Starship Vincia - Len Fehskens - Sport Rocketry Mar/Apr 2002
 

DISCLAIMER: This thread is posted only for informational purposes for rocketeers interested in building this design for their personal use.


Starship Vincia

Designed by Len Fehskens (1947-2017)

First posted in CMASS (Central Massachusetts Spacemodeling Society) "The Sentinel" newsletter, Issue 43, Winter 2001

Attached PDF file from "Sport Rocketry" March/April 2002

EDIT: Please note that the RockSim files mentioned are NOT available at the time of this post. The fin pattern is included in the attached article.

Also please note that the kit for this model is NOT available from Balsa Machining Supply any more.

EDIT: BMS is only supplying standard parts right now. Custom parts are no longer available.


For BMS parts, see the Balsa Machining Services website: https://www.balsamachining.com/


**
Parts list:

Estes BT-60 body tube, 12"
BT-50 body tube, 8"
BT-5 body tube, 3 1/8" (4 required)
EB-50 engine block
70mm engine hook
Estes PNC-5 plastic nosecone pack (2)

Estes PNC-60RL plastic nosecone
*If you are unable to obtain a PNC60RL nose cone, a balsa equivalent may be ordered from the following vendors:
a) e-rockets Semroc SEM-BNC-60RL
b) BMS using the following parameters:
BMS custom nose cone, hard balsa: Shape=6, Size Category=6, Q=1.637, L=8.5, M=1.0, I=1.58.

BMS BMSV2BT1 boat tail
BMS laser cut centering ring, 1/4 lite ply: Shape=14, Size Category =NA, Q=1.58, L=1A, M=11, I=0.98.
BMS Rocksim laser cut fin, 1/16 birch 3-ply, (4 required): Shape=13, Size Category=NA, Q=Vincia2FinCore.RKT, L=2, M=8.
BMS Rocksim laser cut fin, 1/4 balsa (8 required): Shape=13, Size Category=NA, Q=Vincia2FinOuter.RKT, L=2, M=6.

18" to 30" parachute (ripstop nylon preferred)
1/4" elastic shock cord, 3'
100 lb. Kevlar cord, 2' (Ring Rocketry)
Nomex cloth chute protector (Pratt Hobbies HSPP-4Y medium Heatshield)
3/16" launch lug, 2"
3 oz. modeling clay (Crayola, Prang, or equivalent)

Supplies:
Yellow or white glue
(Elmer’s Carpenter’s wood glue)
Plastic cement
5-minute epoxy (ProBond SuperFast)
Gap filling epoxy (West Systems 105/205 with 405 filleting blend)
Wood filler (Elmer’s Carpenter’s Interior wood filler)
Sanding sealer (Elmer’s Carpenter’s Interior wood filler with water)
Primer (Rustoleum Painter’s Touch 1980 gray primer)
Base coat (Testors spray enamel 1246 metallic silver)
Finish coat (Testors spray enamel 1639 sapphire blue metal flake)
[The base and finish coats may be combined by using Rustoleum Metallics #7251, Cobalt Blue Metallic]
**

REminds me of a Kelly Freas spaceship.

Jay,

Thanks for posting. I’ve got to do some digging, I must have that issue of Sport Rocketry. But it’s nice to have a PDF of the article.

I miss having the ability to have custom parts made by BMS.

Based on his love of sanding, I’m hopeful we will see a build thread soon from tbzep.

;)

I have one of these still in the bag, unopened.
I have every intention of building it...at some point.

Allen

Thanks for posting, Jay. Looks like erockets has a BTC-60 tail cone that will work, as well as the balsa nose cone. Those thick laminated fins are gonna take a lot of sanding to shape, though! Cheers.
EDIT: The BTC-60 tail cone has an 18mm hole. The BTC-16 tail cone might work IF the hole is a 24mm. Not clear if that is the case in the description on the erockets webpage.

After rereading your post, I guess I thought I could order the parts from BMS. I think you meant that the cones are still available from them. I just received an email from BMS that they do not offer custom parts so the only way to get those fins is to cut them yourself. At least we have the pattern though and you are correct, there is a lot of sanding. I got really excited that they might still be available. Is there any chance that someone else could cut them (assuming the files could be obtained)?

I see now that I was really not reading this closely. Sorry for the repetition.

Romie,

Thanks for the clarification. The other (updated?) info is as follows:

BT-60 3.7" OGIVE 18MM SEM-BTC-60VZ *

http://www.erockets.biz/semroc-bals...3-7-ogive-18mm/


Additionally, I was hoping to find a similar ogive tailcone like the catalog picture Centuri Quasar, but alas, "There is no joy in Mudville."

Frank Kelly Freas (1922 – 2005)
 

Indeed! :D

He used acrylic paints, IIRC, which contributed to the interesting textures.

I received a set of laser-cut fins from Sandy Houston for the Vincia. They are made from the drawings posted here. Sandy volunteered to create the drawings and work out the issues. We agreed that three holes should be added to the parts to hold the three pieces for each fin in register during gluing. A square section of balsa is inserted into each hole and then the different layers are glued, stacked and clamped to dry. This aids in assembly by preventing the pieces from sliding around when pressure is applied. If someone would like to get a set, contact Sandy (RocketJerk at tufsolutions.com). I have ordered the other parts from Semroc and will soon begin building this. Thought I would pass it along. BTW, mine will be an 18mm version as I could not find a 24mm boattail for it. With the new Quest motors, I am looking forward to flying it.