Rocket kit suggestions to reach a mile

[ascastil]

I post this seeking the almighty wisdom of the forum members. I have a few ideas floating around in my head and I think after the summer months in AZ I want to go back out with my club and see if I can get a rocket to reach a mile. I recently got my L1 cert on an H123 with a Loc IV. I really enjoy big diameter rockets but something inside me is wanting to try something else, reaching the mile mark. I think thats gonna take a smaller rocket.

A few things Id like to have as a payload. I list these because I feel comfortable using them and so far have had good luck with my chute release and have read great things on the tracker:
JL chute release (I own one and love it)
Eggfinder mini (ordering one real quick, hopefully tomorrow)
JL Altimeter 2 (Ill order that sometime before the end of summer)

Id like for the rocket to have a small payload bay. I know you can attach things to the shock cord, but right now Id prefer to have just the chute release on the shock cord.

29 or 38 mm motor. This is the part Im unsure of. With the payload, what size motor would lift said rocket to a mile? I have a 38/240 case right now. If necessary, Im willing to buy another case for a motor that I may need. As long as the tracking device works, I shouldnt lose the casing, fingers crossed.

So, what do you think of my plan and any ideas on rockets? I like Loc and Madcow kits.

 

[DavidMcCann]

Any mini (38mm body) has a decent shot at a mile on an I200W.

A 2.6" pike on an I 600r would be a fun way to go.

 

[Buckeye]

The choice of motor, airframe diameter, and rocket mass are the critical decisions. The choice of kit is rather inconsequential.

thrustcurve.org motor guide will tell you everything you need to know. Spend lots of time there. Simulate first, purchase second, build third.

For the record, I did it with a 54mm airframe, I motor, dual deploy, tracker. One mile with plenty to spare.

 

[ascastil]

Havent used an I motor yet. Might be a fun way to kick off next season though. I like that Pike but looks like its only in fiberglass and no payload bay.

 

[mpitfield]

Any mini (38mm body) has a decent shot at a mile on an I200W.

A 2.6" pike on an I 600r would be a fun way to go.

Dave has it right, although I suspect you may be well above a mile with a 2.6 diameter airframe. When I had a working 3" PML Bull Puppy I would regularly hit the 5300' AGL range with the I600. And my Bull Pup was heavy, 1553g dry and with the I600 loaded she was a hefty 2170g...love that motor.

 

[ascastil]

I like that thrust curve site! Ive heard of it but never took a look. I had the Rocksim trial to help me with my L1, Im going to have to buy that sometime, I liked it.

 

[rharshberger]

I like that thrust curve site! Ive heard of it but never took a look. I had the Rocksim trial to help me with my L1, Im going to have to buy that sometime, I liked it.

Until you get Rocsim, OpenRocket will do most everything RocSim does and its free. OR can also use RocSim .rkt files.

Personally OR does most everything I need and the next version according to previews will do the rest.

 

[ascastil]

How about a Loc Hi-Tech? Thrust curve didnt list any I motors though.

 

[ascastil]

Couldnt get OR to work on either of my 2 laptops or my Android phone. I tried for days and threw in the towel.

 

[DavidMcCann]

Havent used an I motor yet. Might be a fun way to kick off next season though. I like that Pike but looks like its only in fiberglass and no payload bay.

FG is awesome, and you can build a bay into the nosecone pretty easily. Few ways to do it, none too complex. Best place for a tracker. room for the Altimeter too.

 

[DavidMcCann]

Dave has it right, although I suspect you may be well above a mile with a 2.6 diameter airframe. When I had a working 3" PML Bull Puppy I would regularly hit the 5300' AGL range with the I600. And my Bull Pup was heavy, 1553g dry and with the I600 loaded she was a hefty 2170g...love that motor.

To be fair, he didn't say stop at a mile I love the I600R. I may have to get another 38/720 to fly some more.

 

[markkoelsch]

How about a Loc Hi-Tech? Thrust curve didnt list any I motors though.

Hi Tech is a nice rocket. If I were going Loc though I would get a Vulcanite.

Other options- Wildman Junior.

 

[dhkaiser]

Did 5900 ft with a Wildman Jr without the av bay. BRB900 in the nosecone and a Alt3 and Chute Release on a AT I280DM.

 

[ascastil]

Oh nice, Ill look into that. Thanks. Good suggestions everyone, I appreciate it. Ill have to find out about the tracker and altimeter in the nosecone. The few threads I looked at were kinda vague.

 

[dhkaiser]

Oh nice, Ill look into that. Thanks. Good suggestions everyone, I appreciate it. Ill have to find out about the tracker and altimeter in the nosecone. The few threads I looked at were kinda vague.

Check this out... https://www.ape-rc.com/#!/Head-End-...olded-Nose-Cones/p/46531659/category=11909535

 

[Coop]

If you're starting a project for a specific goal, then perhaps you should design your own for this goal rather than go with a kit...

How would YOU like to get there? I know there'a CTI longburn I in 54mm that would be a hoot... If I were going to try this, that's probably where I would lean...

Later!

--Coop

 

[Coop]

Since posting the last, I monkeyed with Rocksim, and came up with a 3" 3 FNC that got 5,277 on the I-100 LB Red. That's not omtimized by any stretch, just the first run with what looked about close enough. I had an av-bay in there and some extra stuff for how I'd fly it.


Later!

--Coop

 

[Gus]

The Apogee Aspire on an F10-8 will go over a mile.

https://www.apogeerockets.com/Rocket-Kits/Skill-Level-2-Model-Rocket-Kits/Aspire

 

[Buckeye]

How about a Loc Hi-Tech? Thrust curve didnt list any I motors though.

?

In Thrustcurve, make sure the motor mount is 38mm diameter and also very long, like 24" (doesn't have to be realistic). This will ensure that Thrusctcurve finds all the I motors through 6XL.

 

[Buckeye]

The Apogee Aspire on an F10-8 will go over a mile.

https://www.apogeerockets.com/Rocket-Kits/Skill-Level-2-Model-Rocket-Kits/Aspire

In theory only. The Aspire is to launch once, lose it, and then brag to your friends without really knowing what happened. That's no fun. The OP wants to add payloads for dual deploy, tracking, and altimeter data. If you can manage to add all that mass and construction, then the Aspire on an F10 is likely not going a mile.

 

[markkoelsch]

If we are talking fun. Build a Phenolic or Loc 54mm rocket and fly it on an AT i65. Did that a month ago and got 7500' out of it.

 

[DavidMcCann]

https://macperformancerocketry.com/collections/54mm-diameter-kits-1

MAC also has some cool Nose bay kits. A single deploy kit with Nose bay on a large I should do a mile and then some

 

[TRFfan]

The Apogee Aspire on an F10-8 will go over a mile.

https://www.apogeerockets.com/Rocket-Kits/Skill-Level-2-Model-Rocket-Kits/Aspire

In OR it only gets 4500 ft. Rocksim says different though.

I would try a blackhawk 29.

 

[iqsy59]

https://macperformancerocketry.com/collections/54mm-diameter-kits-1

MAC also has some cool Nose bay kits. A single deploy kit with Nose bay on a large I should do a mile and then some

I agree with this recommendation! The tracker bays in the nose are so convenient!

If you want to hold down the price (and more importantly, the weight), you could go with a 54mm Scorpion Single Deploy with a 38mm mount and use the Chute Release. If you wanted a rocket that would eventually get you to two miles...or possibly 3...you could go with the 3" Villain with a 54mm hole.

Cheers,
Michael

 

[Oberon]

I'd think any 54mm rocket with a 38mm hole would do the trick. One of these days I'm going to try it with my Punisher SS (the Wildman Punisher Sport upgraded with a 38mm mount ant head-end dual deployment), but first I've got to figure out how to get an Eggfinder mini in with my dual deploy setup. It would be pretty easy if I skipped the head-end deploy and just used a chute release, saving the nose cone space for a tracker - could work well for you. That kit currently retails for $100. A bit cheaper than the MAC 54mm Scorpion with the equivalent fiberglass nosecone. Either kit would be a good option.

May have been mentioned already, but you'll probably find that the typical delays in 38mm motors will be too short, or at least marginal, for a mile-high flight, so depending how it sims out, electronic deployment (even if it's just at apogee) might be a necessity.

 

[jdbwizzard]

I designed my own for this very purpose. It is built around a BT-70H tube w/ a 38mm mount. I will be flying on an AT I-59 Warp Nine which sims in OR to Over 6000' and other flights have been spot on with OR sim values. I prefer to build my own vs a kit. One for the satisfaction of designing, building then flying my own creation and Two it is way cheaper. Parts for this cost me under $50.

 

[Wayco]

In theory only. The Aspire is to launch once, lose it, and then brag to your friends without really knowing what happened. That's no fun. The OP wants to add payloads for dual deploy, tracking, and altimeter data. If you can manage to add all that mass and construction, then the Aspire on an F10 is likely not going a mile.

Been there, done that. Several times. I've been playing with clones of the Aspire for years trying to get a mile out of them. Even adding a small altimeter will make it come up short. The F10 can't do it.
Finally scratch built my "Kick Asspire" from 29mm blue tube and fiberglass fins with a slimline retainer. Just add a CTI G118, Estes altimeter and a tiny LF-2 tracker (if you ever want to see it again). I have two flights with that motor, one went to 5409 ft. and the other went to 5691 ft. Here is a picture of it with a few other rockets I fly:

There are several rockets in this picture that can go over a mile, starting with the Darkstar Jr., which has come close with a J340 metalstorm, flying to 5073 ft.
If you really want a "Mile high rocket", build a LOC Nuke Pro Max, like "Duke" and "Reduke" in the above picture. They have both have made several flights over 6k ft. I like the AT I59 long burn for those, which takes them over 6700 ft. regularly.

 

[thequick]

I did my 1st mile launch with a LOC Vulcanite. It was small enough that I didn't need a L2 motor to send it a mile but big enough that I could see it at altitude with binoculars so I didn't need to get a tracker. I used a DD altimeter.

 

[ascastil]

I did my 1st mile launch with a LOC Vulcanite. It was small enough that I didn't need a L2 motor to send it a mile but big enough that I could see it at altitude with binoculars so I didn't need to get a tracker. I used a DD altimeter.

What motor and what was the altitude?

 

[markkoelsch]

Before I lost my Vulcanite, I was flying it a bunch on AT I284 W and I366 Red. Mine was a little heavier as the tubes and fins were glassed, the upper tube was extended, and I converted booster to anti- zipper design. That said, I was getting over a mile with the above motors. On J350 and J420 I was consistently 6400-6500 feet.