Model Rockets

[Creighton]

Here is part of my stable. The "Orbital Transporter" and original version of the "Satellite Interceptor" I built when I was 12 or so in 1974.

Great hobby. Also a ton of fun these days with on-board ranging data/video.

90grad or anyone else with kids starting out send a PM have a bunch of tubes/nosecones I'll never use.

Creighton

[collecture]

Looks like you have some time invested in those Creighton!
They all look nice!

[Matt]

Model rockets are cool. I loved them as a kid. And I still like them as an adult. If I could just find other people who are interested in the hobby. I can't imagine asking other people at work if they want to go launch model rockets...

[scalebowler]

They look pretty awesome! Also don't worry about posting these in the steam powered tonka truck thread. I'm not mad or anything like that. I actually think they are pretty cool.

[90grad]

Very nice, Creighton!  PM sent.  Thanks!!!

[BrianB]

Super cool! I remember when I was in the 3rd or 4th grade our class did a science project about rocketry. Each student got to build an Estes "Mosquito", the smallest (and cheapest!) model rocket that Estes produced. It was so much fun to launch them!

[SIGNGUY]

I bought my son ( a rocket kit for his birthday last summer and we built it together.. it was a pretty basic 30 dollar kit but then another 20 for engines, etc...
got it all put together and waiting for a day to launch..
we go over to some friends house with a huge backyard adjacent to the local middle school sports fields.. so figure great spot to launch... figuring we where first timers we thought we put in the smaller engines.. 500 feet or so.. needless to say , we accidentally put in the 1000 feet engine and thought we where good to go... Apparently the wind was a little more "gusty" higher up than where we launched from... It went up and after 3 seconds we lost it... then got a glimpse of the orange parachute traveling north about 15 miles an hour at 750-1000 feet up.. needless to say our efforts on recovery where fruitless..  gonna try again.

[90grad]

We have a craft store around here called Michael's and they sell rockets, motors, etc.  However, they always have 40-50% coupons in the Sunday paper.  You can use these for rocket stuff, so we get a pack of motors for about $5.

[SIGNGUY]

Good call.. we have a Michaels about an hour away..

[Creighton]

Check that the motor packs haven't been dropped, cracked nozzle sure sign. They will blow on the pad.

I like to launch an "Alpha II" on C-6-6 with 3' streamer recovery first. Gives a good indication of the upper air currents. Since Estes likes to sell rockets they don't tell you about the need to cut at least a 2" hole in the center of the parachute. If you are landing small rockets on grass, streamer recovery is fine. Since they come down faster the motor will still be hot. Never launch without fire suppression on hand.

Had good luck with "If found please call #" written on the body. Got one back that had been on a roof for 2 yrs. The guy putting on new gutters on found it and called.

Bunch of rocket clubs around. The local RC store would know. Folks build some amazing downscales and payloads.

Creighton