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View Full Version : DOM and MRN Plans - What Have You Build & How Did It Fly?


Eagle3
08-22-2005, 12:29 PM
I was inspired to start this thread by an e-mail thread of Larry Rice's on the Old Rockets Yahoo group. Larry got his hands on a built Stratos (DOM Plan #77 (http://www.dars.org/jimz/eirp_77.htm)). It sounds like it was built pretty much to plans, but after the first flight it seems it needs some obvious nose weight. That got me thinking, What Design of the Month (DOM) or Model Rocket News (MRN) plans have you built and how did they fly? BTW - plans that eventually became kits don't count! ;)

Here's my list;

DOM #41 Space Twins (http://www.cv41.org/personal/gallery/buhrpark/My_Space_Twins_launch?full=1) - I built mine stock with the exception of twin vertical stabs. This flew great until I eventually lost a glider and I haven't replaced it yet. The gliders are like little versions of the Orbital Transport glider and performance is about the same.

DOM #73 Orbital Space Laboratory (http://www.cv41.org/personal/gallery/estes/OTL_1?full=1) - Built it stock, but the balsa triangles that attach the fins to the bottom of the body was too soft and a fin breaks almost everytime I fly it. Flies really nice though.

McKibben's Special (http://www.cv41.org/personal/gallery/estes/McKibbens_Express?full=1) - Built stock except for some toothpicks on the vertical stabs. Flies great!

Mini-Finless (http://www.oldrocketplans.com/mrn/designs/mini_Finless.pdf) - built it stock. Just tumbled around aimlessly. Obviously needs nose weight. Sitting in a box somewhere. ;)

Mako (http://www.cv41.org/personal/gallery/estes/PA040154) - built it stock. Flies great!

stefanj
08-22-2005, 01:10 PM
Oh, man, a dozen or more.

Here is what leaps to mind:

Space Twins - Flies great. Now getting kind of warped and worn.

Buchanan Buster - Flown once so far. Not bad.

Aries II - Launched weedend before last. Whoosh!

Lil' Beth X-2 - Flow twice. Amazing high flights.

Loadlifter - Ordinary payloader.

Cloudbuster - Huh? Where'd it go? I got it back but it was only a little more trackable than a Mosquito.

I have parts for a Starship Excalibur, and a mostly-built Raven.

CPMcGraw
08-22-2005, 01:44 PM
I was inspired to start this thread by an e-mail thread of Larry Rice's on the Old Rockets Yahoo group. Larry got his hands on a built Stratos (DOM Plan #77 (http://www.dars.org/jimz/eirp_77.htm)). It sounds like it was built pretty much to plans, but after the first flight it seems it needs some obvious nose weight. That got me thinking, What Design of the Month (DOM) or Model Rocket News (MRN) plans have you built and how did they fly? BTW - plans that eventually became kits don't count! ;)

Does a digital model count? :D http://forums.rocketshoppe.com/showpost.php?p=2749&postcount=119

I also built the Loadlifter 1A, just haven't flown it yet...

Looks like I might have to build a Stratos myself, just to see what happens.

A Fish Named Wallyum
08-22-2005, 02:34 PM
I've done two. I upscaled the Space Twins, an experiment that never worked out due to problems involved with getting the gliders to stay put during boost. OTOH, the gliders were and are great performers. Nice, slow, smooth glides with not even a trace of lilt. I couldn't have done it better if I had known what I was doing.
The second was also an upscale, and also modified somewhat. I did an Intruder (http://www.dars.org/jimz/eirp_82b.htm) and fitted it with the cockpit nose cone used in the Greyhawk, Intreceptor 2, etc. I also did away with the chevron shaped fin tips and went with pods. To top it all off, it's a BT-55 based bird, and it's heavy and slow, which has allowed me to catch some nice liftoff photos of it through the years.

Eagle3
08-22-2005, 08:36 PM
Does a digital model count? :D
http://forums.rocketshoppe.com/showpost.php?p=2749&postcount=119

As my 4 yo daughter would say, "No no no no no no" :D

Looks like I might have to build a Stratos myself, just to see what happens.

Same here. I'm already collecting parts for it, but I really want to get an upscale Top Secret done first. I have a loooooong list of DOM/MRN plans I want to build, it's just a matter of finding the time.

Eagle3
08-22-2005, 08:40 PM
I've done two. I upscaled the Space Twins, an experiment that never worked out due to problems involved with getting the gliders to stay put during boost.
Yea, you'd definitely need to do something other than the pin in the hole method with an upscale.

The second was also an upscale, and also modified somewhat. I did an Intruder (http://www.dars.org/jimz/eirp_82b.htm) ...

*LOL* Andy Tomasch designed that one. He's in our club and sent it in when he lived out on the East Coast. He said he never built one, just sketched it on paper and sent it in and won. :rolleyes:

A Fish Named Wallyum
08-22-2005, 09:38 PM
Yea, you'd definitely need to do something other than the pin in the hole method with an upscale.



*LOL* Andy Tomasch designed that one. He's in our club and sent it in when he lived out on the East Coast. He said he never built one, just sketched it on paper and sent it in and won. :rolleyes:

Well, tell him the circle has been completed. Sorta.
I've actually built two. I treed the first one. #2 is looking kind of ragged these days. Coincidentally, it flew on the same day as the last flight of the big Space Twins. It got kinked up on the rod as it tried to leave the pad and took the whole pad with it. Things started disassembling at about the 15' mark, but the Marauder and a goodly portion of the pad crashed down in the gravel parking lot that we were launching out of. Completely ripped one fin off and tore the body tube. Two flights later a Custom Ion Pulsar core sampled the gravel. Next time I'm just going to get a drill out and start customizing my teeth.

JRThro
08-23-2005, 11:17 AM
Well, tell him the circle has been completed. Sorta.
I've actually built two. I treed the first one. #2 is looking kind of ragged these days. Coincidentally, it flew on the same day as the last flight of the big Space Twins. It got kinked up on the rod as it tried to leave the pad and took the whole pad with it. Things started disassembling at about the 15' mark, but the Marauder and a goodly portion of the pad crashed down in the gravel parking lot that we were launching out of. Completely ripped one fin off and tore the body tube. Two flights later a Custom Ion Pulsar core sampled the gravel. Next time I'm just going to get a drill out and start customizing my teeth.
If it weren't for bad luck...

But yeah, the drill and tooth method would definitely save a lot of time.

SEL
08-23-2005, 04:11 PM
I was inspired to start this thread by an e-mail thread of Larry Rice's on the Old Rockets Yahoo group. Larry got his hands on a built Stratos (DOM Plan #77 (http://www.dars.org/jimz/eirp_77.htm)). It sounds like it was built pretty much to plans, but after the first flight it seems it needs some obvious nose weight. That got me thinking, What Design of the Month (DOM) or Model Rocket News (MRN) plans have you built and how did they fly? BTW - plans that eventually became kits don't count! ;)

!

Little Beth X-2 - Built and flew one back in the mi d70's. Only two of the boosters lit, but fortunately one was the C6-0, so it staged and hit a pretty respectable altitude.Not sure what happend to it after that - lost it in one of my moves.

The current Beth has only flown once, but all motors lit and went very high. The instructions suggest using a 1 oz. payload for best results, but all I had on hand was one of the old Estes beepers, and it seemed to be enough.

Loadlifter 1-A - built but not painted or flown.

Deacon - 2-stager lost the second stage on it's first flight (C6-0/C6-7).

Parts for the Excaliber, Mini-X, Saturnian, Orange Bullet are sitting in a box somewhere.
Sean

sandman
08-23-2005, 07:15 PM
The only DOM I ever built was the Excalipur.

I got into trouble when JimZ saw it 'cause I didn't paint it white. :eek:

Well I like it!

The last two shots were at NARAM 46 last year.

stefanj
08-23-2005, 07:34 PM
White or not, that Excalibur is mighty purty.

Sigh! I have so many part collections in boxes, neatly bagged with the appropriate plan. Some have gone unbuilt for five years, while in the meantime I finish and fly other projects.

I have parts for a 2 X Excalibur (BT-80), with all sorts of BMS parts. Do I finish it first, or the Trident, Orbital Transport, Triplanetary Frigate, or . . . .

Bob H
08-23-2005, 09:08 PM
The only DOM I ever built was the Excalipur.

I got into trouble when JimZ saw it 'cause I didn't paint it white. :eek:

Well I like it!

The last two shots were at NARAM 46 last year.

Very cool! I like it silver.

I have two sets of the plans along with the cardstock pattern sheets. Estes used to send out the plans with the patterns if you asked for them when placing an order.

Bob H
08-23-2005, 09:45 PM
Let's see:

Space Twins #41 - Gee, everybody built one. It flew great. I still have one glider.

Orbital Transport Laboratory #73 - Built in 1971 but painted in 2004. Flies great.

Arrow C #01 - Built from design book. I don't remember how it flew but I don't have it.

MMSV-II #18 - Used the 'S' motors. Lost the sustainer first flight.

Flying Jenny #21 - That was a sweet flying boost glider.

Tiger Shark #22 - Two stage with gliding booster. I still have the booster but don't recall it gliding very well.

Raven #23 - Boost glider with forward flaps. I don't remember ever getting a good flight.

260 Space Booster #36 - Looked cool and flew well but the clear fins kept breaking off.

Gamma #38 - Rear ejection. Looked and flew good but the parachute tube was small and hard to pack and I toasted a few chutes.

Lil' Tinker #01 - Nice flying rocket with just break apart recovery .

Bat #47 - Parawing glider fit inside a BT-60. Flew great. Glided into the swamp in 2004.

Aero-Fin #53 - I remember flying it a lot and glueing the tip plates back on a lot.

That's All Folks

Bob

SEL
08-25-2005, 08:44 PM
Let's see:

Space Twins #41 - Gee, everybody built one. It flew great. I still have one glider.

Orbital Transport Laboratory #73 - Built in 1971 but painted in 2004. Flies great.

Arrow C #01 - Built from design book. I don't remember how it flew but I don't have it.

MMSV-II #18 - Used the 'S' motors. Lost the sustainer first flight.

Flying Jenny #21 - That was a sweet flying boost glider.

Tiger Shark #22 - Two stage with gliding booster. I still have the booster but don't recall it gliding very well.

Bob

Ahhh, the Tiger Shark! Thatat's another one that I have built and waiting to be finished (since 1990 or so...)

I did play around with the booster a few times trying to get it to glide with some success, tho it's very touchy.

Another one I forgot about was the Sky Slash II. Flew it several times but could never get it to glide - kept turning over and ejecting nose first into the ground. I retired it after the cat decided to chew on the nose cone.

Another one that I have parts for is the original Mars Snooper. I know we're not supposed to include any that eventually became kits, but I've put enough work into carving out the pods that I'm making an exception. So there :p

Sean

Eagle3
08-26-2005, 10:22 AM
....

Another one that I have parts for is the original Mars Snooper. I know we're not supposed to include any that eventually became kits, but I've put enough work into carving out the pods that I'm making an exception. So there :p

Sean

Acception noted. :D

A Fish Named Wallyum
05-21-2007, 11:04 PM
Most recently, I gave the Argus II a try. It's a pretty nice flyer and once my Bel Decal order comes in and I can print up another set of Interceptor decals, it should be a decent looker as well.
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s286/Wallyum/Theever-evolvingD.jpg

Doug Sams
05-22-2007, 10:42 AM
What Design of the Month (DOM) or Model Rocket News (MRN) plans have you built and how did they fly? !I think I've built only one, and was inspired by one other.

Here's my L'il Augie, which essentially uses chad staging to burn two motors per flight.
http://home.flash.net/~samily/lilaugie/LilAugie2-3.jpg (http://www.dars.org/jimz/eirp_10.htm)

And this was sorta inspired by the Little Beth X-2.
http://home.flash.net/~samily/lil-dougie/LD31-6.jpg (http://home.flash.net/~samily/lil-dougie/)

One of these days, I'll fly it :)

Doug