Ye Olde Rocket Forum - View Single Post - Flying K birds (No, I'm not leaving)

Bill,

I found two more I'd done (or didn't originally realize were K-kits).

Here's my list:

K-1 Scout - have built three recent ones from the Semroc Golden Scout kit. All have been flown at least once and one now has Vern Estes' signature on it. That one is on a high shelf now.

K-4 Streak - this was one of my first, if not my first model rocket (I don't recall exactly). Lost long ago....

K-5 Apogee II - I also had one of these in my first rocket period (1968-1973 or so). Whereabouts unknown.

K-6 Ranger - I build a clone from a combination of Semroc and BMS and Estes parts about a year and a half ago. Great flyer on Quest A6-4s. Has only been flown once on Cs. Wow! In one of my regular flyer boxes.

K-10 Cobra - my first cluster rocket. I still remember all that glue-soaked tissue. Whereabouts unknown.

K-12 Farside - I cloned this one last year using Semroc parts for a Classic Model competition. Available for flight.

K-12X Farside-X - I build one of these in my first rocket period as well. I remember flying it on 1/4A and 1/2A motors mostly. On 1/4As the first staging happens right off the rod. Whereabouts unknown.

K-15 Sprite - I had one of these in my first rocket period. Whereabouts of that one is unknown. I have since cloned it from Semroc parts and then built one of their recent Retro-Repro kits. Adapted 13mm motors blow out almost every time. Two are available for flight.

K-18 X-Ray - I cloned one of these some months ago and use it as my entry in the Altimeter/Payload event I'm going to propose as a provisional competition event after we fly it a few more times.

K-21 Gemini-Titan - I built one of these - by far my most ambitious build - in my first rocketry period. I do believe it did get flown but I'm not sure. Whereabouts unknown.

K-24 Gyroc - I had one of these (gotten free with an order) in my first rocket period. This one actually went on a vacation with us and I remember flying it from somewhere near Furnace Creek in Death Valley. One of my first BAR rockets was a Gyroc from a BMS clone kit. This one has been more problematical. I will have to do another, though the BMS Gyroc is flyable.

K-25 Alpha - I built one of these in my first rocketry period - it was painted with brushed-on fluorescent orange Aero Gloss dope. Whereabouts of that one unknown. I have built several Alphas since and have two (one from a recent kit with plastic nose cone) and one cloned from Semroc parts - all balsa - available for flight at the moment. Also have a Semroc Start available.

K-31 Star Blazer - I built one of these also in my first rocketry period (another free kit with a $5 order) and it was flown at least once. That one is on the shelf not far from the signed Golden Scout. I also cloned one from Semroc parts (but with a 13mm motor mount). That one is available for flight.

K-33 Trident - I built one of these from the Semroc xKit and it flew once (the ejection charge blew apart the lower motor-mount section as well as deploying the 'chute on its first flight). I built a second from the Semroc Retro-Repro with the much larger laser-cut gas passages. It works well and is currently on display over my desk at work.

K-35 Constellation - I built one of these in my first rocketry period and it was one of the few rockets (along with the Star Blazer) my parents sent me after college. It had been flown several times in my early BAR days but the upper half (and a How High altimeter) floated away from the parish playfield after the ancient shock cord failed. I have built and flown several times a Semroc Retro Repro and have a couple more kits in hand as well as one of Sandman's K-56-based upscales. One my favorite rockets.

K-44 Biride - I built one of these from the MRN plan (for Series III motors) and I still have that one. I also have a mini-motor clone (I guess that would be a TK-44 clone) from a recent kit.

K-48 Bandit - I have one of these from the Semroc Retro Repro. Pretty rocket and is a nice flyer. Love the baffle system.

K-55 Goblin - I had one of these built but not finished from my first rocketry period. It got finished the spring before last and has a couple of flights on it. I also have a Semroc Retro-Repro in flying condition.

K-56 Alpha III - I have two of these in flying condition (from recent kits). I also have an Alpha IV from a vintage kit and two vintage red/white Alpha III kits in hand....one of which I intend to build in the not-too-distant future.

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K-46 Shrike - Semroc Retro-Repro not yet finished.

K-kit variants in hand include Semroc's interpretation of the 1/70 Saturn 1B, Mars Lander, Orbital Transport and Midget. I also have the recent Estes 1/100 Saturn V which will get built eventually.....

Whew!