What did you do rocket wise today?

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Cut fin blanks from 1/8" ply. Ganged them together (just used two #6 screws this time). Marked, cut, sanded to shape. I'll fill the holes and give them a thin shot of primer later. Marked the body tube for cutting fin slots. I'm using a phenolic tube this time, trying to decide how to cut fin slots. Paper is a lot easier, but ya gotta go with what ya got.
[edit] - picture of fin stack, orange area to be removed

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My kids call it the "Big Chungus". Simulated w/ 2.6" LOC tube and 29mm LOC MM and 1/8" plywood (although my prototype is only 2mm plywood and BT-80 tube). Looks like it should fly on an F or G-motor w/ 8oz in nose (below sim estimates is for a G76-4).

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Prototype? It looks pretty good to me. Assuming you're going to kit Big Chungus, why not kit Little Chungus too? 24 mm MMT, I presume, since it's pretty draggy.
 
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Prototype? It looks pretty good to me. Assuming you're going to kit Big Chungus, why not kit Little Chungus too? 24 mm MMT, I presume, since it's pretty draggy.

Thank you very much.

The BT-60 A-10 is out as a kit (actually its my most popular kit with 74 units sold). The original version was built exclusively for a D12 engine (more precisely a 70mm long 24mm engine) but I just released an updated version with motor mount tubes that can take a larger variety of 24mm motors (new version also has smoother parts and a more prototypical nosecone than the earlier version). It is pretty draggy but those huge wings also mean it requires 2.5oz of nose weight to fly nice and straight as a rocket (with 2oz in nose it flew a bit too much like a plane in later portion of the launch - although that earlier launch was also before I stabilized the wings with internal supports).

I am actually looking for a couple of partners who do mid-powered launches regularly to work with me to test the larger scale version. I think it would be ideal to do glider recovery for the larger model but all new areas for me. I should just crank out stable / simpler kits but I really like to challenge myself trying new things all the time.
 
I should just crank out stable / simpler kits but I really like to challenge myself trying new things all the time.
I dispute "should". There's no reason in the world not to do both. Even if many of the mid-power designs don't pan out, remember that this is a hobby. Don't let your hobby turn completely into a business, or you risk it not being fun anymore. And if only a few MP experiments turn into products, fine, that's a few more products. Don't stop having fun, and que sera, sera.
 
Airing out the fleet from todays back yard launch, before i bring them back in the garage.View attachment 570379
But. . . .but. . . but. . . ummm. If you air them out, you lose that sweet, sweet smell of the burnt BP. . .

FYI, my favorite kit in your picture is the one that uses the motors. Also, like the Mr Cool. I opted for Mitsubishi for the garage and I'm a fan. I got an LG for the storage unit, but still haven't finished the insulation, therefore no heat/AC.

Sandy.
 
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One more baby step on the Interceptor: Glued the wing pods back together, this time with way less assembly gaps. The molding gaps still remain...
 
A lot of drilling, sanding, and epoxying. Notably built the ballast capsule which I need in order for the next round of deployment tests to be valid. And which I'd intended to have complete two weekends ago, so I could do deployment tests last weekend, for a launch two days from now. 😐

Feeling schedule pressure, but not cutting corners. What isn't ready doesn't fly.
 
Got home from my last work trip this month & went straight to my shop. Checked out the coatings on my new rocket. Worked on launch checklists. Set up the Quantum login on my phone. Touched base with some TNT peeps. Eyeballed weather.

My wife & kids have been awesomely getting our travel trailer ready for the trip to TNT's Seymour launch (❤️❤️❤️). Packing up & leaving for Seymour as soon as I can! (After sleep.)
 
Getting ready to build 5 leftover rockets, sorted out motors and ignitors for my kids cub scout troop. We had a mass build session (42 kids) Tuesday evening. The troop launch will be end of March.

This is a first for the troop with rocketry and these kids are buzzing over launching rockets. It was a pretty good turnout. Had 3 other fellow rocketeers help out.
 

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Worked on the EST7251 Saturn 1B this morning & got some primer on the 8 tanks and the upper body. All had been masked previously; a thin mask along the pencil line of each tank for glue, and masking for the upper body wraps. All are ready for sanding, then wraps and paint will be applied before assembly. Going with the SA-205 black/white paint scheme.

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I been working some time on this project and it's finally finished. The idea 🤔 was to build a Rocketplane that can fly below and above the earth's atmosphere for new age space reconnaissance missions.

The ReConceptor is part of the Hypersonic Research Program by North American Aviation. 🚀

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I been working some time on this project and it's finally finished. The idea 🤔 was to build a Rocketplane that can fly below and above the earth's atmosphere for new age space reconnaissance missions.

The ReConceptor is part of the Hypersonic Research Program by North American Aviation. 🚀

IMG-6379-sig-2.jpg
... and that display stand too is a beauty!
 
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