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My Spacemonkey V2 with the Apogee kit is ready for paint. There are several options and can’t decide which photo to follow. I’d like to use the decals in the SM kit. My Estes V2 is painted the traditional black/yellow (actually orange). Suggestions?

941070DE-34D6-4CCC-8AA9-9F7E60D33F51.jpeg

This weighs in at a massive 300g but will only fit a D motor. In hindsight, I shoulda used a longer hook than what came with the kit. I guess I have a use for my D21-4 after all. Perhaps I should launch it before painting it...

https://www.apogeerockets.com/Rocket-Kits/Skill-Level-3-Model-Rocket-Kits/V-2-Conversion-Kit
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No, it will only fit an *Estes* D motor. It will also fit E motors from Aerotech, and even the F44. Not to mention the forthcoming D22 and E26 QuestJets.
Ah, good to know. I've only ever bought the one D21-4T I mentioned. I also have Quest B4-4 but looks like it's very similar to the Estes B6-4, just prettier.

The Apogee kit has a lot of clay and used it all since there doesn't seem to be a way to easily adjust it.
 
Oddly enough, a C11-3 motor is also recommended. The comment on the Apogee motor matrix is "No wind, low flight". Heh.
An F39 RMS shows apogee at around 1400'.
Quest has some new 24mm QJets coming out, D22 and E26 White lightning.
70mm, so I think it would fit a D engine hook.
Woops, Neil already posted that.
 
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I was surprised about the C11-3. Seems like lawndartsville to me...

I was trying a C6-3 in the Estes V2. Didn't work. This is my 2nd most viewed rocket video. I guess people like to watch crashes. :)

 
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I was surprised about the C11-3. Seems like lawndartsville to me...

I was trying a C6-3 in the Estes V2. Didn't work. This is my 2nd most viewed rocket video. I guess people like to watch crashes. :)



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I never noticed before that the Mercury escape tower was designed by @Daddyisabar !
 
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I suppose that's why Tim put the C11-3 at the bottom of the list (but then why include it at all). It might do okay if I hadn't added most of the clay in the NC.
I tried overriding my Pencil rocket to 300g and the just about all of the motors under consideration here sim to less than 35 mph off the rod (the E30 just barely makes it, the F44 has some margin). But you're gonna lose the rocket with those motors.

The D21 looks like the best choice for a low (400'-500') flight, if you can still find any. The forthcoming Qjet D22 seems like a good option as well. The Qjet E26 should send it up quite a bit higher, maybe 700+', which I think you can handle, but rod speed is starting to get pretty low.
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Of course your V2 will sim differently than my rocket, but rod speed should be the same, and the rest of the numbers are probably not *too* much different (never mind the delay values).
 
Ran the Rocksim file for a C11:
View attachment 448916
:D
65 ft. apogee.
After all, you don't want to lose this one do you?

Tim suggests the D12-3 for first flight. Do you think I really should try the C11-3 first or should I go straight to the D21-4T? It's polystyrene so should resists a lawndart and does come with two replacement tips. With the motor, the CG is about 14 inches from the tip so similar to your sims.

I think I'll follow the paint scheme in the photo above with one side half black and the other side full black. I think I'll also paint the NC red like the one launched from the USS Midway.

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Tim suggests the D12-3 for first flight. Do you think I really should try the C11-3 first or should I go straight to the D21-4T? It's polystyrene so should resists a lawndart and does come with two replacement tips. With the motor, the CG is about 14 inches from the tip so similar to your sims.
Good grief, you're not actually thinking of flying it on the C11 are you? No no no. Nothing less than a D12 I say. If you can get a D21, great.
 
Hmmmm

optimal delay 1.83 seconds.

motor ejection (no electronics) so ACTUAL delay 3 seconds (plus/minus 10%)

so ejection is a bit late, rocket pops its nose at 36.26 feet traveling presumably downward at 28.1 mph which according to my google converter is 41 feet per second.

How long does it take for the chute to open?

and of course the Simulator’s creed, “YMMV”
 
I wasn’t sure if Gary was serious or not. I have two of the Vikings made and packed the NC with clay so I can use a C6-3 to test the wind which should help me decide between a D12 and D21 I have.
 
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No, don't use the C11.
Ejection at 36 ft., not enough time for the chute to open.
D-12 minimum. I have a bunch of E30-7s if you want to try one.
Apogee 1100 ft.
Takes off like a bat out of hell.
Make sure your motor mount is really glued in solid.
A real crowd pleaser.
 
No, don't use the C11.
Ejection at 36 ft., not enough time for the chute to open.
D-12 minimum. I have a bunch of E30-7s if you want to try one.
Apogee 1100 ft.
Takes off like a bat out of hell.
Make sure your motor mount is really glued in solid.
A real crowd pleaser.
I have my first batch of E30s waiting in my range box for my next launch, whenever the heck that is. Should be fun.
 
Mistakes were made...

Quick video of the Tuesday debacles. I knew there was a chance of rain but there hasn't been a low wind day for weeks and unlikely for another one in the next 10 days. As we were setting up, there was no wind. Suddenly the wind started from the south (from the equator) and within a minute, we were soaked. Out of fear of ruining the rockets, I tried running and messed up my already injured knee.

After making it to the car, we went to Arby's and returned to make another attempt at the Exocet rocket that has been in the tree since January 16th. I swear the rocket landed in the worst spot on the tree. We got the rocket and nose cone back but no sign of the altimeter. So much water had collected in the rocket that I easily pulled the motor mount out of the rocket.

Foolishly, I didn't realize how much water had collected in the bin and lost four motors including the two Quest B4-4. One is stuck in the brand new Apogee Diamondback. I've successfully extracted spent motors that were stuck in the rocket but not unused motors.

 
Oof, sorry about your misadventure there. Hope the knee is OK.

Wow. Ouch. Well, that sounds like it counts as an adventure. One of those "Remember when...." stories.
In my daughter's middle school, all 6th-graders go on an outdoor outing in the fall, in four separate groups. Sort of a team-building thing. On her day, it was pouring rain. They were all completely soaked. You can probably imagine the rest of the details yourself.

As I told her: if the weather were perfect you'd never remember it. But because it was miserable, you'll *always* remember it and laugh about it.

Prediction: @rklapp will remember that one more than any of his other zillion launches. And laugh. Eventually. I hope. :oops:

Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.
 
Oh don't be such a baby! I just got almost 2 feet of snow dumped on me the other day. That's tough stuff for a Florida native to deal with! Plus, my worries about shooting rockets are no longer trees or cold parachutes not opening, but Sasquatch and Yetis grabbing my stuff from below!

Damn, I've got a bunch of winter-build rockets that need testing and a pile o motors!!!

Plus, the groundhog apparently saw his shadow and predicts 6 more weeks of stankin' winter. Wait. You're in Hawaii. You don't have winter. Do you have any seasons at all?
 
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