First Post

[dugliss]

Greetings to all.
I'm happy to report that I've finally registered so now I can post on the forum. I've visited as a guest now for many months and found much helpful and entertaining reading here. I am a BAR as of February of this year. The last time I launched rockets prior to that was the year of Apollo 11. Although I have always been a model builder, rocketry has added an entirely new aspect to the hobby and now it seems I can't get enough of it. My primary interest is LPR, and most of the rockets in my fleet are Estes and Semroc. I especially like the look of Alpha style rockets with ogive nosecones and swept back or trapezoidal fins. My last build is a Semroc Astron that had it's maiden flight a week ago on a B6-4. I wanted to launch it on a C6-7, but the weather had deteriorated enough to halt my launches that day. With winter setting in, the building season is upon us, so by next spring I'll have several new rockets to try out. I already have four 2 stage rockets, but for some time I have been considering building a Comanche-3. I have been hesitating on it because it would be a considerable challenge to keep track of two boosters plus the sustainer. It also flies so high that I wonder if the field I fly at in Redmond, Wa. would hold it. Interesting question. Are there any opinions out there about the Comanche-3?

[chrism]

[QUOTE=dugliss]Greetings to all.

I'm happy to report that I've finally registered so now I can post on the forum. I've visited as a guest now for many months and found much helpful and entertaining reading here. I am a BAR as of February of this year. The last time I launched rockets prior to that was the year of Apollo 11. Although I have always been a model builder, rocketry has added an entirely new aspect to the hobby and now it seems I can't get enough of it. My primary interest is LPR, and most of the rockets in my fleet are Estes and Semroc. I especially like the look of Alpha style rockets with ogive nosecones and swept back or trapezoidal fins. My last build is a Semroc Astron that had it's maiden flight a week ago on a B6-4. I wanted to launch it on a C6-7, but the weather had deteriorated enough to halt my launches that day. With winter setting in, the building season is upon us, so by next spring I'll have several new rockets to try out. I already have four 2 stage rockets, but for some time I have been considering building a Comanche-3. I have been hesitating on it because it would be a considerable challenge to keep track of two boosters plus the sustainer. It also flies so high that I wonder if the field I fly at in Redmond, Wa. would hold it. Interesting question. Are there any opinions out there about the Comanche-3?[/QUOTE

Welcome to the forum dugliss. Sooner or later you'll hear from someone who has built and flown the Commanche-3, until then you can check out some reviews on www.rocketreviews.com. They have an extensive list of rockets built and flown from all the rocket companies, even those that don't exist anymore. http://www.rocketreviews.com/rocket-kit-reviews.html

[BEC]

It might be possible to fly the Comanche-3 at Sixty Acres and get it all back...but it would take several sets of eyes and far less wind than today....

Welcome back to the madness. I am yet another who fell MUCH harder for rocketry the second time. It sounds like you are well on yoru way.

[Earl]

Welcome dugliss! Rocketry can be just as fun today as it was those years ago. Though we all have our fond memories of 'yesteryear', the number and variety of kits, parts, suppliers, etc. is even better today than ever before in my opinion.

Have fun and enjoy.....and do those things that you might could only have dreamed of way back when!

Earl

[Daddyisabar]

Fly it 2 stage from a C to an A. If you get it back then progressively try more stages and more powerful motors. No D-C-C staging unless you have a recovery team watching, most assigned to the second stage. Even with a little breeze a loaded for bear flight can have the sustainer landing a long way away, coming down from 2,500 feet on a streamer.

[Doug Sams]

Fly it 2 stage from a C to an A. If you get it back then progressively try more stages and more powerful motors. No D-C-C staging unless you have a recovery team watching, most assigned to the second stage. Even with a little breeze a loaded for bear flight can have the sustainer landing a long way away, coming down from 2,500 feet on a streamer.Good advice. All of it. In addition to the C-A combo, you could fly it 2-staged on a B6-0 to A8-5 as well. I suppose you could even use the new A8-0 booster motor, but I'm not sure what delay in the sustainer. 5 seems kinda long, but 3 seems too short. So maybe just stick with the B6-0 or C6-0 boosters :)

BTW, in 3-stage configuration, the C11-0 to A8-0 to A8-5 combo is a great way to get in a 3-stage flight without pushing the envelope too much.

Doug

.

[Shreadvector]

Add vent holes to the lower stage.

[Pem Tech]

Greetings to all.
I'm happy to report that I've finally registered so now I can post on the forum.


BURN The Unbeliever!!
Down with the heretic!!!

Oh, wait....
You are on our side.....

*ahem*

Welcome aboard.

:rolleyes:

[Bazookadale]

I suppose you could even use the new A8-0 booster motor, but I'm not sure what delay in the sustainer. 5 seems kinda long, but 3 seems too short.
Doug

.

How About a Quest A6-4? When in doubt go with a shorter delay, better to get the chute out early than to prang it.

[jflis]

Welcome to YORF and welcome *back* to rocketry :) You've been missed!

Read, write, participate, let us know what yer up to in the world of rocketry (oh, and we love pix!) Bottom line, make yerself at home :)

jim

[Doug Sams]

How About a Quest A6-4? When in doubt go with a shorter delay, better to get the chute out early than to prang it.Dale,

That one crossed my mind, but for whatever reason I didn't mention it. Nevertheless, it is a good idea.

Doug

.

[evil ed]

Welcome to YORF and welcome *back* to rocketry :) You've been missed!

Read, write, participate, let us know what yer up to in the world of rocketry (oh, and we love pix!) Bottom line, make yerself at home :)

jim

Ditto what he said! :D

[dugliss]

After reading the suggestions posted and doing some further research on my own, I went and picked up a Comanche-3 at my LHS yesterday. It was $26 there, about $6 more than if I had bought it from Amazon, but it was worth it. I agree that a C11-0/B6-0/A8-3 or A8-5 would be a wise choice of engines in my flying field. Many of the flight reports posted on EMRR say the 2nd stage booster is the easiest part of the Comanche to lose and that the sustainer fins are prone to breaking since it "Falls like a rock". Well, these hazards are all part of the hobby, and I feel that the launches wouldn't be nearly as much fun without these challenges. I've had rockets break fins, suffer Estes dents, be damaged due to recovery system failures and had boosters accordioned when they came in ballistic instead of tumbling. Sometimes I make mistakes. It just makes me determined to get it right the next time.
I started the Comanche build this afternoon. So far, I've prepped the fins and assembled the motor mounts, but I was confused when the instructions tell you that the end of the 1st stage engine must be even with the end of the BT. Both the engine and the 1st stage BT are 2 3/4" long and with a coupler inserted into the front end 1/2", the engine is going to protrude 1/2". You can see this discrepancy in the pics. I concluded that this was an error in the instructions when I watched Estes' own YouTube video off their website showcasing the Comanche-3. When the rocket is being prepped for launch you can clearly see that the 1st stage engine sticks out past the end of the BT, although it is flush with the fin trailing edges. That is the first time I've seen an error in an Estes kit instructions.
It looks like I will be making at least one modification, and that is to drill vent holes to make sure the 2nd stage engine lights. Thanks for that advice, Shreadvector! Those 2 engines ARE gapstaged. I'm not sure yet where to drill them, probably in the lower 2nd stage BT. The supplied shock cord is pretty short, so I'll do something about that too.
We might actually have good weather here tomorrow; if so I may get out to launch some rockets. :D

Douglas

[PaulK]

Greetings to all.
I'm happy to report that I've finally registered so now I can post on the forum. I've visited as a guest now for many months and found much helpful and entertaining reading here. I am a BAR as of February of this year. The last time I launched rockets prior to that was the year of Apollo 11. ...Welcome back. Beware, the BAR bug bites hard!

[Bill]

I agree that a C11-0/B6-0/A8-3 or A8-5 would be a wise choice of engines in my flying field. Many of the flight reports posted on EMRR say the 2nd stage booster is the easiest part of the Comanche to lose


Go with an A8-0 in the second stage now that is is available again?


Bill

[Bill]

Welcome back. Beware, the BAR bug bites hard!


...and it is contagious...


Bill