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The gaps shouldn't be an issue. Somewhere I've seen a plastic hub cap used. Here? On the archive? On rocketreviews.com?
 
I completely support Art on this issue. The rest of you are all behaving like spoiled brats. Suck it up and stop pouting or I'll send you to bed without your supper. Don't give me that look.

One interesting rocket I saw awhile back on another forum consisted of a plastic fan blade unit. That's it, nothing else. A motor mount was inserted into the hub, and a launch lug was attached to the side of the hub. The author of the post stated that the fan blade rocket was stable in flight, spinning furiously on the way up, and tumbling/spinning on the way back down. I'm not sure if it would qualify as a saucer, a monocopter or simply an odd-roc. Perhaps all three.
 
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I agree that the plastic hubcap should work well. I wonder if more spokes like that actually provides more aerobraking than a traditional saucer by causing more turbulance in the airflow?
 
I agree that the plastic hubcap should work well. I wonder if more spokes like that actually provides more aerobraking than a traditional saucer by causing more turbulance in the airflow?

Only one way to find out! Keep your eyes on the gutter, you never know when you might come across the perfect specimen!
 
I agree that the plastic hubcap should work well. I wonder if more spokes like that actually provides more aerobraking than a traditional saucer by causing more turbulance in the airflow?

I don't think there would be greater turbulance overall. While i think it could definitely be stable, there isn't nearly as much to reroute the airflow as there is in a traditional saucer. Whereas 100% (minus the LL hole) of the air of a traditional saucer is being rerouted, some/much of the air of a hubcap could go through the holes. Now this doesn't take into account that saucers are almost always at a diagonal of 30 degrees or so, and a hubcap is flat.


Also, about Art, whether you think he deserves to be angry about this or not, he has spent a lot of time testing his rockets. I would not have been able to figure out my level 2's appx CP if he hadn't explained his Cd and CP for his saucers.
 
Here's a pic of my level 2 cert flight

Also why you should never use blackjack on a suacer...so dirty.

Credit to Bryce Chanes for the pic :)

297894_2371165332215_1642961940_2422876_1736360232_n.jpg
 
Thanks for the post, I used your plans/instructions to create a 54mm hexagon. I am attaching a couple pictures from its maiden voyage at Phoenix Missile Works' Rocktober Skies last month. It was a CTI J skidmark.

381421_2514045883948_1037205749_4844760_704748543_n.jpg

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Here's my 54mm octagon. This is the smallest of a series of 3. Also have a hexagon with a cluster of 3 54mm MMTs.

https://www.rocketrytoday.com/octagon.html

Fun & cheap to build and fly.

dlb, love the leds on yours, what kind are those?

Marc
 
sweet, glad the plans were able to help another. It's such a sweet and simple design. Art Applewhite said it's pretty heavy for aerobraking if you're using a motor thats longer than the sauceer. So you'll either want to fly it in a grassy field, or tape a parachute to the top :D
 
Can you describe a little more in detail on how this would work.



Darin

Put some paper and stuff over the chute so the tape isn't directly touching the chute. Then mount the chute to somewhere. use nomex and such to limit blast to the chute and hopefully it should work.

I saw it done on a spool rocket on Rocket Challenge back in 2003?. Other than that, i have no knowledge of it working hehe :)

And Jeff, a K513 Black Max. Would rather have used a regular blackjack, but Gary said they don't make em over 38mm due to thrust problems :(
 
I have two of Art's priority Stealth rockets, the latter of which was built with very nice epoxy fillets for my first time attempting to do so. The first flew on a LMS F23FJ motor and it went well, and faster than I expected. THe second (better one) has flown once on a CTI G57C motor, and this was much faster and higher. I am tempted to build a third, just for the sake of doing so...and sorry, no pics :(
 
My rocket Vapor lifting off on an AT J350 back in August 2001. Rocket weighs about 4lbs empty and only gets to about 600' in altitude. It's a crowd favorite! :grin:

vapor-j350.jpg
 
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Built a bunch of the 18mm Applewhite pyramids for a launch this past April. Gave them away to kiddos and they were a big hit. Left out crayons and a bunch of Star Wars stickers for the kiddos to decorate them with. Coated the inside of the MMT with 5 min epoxy and they seemed to hold up well.

I kept one to abuse. :). They like composite D’s.

Edit: there are 10 in the box currently and I plan on building more before the November Michiana launch.
 
Just finished an Art Applewhite 29mm Priority Cinco.
Glue is still wet.
If you print the pdf at 100% the motor mount is too small.
So I'll be flying this with 24mm motors and tape wraps.
Maybe 105-110% will scale it to the proper fit for 29mm.
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One interesting rocket I saw awhile back on another forum consisted of a plastic fan blade unit. That's it, nothing else. A motor mount was inserted into the hub, and a launch lug was attached to the side of the hub. The author of the post stated that the fan blade rocket was stable in flight, spinning furiously on the way up, and tumbling/spinning on the way back down. I'm not sure if it would qualify as a saucer, a monocopter or simply an odd-roc. Perhaps all three.
This sounds interesting, I'm off to YouTube to see if I can find a video of a fan blade rocket........nope, just when you think that everything has been put up on YouTube.
 
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Sputnik, UFO and a Flying Saucer. The Saucer has opposed motors. It's supposed to spin.
 

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Just finished an Art Applewhite 29mm Priority Cinco.
Glue is still wet.
If you print the pdf at 100% the motor mount is too small.
So I'll be flying this with 24mm motors and tape wraps.
Maybe 105-110% will scale it to the proper fit for 29mm.
View attachment 469160

Bottom

View attachment 469161
I found the exact same problem in terms of size. Mine fit 24mm motors perfectly. It flies just fine on 24mm motors. It flew nicely on an E30T. Will be awesome on an F44W, F30FJ or F32T.

What's "odd" is I printed the 29mm Priority Stealth at 100% and it fit 29mm motors. I asked Art about the Cinco sizing not being right but he insisted it was sized for 29mm motors. Glad to know I'm not the only one to note the discrepancy.
 
View attachment 469112
Built a bunch of the 18mm Applewhite pyramids for a launch this past April. Gave them away to kiddos and they were a big hit. Left out crayons and a bunch of Star Wars stickers for the kiddos to decorate them with. Coated the inside of the MMT with 5 min epoxy and they seemed to hold up well.

I kept one to abuse. :). They like composite D’s.

Edit: there are 10 in the box currently and I plan on building more before the November Michiana launch.
I just had a mini-launch this week with my 4 1/2 and 2 1/2 year old grandsons, doing AA cardstock and some custom Birdies I built. I've made all of the AA cardstock models. If you want me to help make some for November let me know - we can have a selection to pick from - 13mm Scimitars, Stealth, Pyramid, Turbo and Micromaxx Flying Saucers, Pinwheels and Cubits.
 
I just had a mini-launch this week with my 4 1/2 and 2 1/2 year old grandsons, doing AA cardstock and some custom Birdies I built. I've made all of the AA cardstock models. If you want me to help make some for November let me know - we can have a selection to pick from - 13mm Scimitars, Stealth, Pyramid, Turbo and Micromaxx Flying Saucers, Pinwheels and Cubits.

Dude...Make as many as you want! My thought is just to give them out to the kids with crayons and stickers. If you want to do the same - great! The more the merrier IMHO.
 
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