SCALE - (Atlantic Research) ARCAS Gallery

The Rocketry Forum

Help Support The Rocketry Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Thanks JackC, I was hoping someone had a scan before it was applied... of course I didn't think of doing a scan of it either when I built mine. If nobody has one, I'll just pick one up from AT!

From now on, I'm going to scan every set of decals etc. I get before the build!
 
Bit of a fun fact, there is no real rocket with the name HV Arcas. The rocket that Aerotech and other manufacturers pass off with that name is actually just the upper stage to the Boosted Arcas and it doesn't have the tail cone the normal Arcas has because of the booster.
 
Bit of a fun fact, there is no real rocket with the name HV Arcas. The rocket that Aerotech and other manufacturers pass off with that name is actually just the upper stage to the Boosted Arcas and it doesn't have the tail cone the normal Arcas has because of the booster.
It is reasonably well known on this forum... if altitude were not the issue, and sourcing 4.6" diameter cardboard tube (to maintain scale) were not so difficult, my AT HV Arcas would be an upper stage. Here in New England, flying such a vehicle is not a risk I would take anyway... It'd just go too high, and space is tight with gobs of trees. If I still lived in Utah, that'd be another matter. I really like the AT version, and I fly it whenever I get the chance.

As far as the name goes, Peter Alway's "Rockets of the World" refers to it as the "Sparrow-HV Arcas"... there was also a "Sidewinder-HV Arcas", using a Sparrow and a Sidewinder booster respectively. afaict, the upper stage IS a rocket named HV Arcas. But it matters little in the scheme of things.
 
By the way, what was the actual source for that image? Did it come with a kit or is it off of an actual HV Arcas ;-)
That looks as if it's full sized....

If I recall correctly, the guy who has the label (and made the scan) obtained the "sticker" decades ago from the Atlantic Research higher-ups directly.
 

Attachments

  • HV-Arcas fincan.jpg
    HV-Arcas fincan.jpg
    159.9 KB · Views: 6
Here is my Full Scale HV Arcas flying on an Aerotech L900DM at LDRS 40. It's an original Proline Rocketry kit with a 75mm MMT. It was the last one AMW had in stock and purchased it at the November ROCStock. I used 2x Missile Works RRC2+ altimeters and a Featherweight GPS system. My First L motor flight. Flew to 8200' feet.
 

Attachments

  • ARCAS_L900DM_02.jpg
    ARCAS_L900DM_02.jpg
    30.3 KB · Views: 1
  • ARCAS_L900DM_01.jpg
    ARCAS_L900DM_01.jpg
    92.8 KB · Views: 0
Here is my Performance Rocketry (circa 2007) full scale HV Arcas flying on an AMW L900 Red Rhino on July 9, 2022 at Brothers, Oregon. She reached 6,344 feet AGL and was recovered in the same spot where she had crashed in 2018! Only the pre-cast fin can and 1/3 of the sustainer survived the crash but I rebuilt her like they did with the Six Million Dollar Man. The beautiful paint job was done by Pearlfades Autobody in Beavercreek, OR.🚀

My appreciation and thanks goes to Srvrdude1 for the wonderful photos of the rocket!
 

Attachments

  • 047CADCF-B81B-473A-A0DD-1148D2E8768D.jpeg
    047CADCF-B81B-473A-A0DD-1148D2E8768D.jpeg
    40.3 KB · Views: 0
  • C4385412-61FF-4AAF-9122-560B6BFF8B3D.jpeg
    C4385412-61FF-4AAF-9122-560B6BFF8B3D.jpeg
    31.7 KB · Views: 1
  • 4F359AEF-1AA8-4D7C-8777-2CFF294014B4.jpeg
    4F359AEF-1AA8-4D7C-8777-2CFF294014B4.jpeg
    21.9 KB · Views: 0
Last edited:
The Arcas is one of the Atlantic Research sounding rockets that got a lot of use and had a very unique launcher system. I didn't bother scaling the launcher with this micro T4 scale model but do plan on giving one a try soon.
The "Closed-Breech" launcher ( foam spacers used to get a good seal for launch.

Dave F.

1a FrankBogart CraigLovstad Eniwetok 1967_p1.jpg1f FrankBogart CraigLovstad Eniwetok 1967_p1.jpg1h FrankBogart CraigLovstad Eniwetok 1967_p1.jpg1i FrankBogart CraigLovstad Eniwetok 1967_p1.jpg48294442721_3c9a50575e_3k.jpg48294475071_9ddd250f22_b.jpg48294481316_b46999f9e3_c.jpg48294546622_4f1ab21e48_3k.jpgRocketsonde Launch Eniwetok MI 1967 1_p1.jpgRocketsonde Launch Eniwetok MI 1967 3_p1.jpg
 
Some "color data" data about that photo.

https://cdn.imagearchive.com/rocketryforum/data/attach/202/202863-Sparrow-Arcas-Narrative.pdf

I think that "ARC" ( Atlantic Research Corporation ) is gone . . . Googlemaps showed an abandoned building in 2009 . . . From 2017 on, just a vacant lot ( apparently bull-dozed ).

The address for ARC is / was 5945 Wellington Rd Gainesville, VA, 20155-1633

https://www.google.com/maps/@38.7884031,-77.5857252,3a,73.9y,59.78h,83.7t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sWuSQXjuFrXmhDqk9eKuM7Q!2e0!5s20090601T000000!7i3328!8i1664?entry=ttu
 
Some "color data" data about that photo.

https://cdn.imagearchive.com/rocketryforum/data/attach/202/202863-Sparrow-Arcas-Narrative.pdf

I think that "ARC" ( Atlantic Research Corporation ) is gone . . . Googlemaps showed an abandoned building in 2009 . . . From 2017 on, just a vacant lot ( apparently bull-dozed ).

The address for ARC is / was 5945 Wellington Rd Gainesville, VA, 20155-1633

https://www.google.com/maps/@38.7884031,-77.5857252,3a,73.9y,59.78h,83.7t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sWuSQXjuFrXmhDqk9eKuM7Q!2e0!5s20090601T000000!7i3328!8i1664?entry=ttu
Thanks Dave... You're definitely a better "digger" than I! I've just completed my second Aerotech HV Arcas but I'm starting on a full scale HV from composite warehouse. One thing that doesn't seem to exist is a good photo of a launched round. (Something akin to some of the photos of the IRIS). Box photo and instuctions of the AT Arcas seems to have the stripes aligned with the fins... The photos show the striping between the fins... Wonder where AT got their info from...

Too bad ARC no longer exists ( I saw something that suggests it was subsumed into some other company which probably in turn ran it into the ground!). I would've loved to see that display round close up
 
Last edited:
Thanks Dave... You're definitely a better "digger" than I! I've just completed my second Aerotech HV Arcas but I'm starting on a full scale HV from composite warehouse. One thing that doesn't seem to exist is a good photo of a launched round. (Something akin to some of the photos of the IRIS). Box photo and instuctions of the AT Arcas seems to have the stripes aligned with the fins... The photos show the striping between the fins... Wonder where AT got their info from...

Too bad ARC no longer exists ( I saw something that suggests it was subsumed into some other company which probably in turn ran it into the ground!). I would've loved to see that display round close up
arcsparrowhvarcas launch.jpgarcsparrowhvarcas1 - LARGE.jpgarcsparrowhvarcas2 - 8 X 10.jpgDIMENSIONS - 1 - 150 dpi.jpgSPARROW BOOSTER.JPGPAYLOAD DETAILS - 1.JPG
 
DANG! You have EVERYTHING! Where do you keep it all? Will we see you on an episode of "Hoarders" soon? o_O. Huge thanks!
I have almost 450 GB ( almost 200,000 files ) of scale data in my "archive" . . . I started collecting data, in 1974, at age 13.

PS - I'll send you an "invoice" - LOL !
 
Last edited:
Hey @CTimm! We're still wondering if you actually DO have that display round :) In the meantime, having done a bit of hand wringing regarding the data plate... and how I was going to handle it, I ended up starting with the jpg of the full-size ARCAS data label you posted a while back. As my printer doesn't print silver all that well, I ran it thru my photo editor. As many of the fields were empty, I had to fill them in myself (and some of the text couldn't be easily separated from the noise because I wanted to turn the background to white (since my inkjet won't do white which is what I wanted). I had to spend a bit of time looking for suitable fonts for some of the stuff. As a cheapskate, my editing tools are somewhat limited (no photoshop here, buddy). Why all this? I found on "onlinelables.com", shiny silver label material (they've got for both inkjet and laser printers). Using this and knowing inkjet printers don't print white... I edited and cleaned up (to the limits of my patience) the original jpg to get to this:

HVARCAS-data-plate.jpg

Using the labeling material, and the photo setting on my printer here is the result:

PXL_20230906_154807788~2.jpg


So I did kill the full sheet for one print... and next to the full size there is the Aerotech HV-Arcas plate for comparison.

With inkjet, the printing comes out still a bit wet so you have to let it sit and no doubt this will require a clear-coating! I wonder how it'd hold up on a full scale arcas flying at transonic speed and above! The backing is VERY tenacious too.
 
Hey @CTimm! We're still wondering if you actually DO have that display round :)

From left to right Arcas, Arcas, Arcas, HV Arcas, Frangible Arcas, HV Arcas, Sidewinder, Booster, Arcas, Sparrow (fins removed but they simply slide in.) Also have the Archer (no fins though), Arcturus, and more Arcas and Super Arcas. Best for last, the red booster.
 

Attachments

  • ARC Inerts.jpg
    ARC Inerts.jpg
    298.2 KB · Views: 1
  • Boosted-Arcas red booster.jpg
    Boosted-Arcas red booster.jpg
    273.5 KB · Views: 0
I am very impressed with all the interest in the HV Arcas and the AeroTech data plate for the kit.

However, I have to make a confession.

The data plate with the AeroTech HV Arcas kit is (partially) FAKE!

Back in 1987 when we needed photo models of the upcoming AeroTech scale kits for the catalog we contracted out for Marc McReynolds to build these models. Marc is one of the premier scale model rocket builders in the country. We sent him a box of tubes and nosecones, told him what we wanted and he went to work.

When Marc was creating the data plate for the HV Arcas model he ran into an issue. On the real Arcas, several of the boxes were left empty/had no printing. Before a specific Arcas round was flown someone in the launch team used a grease pencil to write information in these empty spaces which were then recorded in some way (Written in a notebook/photographed?).

Marc didn't know what to put in these boxes but he had an idea. He called AeroTech and asked Gary Rosenfield and myself for some information which he used to filled in the blanks on the Arcas data plate.

So, when a modeler buys an AeroTech HV Arcas kit, the data plate features Marc's NAR number and the year he joined, Gary Rosenfield's NAR number and my NAR number and the year I joined.

We consider it an 'inside joke'.

I get a chuckle out of 'other' rocket kit companies who release a HV Arcas kit and have the SAME information on their kit's data plate. Not too much research done there. Maybe I should sue for royalties. ;)

So there you have the background on the AeroTech HV Arcas data plate.
 
I am very impressed with all the interest in the HV Arcas and the AeroTech data plate for the kit.

However, I have to make a confession.

The data plate with the AeroTech HV Arcas kit is (partially) FAKE!

Back in 1987 when we needed photo models of the upcoming AeroTech scale kits for the catalog we contracted out for Marc McReynolds to build these models. Marc is one of the premier scale model rocket builders in the country. We sent him a box of tubes and nosecones, told him what we wanted and he went to work.

When Marc was creating the data plate for the HV Arcas model he ran into an issue. On the real Arcas, several of the boxes were left empty/had no printing. Before a specific Arcas round was flown someone in the launch team used a grease pencil to write information in these empty spaces which were then recorded in some way (Written in a notebook/photographed?).

Marc didn't know what to put in these boxes but he had an idea. He called AeroTech and asked Gary Rosenfield and myself for some information which he used to filled in the blanks on the Arcas data plate.

So, when a modeler buys an AeroTech HV Arcas kit, the data plate features Marc's NAR number and the year he joined, Gary Rosenfield's NAR number and my NAR number and the year I joined.

We consider it an 'inside joke'.

I get a chuckle out of 'other' rocket kit companies who release a HV Arcas kit and have the SAME information on their kit's data plate. Not too much research done there. Maybe I should sue for royalties. ;)

So there you have the background on the AeroTech HV Arcas data plate.

Awesome story... I did have my suspicions. Since I now have TWO flight capable Aerotech HV ARCAS models, I simply use that data plate as the template. For what it's worth the name plates that come with the kits look official enough! Of course the JPEG I used is included, so anyone can modify it to their heart's content given a proper graphical editor. Thanks, again a great story, you wascally wabbit!
 
So here's some Sparrow-Arcas comparison observations:

When comparing Figure 3.5-10 that Dave posted above (luv to know which report that came from) with Peter Alway's Sparrow-Arcas drawing in Rockets of the World, both drawings agree that from the bottom of the Arcas to the bottom of the Sparrow is 59.5".

Cool. But,

Figure 3.5 has the motor section of the Arcas (including fin can) at 60.6", RotW has 62" on the Sparrow-Arcas drawing and 60.7" on a standard Arcas drawing.

The HV fin can was originally used on the Frangible Arcas and the top is flush with the leading edge of the fins; it slip fits over the standard Arcas body tube. The RotW drawing shows the break line well below the correct point. Figure 3.5 shows it in the proper location but sketches out the boattail which is under the fin can. We also know that the slip-on fin can extends the length of the Arcas motor at least slightly from the pictures provided by Chris Timm in the Frang Arcas article in Sept/Oct 2020 article in Sport Rocketry. How much longer is unclear from the Sport Rocketry information. The nozzle is clearly recessed in the fin can.

Similarly, Figure 3.5 has a total payload section of 32.2" with a nose of 20.6". RotW has 29.6" (.3" shorter parachute container than Arcas standard and the standard Arcas nose of 18.1). It may be that the RotW round shown is a test launch with standard Arcas parachute container (more or less) and nose and Figure 3.5 shows the configuration for the Denpro payload.

OK, back to the Sparrow. Other than the fin span, Figure 3.5 is, well, sketchy. Peter's Selected US Navy Missiles of the Cold War (SUSNMotCW?) shows the total Sparrow motor length as 50.7" while the RotW Sparrow- Arcas shows it as 51.9" with the boat tail being either 8.01" or 9.1" long and either 7.26" or 6.6" in bottom diameter, respectively.

So, assuming the more recent Sparrow drawing is the more accurate and that the 59.5" total is accurate (since both drawings agree), then the RotW transition presently drawn as 7.6 " would need to be 8.8". Perhaps the answer lies in the fact that the USN Missile drawing shows the launch lug at the top of the Sparrow motor. Using this as a reference, Dave's picture above shows some length of transition directly above the launch lug on the Sparrow at Sparrow diameter. An inch and a quarter's worth? Maybe.

Edit: I just noticed that everything that needs measuring is in Chris' storage area.

Why do I care? I'm building the Arcas family in 1/4.61 scale using the Alway/BMS kit as the original jump off point. I have standard Arcas, SuperArcas, Bio-Arcas and Frangible Arcas. The Rocketarium 1.735" body tube provides the Sparrow body in this scale and I built an extra HV tailcone when I build the Frangible Arcas, so Sparrow-Arcas is next up on the board and yes, it will stage.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top