What are your least favorite (or most hated) rocket designs?

[Mach_Seven]

Estes Rock-It...after someone pointed out that it looked like a giant phallus, my innocence was gone. So while I like almost any type of rocket (including all those hated ones already noted), I hate ones that have cajones.

I only saw the image in my notification and i logged on to challenge you to a fight. I’m glad you denounce this abomination!

 

[Mach_Seven]

Jayhawk, ugliest thing I've ever seen.
Not a huge fan of the Bull Pup either.

I agree about the Jayhawk. But did you ever see the huge upscale Gates Brothers did years ago where they flew it on some huge motor, it flew perfectly straight, then stuck the landing! It was... hey, are those tube fins in your avatar? I no longer agree with nor like you anymore.

 

[les]

I won't say I hate, but typically avoid building:
3/4FNC (basically got bored - they are all basically the same),
boost gliders (never get the trim right),
mmx (and most 13mm) powered rockets (barely fly and then get lost in the grass)

 

[Daddyisabar]

There was a new guy in the club who since childhood loved the Estes Manta Bomber. We met his wife at dinner during a national meet. While he was away we were discussing male "BARDOM." I told his wife if she wanted to score points she should praise the beauty of the Manta Bomber and promote an upscale. I pulled up a photo to show her. She thought it was hideous and I agreed. He returned and it came up he had just spent some money buying an original Manta Bomber kit on ebay. I of course showed a picture to his wife and she loved it! The plan totally worked, he took it hook line and sinker. THE MANTA BOMBER IS SOOOO BEAUTIFUL!

 

[dhbarr]

Anything with tube fins.

This.

I always thought Rick Dunseith's Extreme Paralyzer was pretty cool.

Reviews

www.rocketreviews.com

 

[alexzogh]

I’m not a hater, but RTF rockets.... seriously, what’s the point?

I

 

[Mach_Seven]

There was a new guy in the club who since childhood loved the Estes Manta Bomber. We met his wife at dinner during a national meet. While he was away we were discussing male "BARDOM." I told his wife if she wanted to score points she should praise the beauty of the Manta Bomber and promote an upscale. I pulled up a photo to show her. She thought it was hideous and I agreed. He returned and it came up he had just spent some money buying an original Manta Bomber kit on ebay. I of course showed a picture to his wife and she loved it! The plan totally worked, he took it hook line and sinker. THE MANTA BOMBER IS SOOOO BEAUTIFUL!

You are actively encouraging someone to build a large version of this? Even the font on the package makes me sad and angry.

 

[alexzogh]

Anything made of plastic / printed parts

well, there is always an exception to the rule.....

here is my 100% printed 1/24th Saturn V.

Doesn’t look like this anymore because it’s finished, but too cold and snowy to drag it out for pictures.

 

[Cape Byron]

I'm viewing this thread as a great source of market research. And seeing how many other people are tired of the proliferation of cookie-cutter 3/4FNC kits.

 

[neil_w]

I dunno, I kind of like it. I appreciate the originality. In fact, I like *most* of the rockets being discussed here.

As for the font on the facecard though...

 

[BEC]

I’m not a hater, but RTF rockets.... seriously, what’s the point?

I

Simple: It's a reliable flyer, even in the hands of a first time flyer. And it's long enough that packing a 12 inch plastic 'chute and getting it to deploy on a chilly day is not that difficult (unlike its progenitor, the Alpha III). It also is a good model for "the weather is crap, but I came all this way, so I'm going to fly SOMETHING" use.

I saw some pretty excited kids up at my usual flying site not log ago having a good time flying an RTF Athena.

 

[Daddyisabar]

You are actively encouraging someone to build a large version of this? Even the font on the package makes me sad and angry.
View attachment 453302

My inner RSO hates anything funny looking. Yes, a high power three motor cluster on top of that. It has been done before. His will have a solid hardwood nose cone!

 

[dr wogz]

I've often wondered it it is in bad taste to paint a rocket, a short-ish one with a rounded NC, pink, with tell-tail shadow rib-lines and a 'number dial' at the bottom..

("VRRRRRRRRR" Every girls' got one.!!)

 

[Walter Longburn]

well, there is always an exception to the rule.....

here is my 100% printed 1/24th Saturn V.


View attachment 453304

Doesn’t look like this anymore because it’s finished, but too cold and snowy to drag it out for pictures.

You going to fly that or is it just for display? Its cool either way.

 

[mach7]

The Centuri Mach 10 looked better than it flew.

Really?

I've built and flown 2 with great success. Many flights.
I had to build the 2nd because the 1st one glided into the sunset.

 

[alexzogh]

You going to fly that or is it just for display? Its cool either way.

it’s set up for flight. I’m in the process of moving from Illinois to Virginia, so will likely be a summer launch at MDRA.

 

[Cape Byron]

Really?

I've built and flown 2 with great success. Many flights.
I had to build the 2nd because the 1st one glided into the sunset.

I must agree. The Mach 10 is great - just remember to duck for that take-off loop!

 

[alexzogh]

Simple: It's a reliable flyer, even in the hands of a first time flyer. And it's long enough that packing a 12 inch plastic 'chute and getting it to deploy on a chilly day is not that difficult (unlike its progenitor, the Alpha III). It also is a good model for "the weather is crap, but I came all this way, so I'm going to fly SOMETHING" use.

I saw some pretty excited kids up at my usual flying site not log ago having a good time flying an RTF Athena.

ahh, yes, as a motor holder, any rocket will do for fun. Those kids seem like perfect candidates for future ex rocket motor makers

 

[jd2cylman]

it’s set up for flight. I’m in the process of moving from Illinois to Virginia, so will likely be a summer launch at MDRA.

What??? Blaspheemer!!! We’re not gonna see this at da Bong???

 

[Daddyisabar]

Some of the Fuggliest Kits have been the Sunward Umbrella, Estes Space Man and Manta Bomber. They may be fuggly but I still like them. Like Barbra Woodhouse said about dogs, the same goes for rockets, "There are no bad dogs, just bad owners."

Then you have oddroc scratch builds. My ugliest one is Jack in the Box. Looks like Billy Joel meets Weird Al. Darn ugly and because it telescopes it has to sit prominently on a desk or shelf. Sometimes your ugliest rocket never crashes, no matter how many times you fly it. This photo was taken after it had been rejected by the RSO under the funny looking rule. My flying accomplice is putting the finger gun to the head. Enough to trigger my inner Snowflake.

 

[lakeroadster]

I’m not a hater, but RTF rockets.... seriously, what’s the point?

I

Kits... in general. Well after you have built a dozen or so... it's time to do your own thing.

 

[Ez2cDave]

.

 

[BEC]

ahh, yes, as a motor holder, any rocket will do for fun. Those kids seem like perfect candidates for future ex rocket motor makers

And in the meantime they help keep our favorite commercial motor manufacturers in business....

 

[mach7]

I must agree. The Mach 10 is great - just remember to duck for that take-off loop!

Launch at a 60 deg angle on a B6-4 It flies great!
Thrust phase is over just about arc over!

 

[Cape Byron]

Launch at a 60 deg angle on a B6-4 It flies great!
Thrust phase is over just about arc over!

Thanks for the tip!

 

[alexzogh]

What??? Blaspheemer!!! We’re not gonna see this at da Bong???

sorry I don’t think I’m going to make it back to bong before we leave. I was hoping for mini Midwest power... if I could launch it before we move, given my track record I would just have to discard the pieces, and not take it with me. Unfortunately, it’s about two weeks AFTER I have to be out of our house.

 

[Jeff Lassahn]

Rockets are like kittens -- I like some of them more than others, but they're all kinda awesome.

The thing I hate is not a looks thing, it's a build thing.
Kits made from lots of vac-form plastic that don't fit together well. If I wanted to sculpt my whole rocket body out of putty and sand it to shape, I'd just do that I don't know why I have to buy a kit first.

Estes '70s USS Enterprise was the model that taught me this.

 

[SKREAM TEAM]

It varies from crash to crash.

 

[Sooner Boomer]

I’m not a hater, but RTF rockets.... seriously, what’s the point?

I

24mm F101 single use. The definition of fin flutter.

 

[BEC]

I have flown the RTF Athena on Aerotech SU D10-7Ws with no issues. I expect it would be OK on the F21T as well.

Not finding an F101 of any sort and the hardest-hitting currently certified 24mm SU F motor (highest thrust) is the F32T. I'm not sure one can get a 24mm motor into this model even after you rip out the supplied 18mm motor mount. The Alpha III fin can's ID is not big enough. Interesting thought experiment, though.

Now that I think of it, one could get an old FSI F100 in this model with some creative surgery....but of course, from what I hear about those motors (have never flown one) it'd be just as likely to CATO as take the model to flutter speeds....

24mm F101 single use. The definition of fin flutter.