Repairing Commanche 3

[Striker]

Hi guys,

Newb on board here. This is my second commance three and I always break something on it. The last time I had it out the streamers didnt deploy so it landed nose first right in the ground so its slightly bent and cracked halfway.

Im also having the fin alignment issue. I know that estes use to have a fin alignment guide that made the job eaasier. Is there anything I can buy to make the job easier?

I am thinking about buying another commance and building it from scratch.

 

[Gillard]

hi, welcome to TRF, check out EMRR's website for loads of helpful tips


https://www.rocketreviews.com/featured/tip_featured8.shtml

the above is the page were you can find a tip about aligning fins

as for the crimped tube, you could add a coupler inside the BT where the crimp is.

 

[AKPilot]

Welcome to the board Striker. Hope you enjoy it.

As far as your Commanche 3, I'm simply impressed you got all parts back. I've only seen one recovered successfully - meaning they got all pieces back after a launch.

They's fly high!

 

[Micromeister]

Wecome to the board:
I'm also impressed you got all three stages back. I've only flown my Commanchee-3 All UP D12-0, C6-0, C6-0 once...a good while back, which resulted in having to replace the second stage...heard it but never saw it again. The sustainer 3rd stage was out of sight for almost a full minute before floating back into view on it's streamers.

I found using two 1" x 72" fluorescent Survayers tape streamers instead of a single brings the model down slower and seems to help with packing as well.
These days I'd go for D12-0, B6-0, A8-5 combination or better do a Mini-Manchee or Micro-Manchee

 

[ttabbal]

I went with a D-C-C for my first flight. I had a bunch of people helping me track the parts and we got them all back. I broke one fin on the sustainer that I've since fixed. Great fun. I should fly it again.

 

[jorpet]

Geez, you guys are scaring me... :eyepop:

I haven't flown mine yet since we haven't been out to a large enough field. Keep hoping to go join the group on the Olympic Penninsula, but it has worked out yet.

 

[judo]

Download a free program called VCP. There are tools there to help with fin alignment and fin placement. Use the search feature up on the blue header and search for "Fin Jigs." Plenty of helpful ideas there.

 

[Pippen]

Hi Striker. Welcome to TRF.

I got one of these inexpensive Estes marking guides this year and wish we'd got one years ago. I found that using it to mark and double check the lines on the body tube made us more likely to trust the lines instead of doing the usual "I think I'll just move it a bit".

https://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXF549&P=FR

 

[Micromeister]

Geez, you guys are scaring me... :eyepop:

I haven't flown mine yet since we haven't been out to a large enough field. Keep hoping to go join the group on the Olympic Penninsula, but it has worked out yet.

Fear Not there Jorpet!
Fly her when you have a decent size field and LOW wind conditions! tumble and streamer recovery brings it back well ya just need LOTS of sets of eyes, with a couple folks tracking 2 and 3 As mentioned earlier, for just the thrill of the staging I like the D12-0, B6-0- A8-5 combination. still goes well out of sight but doesn't stay that way as long.

Mini-Manche-3 is also a fun thing tho getting 13mm boosters motors is a little harder these days. A10-0T, A3-0T, A3-4T combinations have made for some fun flights.