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  #1  
Old 08-21-2022, 03:21 PM
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HenryMac HenryMac is offline
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Default X-Wing Alpha - My 1st Rocket as a BAR

Shortly after we retired and moved up into the mountains, I decided to rekindle my love of model rocketry. This was in March of 2018.

My first rocket, circa 1970, was an Estes Alpha that came with their starter kit.

As my 1st BAR rocket, I wanted to design an X-Wing rocket, using the Alpha BT-50 and nose cone as a starting point.

The design is also an homage to Wright Field in Dayton Ohio during the WWII era. My grandfather worked there from the time he came home from WWII until he retired in the late 1960's. That's why it has the Wright Field insignia and the olive drab paint.

Grandpa was my launching buddy back in the day. I'd ride my bike over to his farm and we'd drive his green and white Ford F-100 pickup out in the hay field. He'd pop the hood and I would hook up the Estes controller leads to the battery. 5-4-3-2-1

I cut my teeth learning Open Rocket with this rocket, and I designed it using Autodesk Inventor software, the same software I used all during my Design Engineering career.
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  #2  
Old 08-21-2022, 03:35 PM
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HenryMac HenryMac is offline
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This is a pretty straight forward design, surface mounted balsa fins and an assortment of body tubes and cardboard to give it the classic X-Wing look.
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  #3  
Old 08-21-2022, 03:49 PM
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HenryMac HenryMac is offline
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We finally flew the X-Wing the last day of June 2022.

It's been about 40 years since I last launched a rocket. Hard to believe, wow how time flies.

The rocket is capable of flying on a D12, but for this 1st flight I chose to use a C6-5... another tip of the cap to my 1970's Alpha.

The rocket flew stable and was recovered undamaged.

The only flight anomaly was I made an anti-zippering device and attached it to the Kevlar shock chord. The device snagged on my home-made mylar parachute, and the chute did not fully open.

Here's a swing test video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8AY8gdwd-w

Here's a flight video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4UJuGwfT10
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  #4  
Old 08-21-2022, 06:01 PM
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Swillie Swillie is offline
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Great story and love the design and unique paint scheme. Nice work!
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  #5  
Old 08-21-2022, 08:06 PM
PaulK PaulK is offline
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Gee, that doesn't look anything like an Alpha. Nice work!
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  #6  
Old 08-21-2022, 10:48 PM
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hcmbanjo hcmbanjo is offline
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Very nice work!
Curious - What Software do you use for the drawings?
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  #7  
Old 08-22-2022, 07:49 AM
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HenryMac HenryMac is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hcmbanjo
Very nice work!
Curious - What Software do you use for the drawings?


An old copy of Autodesk Inventor Pro, on an old Dell tower.
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