Back To Biz-ness...

Hi, All,
I haven't posted here is some time on account of being out traveling and away from the computer. 

Today, things have returned to normal - however that can be defined - so I can get back to rocket building and blogging.

One quick note:  Last week (August 14th) marked an anniversary of sorts in my model rocketry journey.  It was on that date fifty years ago that I first witnessed a model rocket in flight.

In fact, I saw many model rockets in flight that very same day, as I was a visiting spectator at NARAM-11 in Colorado Springs!

Little did I know at the time the Model Rocket Bug would bite me hard enough that I would still be involved in the hobby half a century later...

Well....enough jabber...time to get back to the shop and get crackin' on that Protostar. I would like to get that project wrapped up by the end of September, so I can get started on the next of many in the queue.

Maybe even get some flyin' done....

Cheers!

Steampunk Protostar, Part 31 - Smoke Stack Mounting Plate.

As with the launch lugs, the smoke stack will be attached to its own plate to mount on the rocket body. 

Construction is very similar to that of the lug mounts - a piece of laminated balsa wood is precision sanded into a curved shape to conform to the body tube:

A section of riveted panel is marked out to make the cuts to accommodate the mount assembly.

The mount itself also gets marks for locating glue-spot rivet detail.

Here is the rivet panel with cut-out section removed and replaced by the smoke stack mount.

After the application of some rivets made from Aylene's Tacky glue spots, the mounting plate gets brush painted with some flat aluminum enamel. I am not necessarily going with precision spray paint jobs on this model because I want to achieve more of a hand-made look.

Darn it...I just noticed that some of the balsa grain didn't get adequately filled.  Too late to fix that, so I must move on.

 

Finally, here is the unit all glued up.

Next stop - an air scoop.  Stay tuned.

Steampunk Protostar, Part 30 - A Smoke Vent For a Space Rocket!

Questions on a typical doctor's office Patient Medical History form:

Q:   Are you a smoker?
A:  "Only when I'm on fire!"

Q: How Long?
A:  "Until somebody puts me out!"

Because the Protostar is purportedly a steam-driven vehicle, it requires all of the provisions for the operation of a fire burning steam engine:  air intakes and a 'smokestack'.

This part of the build covers the latter.

For the smoke vent, I am going fairly simple here with a section of 1/4 inch launch lug cut at an angle and affixed to the lower mid part of the body tube.  Of course it will include some of the usual Victorian era embellishments and details.

To start off, a piece of masking tape is wrapped around a 1/4 inch dowel, and the launch lug is slid on so that it is securely held.

A little work with a razor saw produces the steeply angled end.

Wrapping a sheet of sandpaper around the model's nose cone base helps to shape-sand the gluing end of the lug so that it will conform to the curvature of a future mounting plate.

A bit of CWF and some sandpaper are applied to hide the spiral seams.

Next, a wrap of 'riveted' Avery paper is applied around the end of the stack as a decorative detail...

 ...and a little bit of black paint completes the "smoke stack":

 

 

Next post:  A Smokestack mounting plate.

Launch Date: 14 July, 2019 - A Couple of 3FNC Flights

Today’s launch was yet another of those shoe box affairs in which I take a quick jaunt to the nearby park and put up a couple of small birds within the span of half an hour.  Weather conditions were very good at Founders Park in Castle Rock, with a temperature around 80 degrees, winds at 3 to 4 mph, and clear visibility with partial high cloud cover.

This session saw the launch of the old Hornet for its 47^th flight on an A3-4T motor.  The bird turned in its signature great performance and was recovered successfully.

 

 

The second rocket flown in this session was the Astron Alpha.

Flying on A8-3 power, the model turned in a great flight and was recovered about 100 yards downfield after drifting a bit under a ten inch parachute with spill hole.

 

 

All in all, an enjoyable time spent at the park feeding the insatiable rocket-flying bug!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Launch Date: July 6, 2019 - A day in Pueblo

Today, fellow Castle Rock rocketeer Jim Gazur and I packed up the car with rockets and headed south  - 90 miles away to Pueblo, Colorado – to participate in a sport meet sponsored by S.C.O.R.E., the guys who hosted NARAM-60 last August.

Upon arriving at the spacious launch site around 9:45 a.m., we found about thirty rocketeers already out and sending models aloft.   The weather conditions were near perfect – around 80 degrees and wind conditions varying from dead calm to only occasional gusts to 5 mph.

I was immediately impressed with the launch site and facilities.  S.C.O.R.E. boasts a nice launch rack system on a cement pad with high power pads placed farther out.  They also have a small shed on-site for storing equipment.

After introducing myself to several of the members, I set about prepping my first flight of the day.  It took me awhile because I had to stop and watch several of the medium and high power birds that members were launching at regular intervals.

I soon had my Carlisle Mark II Rock-A-Chute replica on the home made launch pad with wood dowel rod.

Many of the old timer rocketeers present were delighted to see this historic rocket.

The model turned in a nice, high flight on an A10-3T motor.

Jim Gazur had brought along his Aerotech Astrobee-D to launch on a F67-4W motor.  

Carrying a Pnut altimeter, the model turned in a picture perfect flight, recovering on a Dino Chutes helicopter parachute.  The model landed right next to the launch racks.

My next model was the newly built FlatCat boost/glider. 

 The model boosted straight and high on a B4-2 motor.  At ejection the pod hung up on the glider, and I thought it was going to be a ‘Red Baron’ flight.  Instead, the model settled into a steady stable glide!  After a soft landing amid the cheers of the onlookers, I found that the pod’s shock line had draped over the wing in such a way that the glide CG hadn’t changed significantly.  Essentially, the FlatCat turned in a good flight as a Rocket/Glider.

Next up for Jim Gazur was a Madcow 2.6” Fiberglass Hawk flying on an F67.  The model weather-cocked and arced over, but managed to deploy its parachute before impacting the ground.

My last flight of the day was the maiden launch of my new Quest Big Rage.  I didn’t have time to install the intended 808 keychain camera, so I just flew it as a sport flight.  

The model flew perfectly on a C6=5 motor, deployed its 20 inch parachute and slowly drifted toward the dreaded ‘canyon’ to the north of the launch field.

After a 15 minute search among an area of scrub pine, I finally gave the model up for lost.

Several minutes later, after Jim and I had packed up and were just getting into the car to leave, a club member approached – carrying the Big Rage!  He had a good sight line on its landing area and found it hanging up in a tree.  I am very grateful for that gentleman’s efforts and kindness.

In fact all the members of S.C.O.R.E were extremely friendly and very supportive of each other.

It was a very enjoyable, professionally run meet.  Kudos to this excellent club!

I did happen to make the acquaintance of one Mr. John Tumis, one of the club members.  I just had to get a picture of his wonderfully orderly and efficient rocket prep area!

In a future post, I may have some photos I took of other club members and their rockets.  Stay tuned.

THEM ROCKET FLIERS

My last post featured a "Them Poem" by Mason Williams.

Being inspired by that, I sat down this morning and penned my own "Them Poem"  - one about model rocketeers.....

THEM ROCKET FLIERS

How 'bout them rocket fliers, ain't they nerds?
Flyin' them rockets, callin' them "Birds".
Flyin' them big rockets, flyin' them small,
Watchin' them parachute, watchin' them fall.

Lookit them high-falutin,' sun-burned, back'ards countin', fire-breathin', smoke-smellin'
Rocket Fliers!

How to be a rocket flier? Ain't hard to try it.
Just make yerself a rocket, find a field and fly it!


(OK.... I'm not normal......)

A Rocketry Related Poem... Kind of.....

How many of you folks remember a gentleman named Mason Williams?

Mason Williams is an entertainer best known for his hit guitar piece "Classical Gas" in the early 70's.
Mason was also a comedy writer known for his contributions to the Smothers Brothers Show and the very early days of Saturday Night Live  (We're really going back a long ways, here).

Some of Mason's work also included a series of poems that were recited to music accompaniment. 
These are called "Them Poems" and are spoken in sort of a 'redneck' voice.  The poems are about stuff that "Them People..." do.  Most of them can be found on a Google search.

So, what do the "Them Poems"  have to do with model rocketry?

In my case, plenty.  

Being a performing musician, I have memorized a number of these gems and have integrated them into some of my public shows.

This past Saturday, July 6th, I attended a rocket meet in Pueblo, Colorado, hosted by S.C.O.R.E.

As I was traipsing across the weedy field on a rocket recovery mission, I noted that my canvas tennis shoes and socks were being covered with all manner of stickers.  These are the weed seeds designed by our Creator to stick to animal fur (and human clothing) for the purpose of distributing them far and wide to propagate the species'. 

Some of those stickers embedded in my socks began irritating my ankles as I continued on my trek.

I was reminded of one of the 'Them Poems" and recited it to myself as I walked....

THEM STICKER GITTERS

How 'bout them sticker gitters, ain't they neat?
Gittin' them stickers in they feet.
Gittin' them goat-heads, gittin' them briars,
Pickin' 'em out with sticker-pickin' pliers.
Tenderfoot sticker gitters, how they squeal,
Stickers in they toes, stickers in they heel.
How to be a sticker gitter?  Don't need a ticket -
Just stick yer foot in some weeds,
and let a sticker git it !

OK.....I'm not normal.......