin up a ways to make up for a standoff of some sort.

I'm building this kit right now myself, and can tell you that there are no stand-offs for the 3/8" launch lugs. One launch lug is glued to the fattest part of the nose cone, and the other is glued on the fin 1/2" from the airframe.

I've been building mine pretty much stock, except for motor retention screws.
 
What Gothique said. I'm going to have to think of a way to have the upper section rotated correctly every time so that everything is lined up. Good luck with your build Gothique. :)
 
I've been considering picking up one of the PE Hojos myself. I'm currently building one of their Baby Gladiators. Their components seem to be excellent quality, but the centering rings seem a little weird. They seem to be 1/4" MDF!?!?!

How about using the paint scheme from the old Centuri kit?
Check it out at JimZ's site.

https://www.dars.org/jimz/kc-25.htm
 
RocketmanTM, I really like that paint scheme. Thanks for pointing it out. Does anyone know where I could find more detailed info about this and other paint schemes?
 
Originally posted by LMazza
RocketmanTM, I really like that paint scheme. Thanks for pointing it out. Does anyone know where I could find more detailed info about this and other paint schemes?

The Centuri kit paint scheme is probably along the lines of what I'll paint mine. To find other similar paint schemes, I started with a GIS [Google Image Search] for "honest john", and was eventually led to an Army archive website cataloguing photos of rockets and missiles [https://www.redstone.army.mil/history/archives/missiles/missiles0007.html].
 
Just thought I'd post a follow up to this topic. The honest john has flown on an H242T and I357T, both successfully. I decided to use a fictional paint scheme that I found on someone's website. I think it looks pretty sweet. I heartily recommend this kit to anyone interested.
 
That thing is sweet man. Your paint job came out great!!!


Great little flier, loved the I357T flight, wish I could have stayed for the H242. I284 at LDRS!!!
 
I think I asked you this by e-mail, but never heard back; did your brass launch lugs fit really loose on the launch rod?
 
WOW :eek: That paint job is SLICK! Excellent job :cool: Makes me want to get one now...

And don't forget to mosey on over to EMRR & post a review there too ;)
 
Gothique, sorry I must have missed that email. Yes! they do fit very loose. However, this doesn't seem to affect the flights at all. In fact, the H242T flight was arrow straight.

Thanks for the comments lalligood. I may just post a review as well. :)
 
Guys, The P.E. kits rock!!! It does not matter which one you get, they are great fliers. (period)

I'm on my second P.E. 4" Extreme Performer...believe you me, they finish nicely...and fly even better.

Great job LMazza.

Little known fact, Public Enemy used to offer a Nike Hercules :eek:

I have seen only one fly, and it looked good...

try this site, they are nuts for Public Enemy Kits...

https://Thrust66.com
 
PE does make some pretty sweet kits. This place has as good a price as I've seen on them. www.therocketgarden.com I've been thinkin about trying the 4" SS arrow but after seeing that HJ, I'm not sure which to get. Decisions, decisions... :confused:
 
sweet paing job, I have seen a couple Hojo flights, they all wistled, sounds very cool
 
That thing looks great!

I just finished a PE 4" fatboy, but I havn't flown it yet. It dosen't look as cool as your honest john though..

I took constrution pics too. The thread is called "Anybody built a publicenemy fatboy?" Mine was very similar in matierals and construction to yours. I can't wait to fly it!
 
This thread has been very timely for me, as I have a PER HoJo kit on my shelf that I'm planning to start work on soon. I have several follow-up questions for those of you who have built this kit:
First, I plan to glass the fins and the airframe. I've glassed fins on my rockets before, but this will be the first time for the airframe. I'm planning on using a Giant Leap "Easyglass" sock for the airframe. According to the G/L web site, the sock is akin to 3 oz or 4 oz fiberglass. Will the glass job raise the outer diameter of the airframe enough that there will be a "ridge" or "bump" where the nosecone joins the airframe?
Second, what about motor retention? I would like to use a threaded Slimline. Any "gotachas" I should know about using the Slimline with this rocket?
Thanks in advance!
John Murrill
 
If anything the glass will only help bring the airframe level up to where the nosecone is. At least this is the way it was with my kit. As for the slimline retainers, it shouldn't be a problem as long as make sure that the motor tube hangs out enough to glue on the threads.
 
Be sure to click next get to the first picture. The html script is a little weird.

If ya like, I could write a quickie php script that will work for ya, and you wont even have to have the "This script was provided by" message at the bottom. I don't require credits to my name for scripts as simple as a picture viewer.

I need to write such a script anyways, for my own rocket building pics. Heck, I should do it right now...BRB :D
 
On second thought, just stick with the script you have. I wrote the image viewer script as I said I would, but it rather...static...at the moment. You would have to manually change the image links in each if else statement to change the images being shown.

Over time I'll try to make a more dynamic version, but this was the best I could do in one hour :p. (I spent the next hour updating some really old document pages on my website, so this
souce can be downloaded from my homepage as well.

SOURCE CODE:
==============================================
[edit] Ok its not going to post...these forums ignore the comment tags I have around it for some reason, and are trying to execute the script! Which fails of course, since it is a php script and not just plain vanilla html.

To get the source, go to the following link:
https://www.vwtools.net/downloads/ImageViewer.zip
 
PS: Really nice looking rocket there, LMazza ;)

I might have to consider building one of those PE rockets sometime, myself :D
 
I'm getting my Honest John ready to fly at the Freedom Launch in three weeks. I want to fly an altimeter [RRC2X] in it. I know the instructions say and conventional wisdom says to drill static pressure ports [e.g. vent holes] 2 calibers down from the nose cone. How far down should I drill them from the exotically shaped nose cone of the Honest John design, keeping in mind that the payload section is only 6 inches long?
 
Originally posted by murrill
Will the glass job raise the outer diameter of the airframe enough that there will be a "ridge" or "bump" where the nosecone joins the airframe?
John Murrill

Yes, but you can easily fill that in with wood filler or something similar, as long as you do not intend to use any electronics (you use the filler to seal the area between the nosecone and payload section). If you want to use electronics, there will be a small ridge from the slightly larger fiberglass OD, but I would not think it to be very noticable at all.


Originally posted by murrill
Second, what about motor retention? I would like to use a threaded Slimline. Any "gotachas" I should know about using the Slimline with this rocket?
Thanks in advance!

Yes. Make sure you make it so that your motor mount protrudes at least 1/2" from the aft centering ring. Of course, this is going to leave you with a 1" black "tail" hanging out of the back of your rocket! If you wanted to do it really spiffy-like, you could drill out the aft ring a little just to accomodate the slimline, then cut the bottom of the fins the thickness of the slimline deep and about 3/4" long. Then you could recess the slimline totally, making it flush with the aft centering ring. Lots of work, but it would look really nice.

Another thing I recommend is dropping the lugs (the aft one is very unsightly hanging off the fin 1/2" up) and making two .625" woodstandoffs so that you can screw rail buttons right into them. Then glue the standoffs (or use tee-nuts) right to the body tube (you can make them conform to the BT if you sand them a bit) so that nothing is on the nose cone.

Finished my HJ a while ago, wished I fiberglassed it.....still need to fly. Every one that I have seen fly whistles like a madman.
 
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