Small Field MPR?

[mccordmw]

Our club has a monthly launch at a smaller field that's limited to LPR/MPR class 1 rockets. The field is a bit too small for my comfort level to go much over 1,000 ft. I have some fun and funky MIRV and helicopter LPR to play with that work great for that field. However, I like to cap off my launches with something in the F range.

My favorite MPR is my Estes Trajector on an F15-8. It gives a nice, slow launch, a long 3.5 second burn, and an altitude of about 1,400 ft. However, if there is the least bit of wind, it weathercocks far too much for my liking. Last launch, we have 2 mph winds in the morning which were great. By the endof the launch, it was gusting up to 9 mph per my Windyty app. I tried my trusty Trajector, and it weathercocked almost to the point of going cruise missile. I lost it in the trees at the end of the park. It's on sale at Estes for just $14.99, so I'll definitely build another one for windless launches.

My question is, does anyone have a favorite MPR rocket for F engines that top off at less than 1,000 ft.? I looked at Apogee and Sirius, but I didn't really see much to my liking. I can always build from scratch, if needed.

 

[o1d_dude]

I've had good small field success with a f/g Madcow Lil Goblin 29mm on F motors and a Jolly Logic Chute Release.

I'd imagine one of the Wildman original Jarts would work similarly well.

 

[DavidMcCann]

My Optima clone.... made out of blue tube, it does 350' on an F50, and 800 on a G motor. Out of LOC parts it'd likely pull 550 or so on the F50.

Also handles H250G, H268R, and I200W motors It's always in the truck when I fly...whatever the weather, I can have a good day with this rocket.

 

[mccordmw]

Jart with an F15 is 422g. Comes off a 4' rod at 10 m/s. That's about 0.5 m/s faster than a Trajector's sim, so that's slow but ok. Altitude sims to 1240'. That's a good candidate. Stability says only 0.341 calibers from the Wildman site's rocksim. Does that rocket need nose weight?

 

[DavidMcCann]

Jart with an F15 is 422g. Comes off a 4' rod at 10 m/s. That's about 0.5 m/s faster than a Trajector's sim, so that's slow but ok. Altitude sims to 1240'. That's a good candidate. Stability says only 0.341 calibers from the Wildman site's rocksim. Does that rocket need nose weight?

I put a bunch in mine, just to be sure... forgot how much it weighed, but I dumped a box of small washers into the nose and filled it with gorilla glue. Still need to paint that thing.

 

[rstaff3]

The field of candidates will open up a lot if you use a Chute Release. This last weekend, the shortest walks I had were on the highest flights (it you ignore the saucer-like objects).

 

[Rex R]

give some thought to an E28/ E30 high thrust but short burn gets things moving off the pad w/o trying for the stratosphere.
Rex

 

[mccordmw]

give some thought to an E28/ E30 high thrust but short burn gets things moving off the pad w/o trying for the stratosphere.
Rex

Heh. As long as it isn't an Estes E. I've seen too many CATO. They give me the twitches. I don't have an Aerotech case, so I'd have to get one before looking at their E motors.

 

[CzTeacherMan]

Any Wildman Sport size rocket does great on F motors.
I'm currently loving the Mac Performance Black Fly (pics and build thread in the MPR forum).
Loc Precision Lil Nuke does fantastic on F15-6

 

[CzTeacherMan]

Jart with an F15 is 422g. Comes off a 4' rod at 10 m/s. That's about 0.5 m/s faster than a Trajector's sim, so that's slow but ok. Altitude sims to 1240'. That's a good candidate. Stability says only 0.341 calibers from the Wildman site's rocksim. Does that rocket need nose weight?

Didn't need any to fly on a G75-J. Nice little kit. Love mine. Got a standard 2", a 3", and a 4"

 

[neil_w]

Personally I would head right for the North Coast Rocketry kits. The Heatseeker, Lance Delta, SA14 Archer, and SR99 Hyperswift all are rated between 500 and 1000 ft on an F15. Other than the Hyperswift they'll all just about touch 1000' on a composite F. The Laserhawk will do ~650 ft on a composite F. Numbers taken from the latest NCR catalog.

I really like those designs.

 

[J Blatz]

I second Rex R's comment - if you want to do slow and low in large-ish rocket the F15 is not a great motor. It's marginal in a 1 lb rocket esp if there is wind over 5 MPH.

I like AT F35 for this kind of thing. Plus AT has several punchy little reloads in the works for the 24/60 hardware.

 

[Flyfalcons]

Anything in the PSII size range (20oz ish) on an AT F44-4W.

[video=youtube;eokcNB-B000]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eokcNB-B000[/video]

[video=youtube;JgVDWpGh-LY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgVDWpGh-LY[/video]

 

[dhbarr]

LOCs park flyers tickle the PS2 itch for me, YMMV.

 

[DavidMcCann]

Mini Magg. G76G. I win, what's my prize?

 

[CzTeacherMan]

LOCs park flyers tickle the PS2 itch for me, YMMV.

Second this. I forgot about these guys... Awesome little zingers, designed specifically for park flying, and the hole is big enough for a small H, should one want to cert L1 on it.

 

[caveduck]

Wildman 2" Darkstar on a G74-W does about 800'. Flown mine on Fiesta Island several times; no weathercocking and the kids love the roar.

 

[Initiator001]

An AeroTech Initiator with an F20-7W motor should keep you around 1,000 feet or less. :wink:

I second the use of a Jolly Logic Chute Release. That thing is great!

 

[Sooner Boomer]

I fly a spool with a 29mm mount. It pretty much stops going up when the motor quits. It's got a 10" nylon chute on 6' of 1/4" kevlar tape. The kevlar is actually part of the ejection wadding. The motor tube has an engine hook sized for the short motors, but if I want to fly with a longer motor, I bend it aside and wrap tape around it and the motor to secure the motor. Flies a treat on Black Jack F motors.

 

[Rocketjunkie]

Mega Mosquito flies great on an F15-6. Stock except enlarge the CR holes for a 29mm tube and shorten the fin tabs.

 

[OverTheTop]

Flew a 1:1 scale V2 to 624' a couple of years back

O25000 was the motor.

 

[K'Tesh]

I'd suggest a MDRM... Big, draggy that should fit the bill.

 

[DavidMcCann]

Flew a 1:1 scale V2 to 624' a couple of years back

O25000 was the motor.

:rofl::rofl:

 

[mccordmw]

Thanks for all the feedback. I've gone with a few models. I'll be rebuilding a Trajector for windless days. I'm also building a Fliskits ACME Spitfire for D motors. And I'm building a Madcow Jayhawk for F motors that will loft it about 600'. Oh I also grabbed a 2 stage saucer from Fliskits.

I live to build.

 

[BEC]

Sometime later this year Estes is going to re-release the Super Big Bertha. This iteration will have a 29mm mount and three-layer built-up but light fins (like the Estes Mega Mosquito). I have a pre-production one that flew at our last club launch to 576 feet and 547 feet on Estes E16-6s. So.... I'd expect maybe 750-800 on F15s. The flight profile is classic Big Bertha - slow straight boost, leisurely arc over the top and then pop goes the parachute. (Our club field is the one in the first of the two videos Ryan - flyfalcons - posted. It's about 1000 feet square and surrounded on all four sides by pretty tall trees.

My model, currently in primer only, weighs about 9 1/4 ounces sans motor (and AltimeterThree) but including a Semroc two-tube-style baffle. If your timing is not urgent, this one will certainly do what you're looking for.

Agree with the recommendation for the Chute Release also....opening up options.

And have fun with that Frick-n-Frack. They are kind of fussy to prep what with having to friction fit a taped-together two stage motor pair and get the two halves aligned at the same time. But it is a real crowd pleaser.

 

[mccordmw]

Sometime later this year Estes is going to re-release the Super Big Bertha. This iteration will have a 29mm mount and three-layer built-up but light fins (like the Estes Mega Mosquito). I have a pre-production one that flew at our last club launch to 576 feet and 547 feet on Estes E16-6s. So.... I'd expect maybe 750-800 on F15s. The flight profile is classic Big Bertha - slow straight boost, leisurely arc over the top and then pop goes the parachute. (Our club field is the one in the first of the two videos Ryan - flyfalcons - posted. It's about 1000 feet square and surrounded on all four sides by pretty tall trees.

My model, currently in primer only, weighs about 9 1/4 ounces sans motor (and AltimeterThree) but including a Semroc two-tube-style baffle. If your timing is not urgent, this one will certainly do what you're looking for.

Agree with the recommendation for the Chute Release also....opening up options.

And have fun with that Frick-n-Frack. They are kind of fussy to prep what with having to friction fit a taped-together two stage motor pair and get the two halves aligned at the same time. But it is a real crowd pleaser.

I already have a MIRV I built as a crowd pleaser. I have to friction fit 3 x A10-3T motors in the darts, so the Frick-n-Frack will hopefully not throw me any curveballs. That brings my fun-rocs to a heli-roc, the MIRV, the oddball shaped ACME Spitfire, and the 2-stage saucer.

 

[lcorinth]

My Optima clone.... made out of blue tube, it does 350' on an F50, and 800 on a G motor. Out of LOC parts it'd likely pull 550 or so on the F50.

Also handles H250G, H268R, and I200W motors It's always in the truck when I fly...whatever the weather, I can have a good day with this rocket.

That's a real beaut!

 

[DavidMcCann]

That's a real beaut!

thanks! It's a favorite- https://www.flickr.com/photos/31757945@N05/albums/72157636820162694

 

[patelldp]

A good MPR - HPR rocket is the Hawk Mountain Transonic: https://hawkmountain.ws/secure/kits.asp?productid=315882176860853. It's old school at this point, but it's extremely rugged and will fly on F's through J's without issue.

My "Old School Cool 38" is really just a clone using Hawk tubing and an ACME fincan I found online somwhere. The nosecone is 3D printed and holds a Raven with Simple Circuit and a transmitter. I fly it once a launch, usually on a 38-2G EX motor to ~3,300' but it has flown on a motor as small as an Ellis Mountain 24mm G37 SU to 1100'. A CTI 38-1G G185 Vmax gave it a really wild ride.

Pic courtesy of Dave McCann: urrg-1054 by DizWolf, on Flickr

 

[Mr Rocket]

Flew a 1:1 scale V2 to 624' a couple of years back

O25000 was the motor.

Can't be flown on a small field and not MPR, but the altitude is spot on :duck: