Ye Olde Rocket Forum

Go Back   Ye Olde Rocket Forum > The Golden Age of Model Rocketry > Model Rocket History
User Name
Password
Auctions Register FAQ Members List Calendar Today's Posts Search Mark Forums Read


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #41  
Old 11-21-2011, 11:29 AM
Doug Sams's Avatar
Doug Sams Doug Sams is offline
Old Far...er...Rocketeer
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Plano, TX resident since 1998.
Posts: 3,965
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by ghrocketman
Actually launched a Clear Phantom ONCE....tube not so clear with a hideous sulphuric yellow haze and wrinkled upon landing. Flew fine though.
When I re-entered the hobby back in 99, I bought a Designer's Special (at full retail !) and built a rocket with a BT-50 payload section, which was included in the special. Drawing on my previous experience with a clear tube - my 1970 Streak - I joined the payload section to the airframe using an unplugged coupler, never considering that ejection heat would pose a problem. Alas, I soon discovered that the my payload section was not at all the same as the Streak's mylar tube. The heat imparted a very obvious curvature to the payload section Doug .

(before heat damage)


.
__________________
YORF member #11
Reply With Quote
  #42  
Old 11-21-2011, 06:26 PM
blackshire's Avatar
blackshire blackshire is offline
Master Modeler
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Fairbanks, Alaska
Posts: 6,507
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Doug Sams
When I re-entered the hobby back in 99, I bought a Designer's Special (at full retail !) and built a rocket with a BT-50 payload section, which was included in the special. Drawing on my previous experience with a clear tube - my 1970 Streak - I joined the payload section to the airframe using an unplugged coupler, never considering that ejection heat would pose a problem. Alas, I soon discovered that the my payload section was not at all the same as the Streak's mylar tube. The heat imparted a very obvious curvature to the payload section Doug .

(before heat damage)


.
The Streak's BT-10 mylar body tube couldn't handle a "briefly enclosed" (in the time it would take to eject wadding, a parachute or streamer, shock cord, and nose cone) ejection charge without deforming or melting, either. The BT-10 could only withstand it when the motor ejected itself because that instantly evacuated the hot gases and burning particles from the tube. The clear plastic BT-20 size payload tube (is it called PST-20?) would probably work equally well in a motor-ejecting featherweight recovery or tumble recovery rocket, although it would be heavier than a similar model that used a BT-10 body tube. (Hmmm...an all-plastic, completely waterproof version of the Orange Bullet [an Estes "Model Rocket News" design that was rather like the Centuri Lil' Hercules] could be built using the PST-20 tubing, the plastic PNC-20B nose cone from the "Mini Customizer" Launch Set, and sheet styrene fins...)
__________________
Black Shire--Draft horse in human form, model rocketeer, occasional mystic, and writer, see:
http://www.lulu.com/content/paperba...an-form/8075185
http://www.lulu.com/product/cd/what...of-2%29/6122050
http://www.lulu.com/product/cd/what...of-2%29/6126511
All of my book proceeds go to the Northcote Heavy Horse Centre www.northcotehorses.com.
NAR #54895 SR

Last edited by blackshire : 11-21-2011 at 06:32 PM. Reason: This ol' hoss done had to correct a typo.
Reply With Quote
  #43  
Old 11-21-2011, 07:09 PM
Bill's Avatar
Bill Bill is offline
I do not like Facebook
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: North Tejas
Posts: 3,087
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Doug Sams
(before heat damage)




We are still waiting for that after shot...tap...tap...tap...


Bill
__________________
It is well past time to Drill, Baby, Drill!

If your June, July, August and September was like this, you might just hate summer too...

Please unload your question before you ask it unless you have a concealed harry permit.

: countdown begin cr dup . 1- ?dup 0= until cr ." Launch!" cr ;

Give a man a rocket and he will fly for a day; teach him to build and he will spend the rest of his days sanding...
Reply With Quote
  #44  
Old 11-21-2011, 09:31 PM
Mark II's Avatar
Mark II Mark II is offline
Forest Sprite
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Back Up in the Woods
Posts: 3,657
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by blackshire
(Hmmm...an all-plastic, completely waterproof version of the Orange Bullet [an Estes "Model Rocket News" design that was rather like the Centuri Lil' Hercules] could be built using the PST-20 tubing, the plastic PNC-20B nose cone from the "Mini Customizer" Launch Set, and sheet styrene fins...)
The Orange Bullet, after some further development and modification, became the K-1 Astron Scout.
__________________
Mark S. Kulka NAR #86134 L1,_ASTRE #471_Adirondack Mountains, NY
Opinions Unfettered by Logic • Advice Unsullied by Erudition • Rocketry Without Pity
+09281962-TAK-08272007+
SAM # 0011
Reply With Quote
  #45  
Old 11-21-2011, 09:47 PM
Gus's Avatar
Gus Gus is offline
7/21/61
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: North of Detroit
Posts: 2,223
Default

Doug,

Hate to hijack this thread but the Jordo deserves comment.

Absolutely beautiful rocket, masterfully built.

I especially like the Redstone fins.

Squirrel Works should kit it, but I bet the instructions would weigh more than the parts.

Really incredible concept and execution.

Thanks for sharing it.

(Hope you don't mind but I've included two pics from your site below.)

Steve
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:  jordo7p.jpg
Views: 53
Size:  38.6 KB  Click image for larger version

Name:  j-butt3-3.jpg
Views: 49
Size:  39.7 KB  
Reply With Quote
  #46  
Old 11-22-2011, 03:16 AM
JAL3's Avatar
JAL3 JAL3 is offline
Rocket Powered Preacher
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: San Antonio, TX
Posts: 1,298
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by dannymrmissile
People were talkin about types of alphas earlier-was reminding them there was a metric alpha also.


From what I am seeing, "Metric Alpha" is just another term for Alpha II. Is that correct?
__________________
John A. Lee O.S.L.
Alamo Rocketeers NAR Section 661
NAR 87285, L1 8 March 2008
TRA 03040, L1 8 March 2008
Photos of the "Fleet": http://www.flickr.com/photos/23694991@N03/

I used to tell Mom, "...I want to fly rockets when I grow up!"

She said, "Make up your mind, you can't do both!"
Reply With Quote
  #47  
Old 11-22-2011, 04:27 AM
Mark II's Avatar
Mark II Mark II is offline
Forest Sprite
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Back Up in the Woods
Posts: 3,657
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by JAL3
From what I am seeing, "Metric Alpha" is just another term for Alpha II. Is that correct?
I have, or had, a copy of Metric Alpha plans that I downloaded from Estes' web site a few years ago, when it had a much larger archive of old plans on it. The plans said "Metric Alpha" on them, not "Alpha II." (I had a separate set of the Alpha II plans.) So as far as I could tell, these were two distinct releases. These two, along with the rest of my archive, are unfortunately locked away now on the hard drive of a computer that no longer functions, so I cannot access them. The Metric Alpha plans were very similar, if not identical, to the #1225 Alpha plans (i.e., late 1970s and 1980s, not K-25), except that all of the dimensions were shown in metric units. The Alpha II plans were quite similar (of course) but referred throughout to the kit as Alpha II. The Metric Alpha plans made no mention of Alpha II. They were simply the regular Alpha plans, only with metric units, and they were titled "Metric Alpha." I can't say for sure without checking, which I can't do right now, but I believe that they still bore the catalog number 1225 on them.
__________________
Mark S. Kulka NAR #86134 L1,_ASTRE #471_Adirondack Mountains, NY
Opinions Unfettered by Logic • Advice Unsullied by Erudition • Rocketry Without Pity
+09281962-TAK-08272007+
SAM # 0011
Reply With Quote
  #48  
Old 11-22-2011, 09:57 AM
Doug Sams's Avatar
Doug Sams Doug Sams is offline
Old Far...er...Rocketeer
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Plano, TX resident since 1998.
Posts: 3,965
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gus
Doug,

Hate to hijack this thread but the Jordo deserves comment.

Absolutely beautiful rocket, masterfully built.

I especially like the Redstone fins.

Squirrel Works should kit it, but I bet the instructions would weigh more than the parts.

Really incredible concept and execution.

Thanks for sharing it.

(Hope you don't mind but I've included two pics from your site below.)

Steve
Gee, Steve, I'm humbled by your flattery. Thanks a bunch.

I doubt Don would kit it, but if he did, he'd probably pre-slot the main tube - that'd make assembly much, much easier (and the instructions much shorter ).

Reflecting back on it - it's been a long time - I seem to recall sitting there staring at the Estes "Box O' Parts" wondering what to do with them, and this just sorta evolved from that.

Doug

.
__________________
YORF member #11
Reply With Quote
  #49  
Old 11-22-2011, 10:00 AM
Doug Sams's Avatar
Doug Sams Doug Sams is offline
Old Far...er...Rocketeer
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Plano, TX resident since 1998.
Posts: 3,965
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill
We are still waiting for that after shot...tap...tap...tap...
Bill,

The bent payload section is probably somewhere in my garage. But danged if I know where. It wasn't bent much - I've seen worse damage fly. But, as you know, I couldn't stand to have a crooked payload section So I replaced it.

Anyway, if I come across it, I'll snap a pic and post it.

Doug

.
__________________
YORF member #11
Reply With Quote
  #50  
Old 11-22-2011, 12:08 PM
dannymrmissile dannymrmissile is offline
I HATE ENGINE HOOKS
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: NC
Posts: 594
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by JAL3
From what I am seeing, "Metric Alpha" is just another term for Alpha II. Is that correct?

No-they are different. Dont have em anymore, so cant remember the differences-but were definitely 2 different kits. da..
Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:21 PM.


Powered by: vBulletin Version 3.0.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Ye Olde Rocket Shoppe © 1998-2024