Gentlemen,

This may not be the right forum for this question but it seemed like the best choice to me.

What's the biggest rocket (Diameter) that you can fly from a small field to a low altitude (under 200 feet) and still recover safely ? I am talking about a currently available kit, not a custom build. My guess would be a Baby Bertha or the Estes Jetliner. Thoughts ?

Thanks in advance, Les

two questions spring to mind. for what size motor? and conventional rocket? just an example the Estes executioner is just over 2.5" dia. and their 'Big Daddy' is 3" dia. both 'can' be flown on a D motor...in light winds.
rex

Sir,

I was thinking a mini motor or no larger than an A series motor. And just a conventional rocket, no two stage or glider or anything complex to build. That's why my first thoughts were the Baby Bertha or Jetliner. I was thinking the BB with an A8-3 and streamer would work the best but am open to any suggestions you might have.

Les

Why the Baby Bertha? You should be able to launch a Big Bertha too. Assuming from your original post that bigger is better.

Joe

Joe, you're right, never gave it a thought. Guess my mindset was small and fat. Old people tend to get fixated in certain trains of thought, Ha - Ha !

Les

I've done dozens of demos for schools, scouts, etc. on small fields, you can fly almost anything on a very small field, it just depends on the engine and the type of recovery. Small diameter, 1/2 A or A, with a streamer and little wind, you can make 300' and land within feet of the pad. A little experience and you can fly in your front yard in the right conditions. Go RC boost glider and you can fly back to you, so almost any size field can work. SR-71 on an A8-3 or anything that size and combination is little league baseball field size with no problem.

Saucers are great for small fields, or you can as large as a 1/100 Saturn V on a single D on a baseball field, again little to no wind.

1/2 A engines you may have to order online. I get mine from Brian at BRS. http://www.brshobbies.com/

Randy
www.vernarockets.com

I have very good luck with BT-60 sized birds like the Big Bertha and Super Alpha on B6-4s and BT-50 birds on A8-3s, so much so that I named my field B6-4 Field after the motor. Great flights, and you see the whole thing up close and personal.

__________________
Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Centuri Design Contest F-150 Hurricane Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion Estes F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II Semroc Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark, Groonie Der V 1/2

Yep, bt 60 is a good size for a small field. Our Centuri Columbia Shuttle (bt 60) on an A8-3 has made many young people smile at demos because it all happens right in front of them.

Randy
www.vernarockets.com

Large diameter, easily recovered on small fields. That's an easy one...or two! (Edit: Didn't notice Randy's SV note until after I posted.)

Semroc Saturn 1B, approximately 4" in diameter. There are still some Estes Saturn V kits available, also at 4" in diameter.

These are the perfect small field rockets.

BTW, build them with removable motor mounts so that you can customize the power for any field you use. A single D12-3 is really low and slow. Semroc's website says 220 ft, but realistically it's about 125-150 ft.

1 x D12-3 (16.8 N/s, lowest and slowest, great demo motor)
4 x B6-2 (17.2 N/s, nice low cluster flight, but more oomph off pad than single D12-3 and a little more altitude)
1 x D15-4 Aerotech (18.9 N/s)
3 x C6-3 (26.46 N/s)
4 x C6-3 (35.28 N/s)
1 x E15-4 Aerotech or E30-4 Estes/Aerotech (35 N/s and 33.5 N/s respectively)

__________________
I love sanding.

Randy-

What's your guess on altitude on that model/motor combo? I recently finished a vintage Centuri model of the same, but have not yet flown it from my old standby field (school baseball/football field) due to the somewhat limited size of that field. Was thinking about an A8-3 flight on it, even though the lowest powered recommended motor for that kit is the B4-2. However, I'm afraid the B4 may overfly the limits of that field.

Got a recent vintage Centuri Vulcan build that fits those same issues, but since that is such a draggy design, I'm wondering whether the three second delay from the A8 might be too long (again, lowest powered recommended motor for at kit is also the B4).

Earl

__________________
Earl L. Cagle, Jr.
NAR# 29523
TRA# 962
SAM# 73
Owner/Producer
Point 39 Productions

Rocket-Brained Since 1970