Sparky Motor Altitude Record

[Bruce]

Who has had a high flight with a rocket powered by sparky motors?

 

[DAllen]

That's an interesting question. I'd look up which type of sparky has the best ISP but I am too lazy and it's too early on a Saturday morning. So would Metalstorm propellant count too with the white plume instead of black? Or are we going full on OG sparkies with the black plumage?

 

[Wayco]

I flew "Silver Streak", a 54mm MD Wildman blackhawk on one of Sharon's SS-2 motors to 14,384 ft.
This was an L1001 "Sharon's sparkler-2" propellant in a 54/2550 casing.




Fly away rail guide coming off the fin.

 

[FredA]

I've made a few O's and flown them to ~30kAGL at Balls over the years.

 

[Bruce]

That's an interesting question. I'd look up which type of sparky has the best ISP but I am too lazy and it's too early on a Saturday morning. So would Metalstorm propellant count too with the white plume instead of black? Or are we going full on OG sparkies with the black plumage?

My vote would be for any type of sparky motor regardless of the smoke, but that's just my 2 cents...

And does the Metalstorm propellant have the best ISP?

 

[mikec]

And does the Metalstorm propellant have the best ISP?

The original Metalstorm (not Dark Matter) has an ISP little different than White Lightning. DM and Skidmark have a substantial ISP hit.

 

[jimzcatz]

Metalstorm sux, just a big silverstreak.High altitude with a true sparkie is a massive waste of a perfectly good motor. I love sparkies, but big sparkies in small rockets is a waste, you loose all the chest thumping sound. My opinion and I stand by it.

 

[prfesser]

Sparky motors are by their nature lower specific impulse than <name almost any APCP>. They're designed to throw out propellant mass--titanium or other material--- before it's had a chance to burn inside the motor. Isp can be increased by simply reducing the sparks, so whatever motor or propellant produces the lousiest sparky display is likely to provide the maximum oomph.

I have to agree with Jim. I suppose there could be a competition of sorts...but why?

 

[Wayco]

The difference between a K540 Metalstorm and a K456 Dark matter (which both fit in a 54/1706 casing) will convince you that Dark Matter is not a performance load.
The OP asked:

Who has had a high flight with a rocket powered by sparky motors?

This is not a competition to me, I fly rockets for the way they make me feel.
I freely admit that I'm partial to "effects" motors, especially the ones that Sharon creates and I mix. Nor would I attempt to convince Jim or Terry otherwise, but experiencing my relatively large L motor in the "Silver Streak" was very similar to flying the N2220 DM in my Ultimate Darkstar. The "L" pads are a lot closer at our home field than the "away" 80's are at Airfest though, and the "feel" of flying a marginally stable rocket with a motor you made yourself is very special to me.
In spite of all that, a competition would be impossible given the difference between research, metalstorm and dark matter motors. How could you quantify the sight and feel of dark matter, and compare it to the altitude of a metalstorm?
For those that look at ISP and performance, none of this matters anyway.
For me, the memory of the N2220 DM in 2017 is MUCH more vivid than the O3400 Imax that I flew in 2018.

 

[Jee3300R]

I flew "Silver Streak", a 54mm MD Wildman blackhawk on one of Sharon's SS-2 motors to 14,384 ft.
This was an L1001 "Sharon's sparkler-2" propellant in a 54/2550 casing.

Looks almost exactly like an AMW K1000SK!

 

[Adama]

My highest sparky flight on an N2220 (would have gone higher but for the waiver):


But nothing beats the AMW M2200 that I flew on a cloudy day near dusk.

 

[Arsenal78]

Loki Spitfire J396. Went about 3200ft I think.

 

[Bruce]

Awesome photos. Keep them coming!

Any pictures of sparky motor rockets being launched at dusk?

 

[Jee3300R]

AMW M2200. Did 8,500’ in a 5” and 45lb diameter Rocket

 

[Rocketjunkie]

I flew my 54 mm Deuce at NSL in 2008 at dusk on AMW J230's Photo by Frank TY

 

[tsmith1315]

That's fantastic, Tom!

 

[Neutronium95]

I've been thinking about going for a relatively uncontested Tripoli altitude record with Skidmark motors. I have a very optimized rocket design, but it's base around motors that are at the bottom of the impulse range. So I can toss some Skidmark reloads in there and go for a record in a lower impulse class.

 

[Nytrunner]

Awesome photos. Keep them coming!

Any pictures of sparky motor rockets being launched at dusk?

Not an altitude record, but I do have an underexposed dusk shot!

 

[Bruce]

Not an altitude record, but I do have an underexposed dusk shot!

View attachment 449280

Nice!

 

[boatgeek]

This student-built rocket went to about 9K on a K815 Skidmark. Followed it up to 13,500 (under a 14K waiver) on an L935.