The Launch Pad Kit tailcones

[Dominion]

Has anybody used anything else instead of the paper tailcones they come with in the kits? I had a Hawk I just built but tripped over a cat while carrying it and smacked it up against a door jam and put a kink right in the middle of it. Thinking of using a BT-70 to BT-80 balsa transition for the task, wanting your opinions.

Link to what Im planning to use.
https://www.semroc.com/Store/Scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=915

 

[kjohnson]

Overkill. And starts you down the road of too much weight in the tail, add more nose weight, need a bigger motor, too much weight in the tail...

Did you strengthen the paper transition with CyA yet when the damage happened?

Alternatively, you could get rid of the cat.

kj

 

[Dominion]

Yes I did stregthen the paper it just happen to be the perfect corner shot, my luck lol. Cant kill the cat it just happens to be mine but did get a good kickin j/k. I think this one just had a lot of bad luck because during the recovery phase the nose got stuck and bacame a lawn dart, good flight though. I like the design/shape but making this one a lil different. Adding 4" to the body with dual 24mm mounts.

 

[sodmeister]

What I do with most of my TLP kits, is first substitute the stock cardstock for a heavier weight (thicker) ,this is most often done for tail cones.I will soak the thing with plenty of super thin CA, then give it a couple coats of finishing epoxy on the inside.This makes it very strong and rigid and less apt to get dented or dinged.I do the same for nosecone extensions ,but using a heavier weight cardstock is not alway possible ,depends on the amount of angle of the apex of the cone ,can be a bugger to roll.


Paul