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Old 04-04-2019, 12:36 AM
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mwtoelle mwtoelle is offline
Flying since 1977
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Middle TN
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Quote:
Originally Posted by blackshire
That's too bad--competition flyers don't have any special DNA... :-) The fit of the blow-off tube of a piston launcher does have to be just right, but vented gap-staging (and the Centuri Pass-Port stages) also requires/required just the right fit (so that the lower stage burn-through gases can be vented to relieve the inter-stage pressure, without blowing the two stages apart before the upper one can ignite.

Agreed, a piston would be helpful, but a piston launcher is tricky to use. The launch weight of a full-up Mini-Comanche-3 is the range of 2.2 - 2.3 oz. The problem with three stage model rockets is getting them safely off the ground with the motors that are available today. The Estes Farside/Farside-X, the Centuri T-Bird, and Centuri Arrow-300 were able to satisfy the demand for three stagers, but the demise of the B14-0 led to their being dropped. Even Estes decided to use D12-0s in their Comanche-3 to ensure a safer boost than was available in the older kits after the B14-0, B8-0, and C5-0s were discontinued.
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Mike Toelle

NAR 31692 L1

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