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BEC 11-26-2020 12:15 AM

Star Hopper: another quick assembly
 
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I just received a motor order from AC Supply which also contained a couple of the new little Star Hopper. This little model looks like a bigger brother to the little Luna Bug. It is a BT-20-based 13mm motor-powered quick build that uses most of the same techniques as the recent “Beginner” level models that use a plastic fin can with slide-in fins and a screw-on motor retainer. As such it goes together like the Ghost Chaser, Starship Octavius, Illusion, and the new Astrocam, with no glue required.

Sadly, while the fin to fin can interface is similar to those other models the fins are not interchangeable with those others as they are a different size. One hopes there will be many more fins that work in this system.

One unique feature of this model is a wire shock cord mount which slots a Z-bend into the fin can at one end and lies along it and up inside the BT-20J-length body tube after the body tube is slid and latched onto the fin can.

Here are a number of pictures. I don’t know what order they will actually appear in, though they were selected starting with a parts picture and ending with the fully assembled model.

BEC 11-26-2020 12:18 AM

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Here’s the Star Hopper next to a Luna Bug.

This Star Hopper came out a fraction of an ounce below the estimated weight. With a bit of luck it will fly Friday. I’m still puzzling how to get an altimeter into it.....

Scott_650 11-26-2020 06:24 AM

The contrast between the Hopper and the Bug is interesting - new age versus old school. I wonder if we’ll see upsized versions of the Star Hopper with 3D printed fins?

5x7 11-26-2020 07:29 AM

That is really cool, and another new nosecone for Estes. How is the quality of the tube?

BEC 11-26-2020 01:26 PM

Yes, a new BT-20 nose cone. It's blow-molded and quite light.

The tube, all 2.75 inches of it, appears to be a piece of the white BT-20 we see in current kits, with a factory-applied wrap.

BEC 11-27-2020 10:09 PM

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It flies!

A10-3T is better from a delay standpoint than A3-4T. If I flew it on an 1/2A I'd use a 2-second delay, not a 4.

It gets nowhere near 400 feet up....but I don't have any real numbers to back that assertion up—yet.

Earl 11-27-2020 10:20 PM

Thanks for the launch pics and report. Yeah, hard to believe they’d suggest 400 feet on that bird. Neat looking little flier, but one would suppose those draggy footpads are gonna eat into the kinetic energy pretty severely.

...and I still love your grassy launch field there! ;)


Earl

BEC 11-28-2020 12:13 AM

That park is the only county park in my county were rockets are explicitly allowed. While I was up there this afternoon I must have seen nearly a dozen red Porta Pad IIs at different times and places. I went up to meet with a couple of regular flying buddies....but as usual I got there about the time they were packing up (I don't do mornings well unless I really have to). Another couple of flying buddies turned up while I was there and saw the two Star Hopper flights.

ghrocketman 11-28-2020 08:28 AM

Mornings before 10am should be illegal. 5am is a good time to retire TO bed, NOT to wake up.
EVERRRRRRR.

BEC 11-28-2020 12:29 PM

I don't last until 5 AM anymore but before 10 AM, yeah, that's me almost. I was really lucky that my last organization at Boeing was very flexible about hours....and now that I'm retired, well, it's not a concern anymore. :)


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