"Thunder Rockin'"

[Tau Zero]

After perusing the nearby "Thunder Roc" thread, I visited the Ninfinger site and located the "Thunder series" in the 1980 Centuri catalog. The Thunder-Hawk, Thunder-Bird and Thunder-Roc use ST-7, ST-10, and ST-16 (Estes BT-20, BT50+, and BT-60) respectively, IIRC... while the SEMROC ThunderBee uses ST-5. For some reason, they all seemed a little too long, proportionately, to my "grip it and rip it" sensibilities, :D and *none* of them were Just About The Right Diameter, as far as I was concerned. :mad:

So since I had some ST-13 (BT-56) handy, I picked up a package of Estes PNC-56's on a trip to Boise today (as well as the May/June 2005 "Sport Rocketry" issue with MIKE JERAULD on the cover). :D Tonight, I rustled up the various pieces to create the following Truncated Thunder-Roc (featuring the SEMROC Thunder-Bird FV-47 laser-cut fin set), which I've dubbed "Thunder-Auk" in honor of "Rocket Boys" ("October Sky") author Homer Hickam's rockets. ;) :D :cool:

I used two lengths of ST-13 (7" and 11") in the attached RockSim 8 file to approximate the masking scheme, but I seem to have difficulties with the decal, which should appear as "Thunder" on the red, with "Auk" appearing on the white.

Any of you RockSim Wizards want to take a crack at it, and post the results? Thanks in advance!


Cheers,

--Jay

[Tweener]

A beefy Thunder series rocket! :cool:

I tried the sim with an E15-7. It's less likely to get bent under the strain than the 'Roc. Too bad the 7 sec. delay ejects while still on the way up. :( (Of course at nearly 3000 ft, I'd probably lose it anyway.) Since it appears this one's getting built, let us know how it performs in the 'real world'. :D

[Nuke Rocketeer]

Being a dedicated multi stage kit basher, I would add another length of BT-56 to the upper stage, make a booster that would use a D12-0 and put an E9 in the sustainer. Dangit, I need to get Rocksim!

[Tau Zero]

A beefy Thunder series rocket! :cool:

Too bad the 7 sec. delay ejects while still on the way up. :( (Of course at nearly 3000 ft, I'd probably lose it anyway.)Heck, I can lose stuff at only *half* that altitude. :eek: :D

While building the engine mount last night, I decided to "commit" to using C11's and D-12's (I *could use 18mm B's and C's with an 18/24mm adapter)... maybe only C-11's, which will take it to 600 ft., since D-12's would throw it to 1300 ft. :rolleyes: ;)

Since it appears this one's getting built, let us know how it performs in the 'real world'. :DWill do! I hope to hit Tripoli Idaho's July 9th launch, so hopefully we'll "toss it up" then!


Cheers,

--Jay

[CPMcGraw]

Any of you RockSim Wizards want to take a crack at it, and post the results? Thanks in advance!

Jay,

Here's the result. You might want to make the name decal about 75% larger, however...

For the sake of simplicity, I changed out the two body tubes to a single 18" tube. The body wrap is a full-length image that takes care of the color separation. Using a single tube is how most of us would build it anyhow...


Craig

[CPMcGraw]

After perusing the nearby "Thunder Roc" thread, I visited the Ninfinger site and located the "Thunder series" in the 1980 Centuri catalog. The Thunder-Hawk, Thunder-Bird and Thunder-Roc use ST-7, ST-10, and ST-16 (Estes BT-20, BT50+, and BT-60) respectively, IIRC... while the SEMROC ThunderBee uses ST-5. For some reason, they all seemed a little too long, proportionately, to my "grip it and rip it" sensibilities, :D and *none* of them were Just About The Right Diameter, as far as I was concerned. :mad:

I finished building the airframe of a Thunder Roc a couple of nights ago, but couldn't install the motor mount because I didn't have a long enough piece of Kevlar. :eek:

BMS has some 10' lengths, and that's what I think I'll use without cutting it. I also like TVMs suggestion in the latest newsletter of using a short ring of BT around the parachute lines to slow down the opening.

(And yes, you DID mention the Thunder Bee... That's why I'm editing out my earlier question...

Now, if only I learned to spell stuff good back in skool... AUK, not AWK... :eek: )

Craig

[CPMcGraw]

While building the engine mount last night, I decided to "commit" to using C11's and D-12's (I *could use 18mm B's and C's with an 18/24mm adapter)... maybe only C-11's, which will take it to 600 ft., since D-12's would throw it to 1300 ft. :rolleyes: ;)

Jay,

Check out the performance with the C6 instead of the C11...

Be sure to build yourself an adapter for 18mm C6 flights. The deployment at apogee is right at 2 FPS, which means it's almost standing still...

Craig

[CPMcGraw]

After perusing the nearby "Thunder Roc" thread, I visited the Ninfinger site and located the "Thunder series" in the 1980 Centuri catalog.

For another long-body Thunder, I've added the Thunder Stick to the Scrounged... thread. It uses three lengths of ST-13, and Carl's new BC-1364 nose cone.

However, I simply must build this junior-length version you came up with, Jay. It blends into the family line well, and is about the same proportion as a 1200-series Cherokee-D, or the Defender. More parts to add to the next SEMROC order... :p

Craig

[Tau Zero]

Here's the result. You might want to make the name decal about 75% larger, however...You may be able to do that "quickly and dirtily" via:

"Components / Body tube / Texture / Scale"

...and fiddling with the size there. But yeah, I still have to buckle down to decal sizes. :o

For the sake of simplicity, I changed out the two body tubes to a single 18" tube. The body wrap is a full-length image that takes care of the color separation. Using a single tube is how most of us would build it anyhow...Yeah, I'm using an ST-13180 (i.e., 18" long) for the airframe. Dividing the body tube was just a CHAD (!) means of messing with the colors.


Cheers,

--Jay

[CPMcGraw]

You may be able to do that "quickly and dirtily" via:

"Components / Body tube / Texture / Scale"

...and fiddling with the size there. But yeah, I still have to buckle down to decal sizes. :o

One guideline I follow when creating artwork -- do everything at 300 DPI. This is a good compromise resolution. If, as in this case, you need to up-scale the image, you don't get jaggies around the edges of the image to the degree you get at lower resolutions. The name decal was only at 75 DPI, and when I tried to enlarge it, the outer edges began to loose their sharpness badly.

What font did you use? I couldn't recognize the style immediately in my list...

Yeah, I'm using an ST-13180 (i.e., 18" long) for the airframe. Dividing the body tube was just a CHAD (!) means of messing with the colors.

Understood. I found that creating a one-piece body wrap in Photoshop and doing all the tweaking there worked better, and was more like 'painting' the model as we normally do. That simplified the design in RS, as well, meaning the simulation doesn't have as much to take in consideration (one less joint, one less component...).

Craig

[Tau Zero]

Now, if only I learned to spell stuff good back in skool... AUK, not AWK... :eek: ) Don't you mean "gooder?" ;) :D :eek:

--Jay

[Tau Zero]

I rustled up the various pieces to create the following Truncated Thunder-Roc (featuring the SEMROC Thunder-Bird FV-47 laser-cut fin set), which I've dubbed "Thunder-Auk" in honor of "Rocket Boys" ("October Sky") author Homer Hickam's rockets.

I used two lengths of ST-13 (7" and 11") in the attached RockSim 8 file to approximate the masking scheme, but I seem to have difficulties with the decal, which should appear as "Thunder" on the red, with "Auk" appearing on the white.

After wrestling with RockSim 8.0.1 r12 for an hour tonight, here's the outcome. :D ;)

Dang, that Texture Mapping feature (?) is *less* than user friendly! :mad:


Cheers,

--Jay :eek: :cool:

[CPMcGraw]

After wrestling with RockSim 8.0.1 r12 for an hour tonight, here's the outcome. :D ;)

Dang, that Texture Mapping feature (?) is *less* than user friendly! :mad:


Cheers,

--Jay :eek: :cool:

As I mentioned earlier, at least the fin texture finally came out right with the CDD. Once you get used to the idea that you need to create a full wrap for the tubes (width = circumference, length = length) and save it in the correct orientation, you can do some remarkable things with it. Agreed, though, it still needs some work to make it more "User Friendly"...

Speaking of which, check out this website:

http://www.userfriendly.org

...and this one:

http://www.ucomics.com/thefifthwave/

These are my two favorite online geek-oriented comics... :D