Luck for the Lucky Seven?
 

Hello All,

Perhaps being motivated by the same type of sympathy that led Charlie Brown to select the pathetic little Christmas Tree in "A Charlie Brown Christmas," I ordered a couple of Estes Lucky Seven (see: http://www.rocketreviews.com/estes-...-gonnerman.html and http://www.rocketreviews.com/estes-...lan-tuskes.html ) X-Prize Concept Scale kits. It's an interesting if a bit homely little rocket (who knows--its designer might have been inspired by the Estes Mars Lander?), and certainly a unique one. Also:

Solomoriah has posted here that the model is heavy and prone to arcing over early, even lawn darting (although on soft ground, it seems to be pretty impervious to damage). I got to ruminating on whether these problems could be remedied, and I thought of a few possible solutions:

The Lucky Seven, due to its large, sharply swept-back fins, might be stable with less nose ballast than is specified in the kit instructions. If so, the model should arc less, and it should reach a higher altitude before ejection, preventing lawn dart landings. This might also enable it to fly safely on A3-4T and perhaps 1/2A3-2T motors (depending on its all-up mass with those motors, of course). If built "stock," it still might fly properly on 1/2A3-2T motors, for brief flights (I'll check its mass and these motors' recommended maximum rocket liftoff masses). But:

If the Lucky Seven won't fly stably without its specified ballast mass, adding spin tabs to the fins to make the model spin in flight might enable one to get away with less ballast. If not, though, there are other alternatives:

A Kuhn-type piston launcher would increase the model's liftoff acceleration. A "poor man's" version might consist of just a short length of BT-5 tubing affixed to the launch rod (with tape or a rubber band) and closed off at the bottom, with the top end sliding over the protruding rear end of the motor (which could be friction-fitted into the model, with the piston tube sliding past the rear end of the motor clip). Making this "piston tube's" fit over the motor's rear end just *slightly* tight would facilitate a greater buildup of pressurized exhaust gas before the model is "popped" into the air, resulting in a higher initial acceleration. Another option would be to CHAD stage the model, using an A10-0T booster motor. Fins for stability (if needed) could be glued to the motor; they could even be just cardboard fins. Or, a booster airframe equipped with fins could be used.

When I hear/read the name 'Lucky' I think of this movie clip.

My Name Is Nobody - Nobody Wins Drinking Contest Playing the Fool

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNOn63T56dg

I can't open it (which is no problem, as folks with newer operating systems can), but there is also the "Lost Dog" notice which describes a dog with numerous infirmities and missing body parts, whose name is "Lucky." I wonder if the "Seven" in the vehicle's name was an homage to the seven Mercury astronauts, or if it was the seventh iteration of the design (or perhaps something else).