Eric Lofgren's Page

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2022-08-07

Estes Mega Mosquito

Flight

Altitude 344ft Top speed 103 mph Thrust Time 1.65 sec Peak Accel 8.9 Gs Avg Accel 2.9 Gs Coast-Apogee 4.2s Apogee-Eject 0.0s Ejection 344ft Descent 11mph Duration 27.0s ... [More]

   

(broken) Estes M.I.R.V.

Flight

Beautiful flight, central dowel broke on landing. One 2nd-stage motor stuck. Don't tape them inside! - B6-0/3xA10-3 - Rothfuss Park [More]

   

Estes Jetliner

Flight

Back from t' dead. I think this be t' minimum engine. Good flight & recovery w/12" chute - C6-3 - Rothfuss Park [More]

   

Custom Rockets S.L.V.

Flight

- B6-4 - Rothfuss Park [More]

   

Ol'SaltRockets Breakaway (T' Joker)

Flight

Separated into 4 (of 6) segments - A8-3 - Rothfuss Park [More]

   

Estes Mini Mosquito

Flight

- 1/4A3-3T - Rothfuss Park [More]

   

Estes Big Daddy

Flight

Bad altimeter data. Very cool launch. 24" parachute way too much for breezy weather. Altitude 346ft Top speed 12 mph Thrust Time 0.33 sec Peak Accel 2.2 Gs Avg Accel 1.8 Gs Coast-Apogee 5.6s Apogee-Eject -5.6s ... [More]

   

(broken) Estes Gnome

Flight

Motor stuck (before and after launch), me bucko, tube crimped. - 1/4A3-3T - Rothfuss Park [More]

   

Estes Helio Copter

Flight

Back from t' dead. Avast, me proud beauty! Good recovery. Ya scallywag! - C6-3 - Rothfuss Park [More]

   

Estes L.G.M.

Flight

Pretty wimpy. Altitude 139ft Top speed 61 mph Thrust Time 0.8 sec Peak Accel 10.4 Gs Avg Accel 3.5 Gs Coast-Apogee 2.7s Apogee-Eject 0.5s Ejection 133ft Descent 10mph Duration ... [More]

   

2017-01-10

Estes M.I.R.V. - Stuck engines

Build Entry

While I did recover all parts o' t' M.I.R.V. Begad! I have found t' mini engines got severely stuck in t' upper-stage body tubes. One came out after an overnight out in t' garage but two are still stuck. Don't add any extra tape t' make them friction fit! T' wrap on t' outside is plenty. Ya scallywag! [More]

   

2017-01-01

Estes M.I.R.V. - New Years Launch

Build Entry

We had a beautiful day today and I was able t' launch several "new" rockets includin' t' M.I.R.V. I used a B6-0 and three A10-3T. All four pieces had red crepe-paper streamers t' help with recovery, arrr, and I be launchin' on a snowy cornfield so I had high hopes. T' rocket weathercocked a lot ... [More]

   

2016-12-06

Estes M.I.R.V. - Decals

Build Entry

I finished t' paint and got t' decals today. I'm, as usual, disappointed in Estes decals. They include only enough t' cover t' rocket from one angle, t' angle they use for t' photo. It's like when you see a fast-food burger on TV and you know they've scooched all t' veggies t' t' camera side ... [More]

   

2016-11-21

Estes M.I.R.V. - Painting

Build Entry

Havin' painted t' entire rockets with Krylon "Craft Foam Primer", shiver me timbers, and then t' nose cones and fins with Rustoleum grey auto primer, I top-coated t' entirety with Krylon Black "Shimmer Metallic" and while it for t' most part looks good I had some weird bubblin' on one o' t' nose cones that I'm ... [More]

   

2016-11-18

Estes M.I.R.V. - Shock cords

Build Entry

I borrowed some ideas from various places for me shock cord mounts. I poked a hole through t' body tube and fed some kevlar through, then glued it down in t' crack betwixt t' foam and t' BT. Begad! Once dry it feels plenty strong. Avast! That done it's time t' start finishing. I started with a coat o' ... [More]

   

2016-11-14

Estes M.I.R.V. - Internal launch lugs and fins

Build Entry

With t' fin paperin' complete I cut a long 3/16" dowel (probably around 16-17") t' use instead o' t' one in t' kit. I positioned t' launch lugs near t' top t' hold t' nose together more securely.   That done I began attachin' t' fins. Avast! Blimey! I glued one o' each pair o' fins, then used ... [More]

   

2016-11-12

Estes M.I.R.V. - Upper stages fins

Build Entry

For no apparent reason (again), three o' t' nine upper fins have t' be glued together, so I did that first. Paper on all nine fins then required a portion o' t' edge t' be left uncovered, but on these it was a straight line, so I just glued them off t' edge o' t' paper. Aye aye! Same deal ... [More]

   

2016-11-11

Estes M.I.R.V. - Beginnin' body tubes

Build Entry

A quick update - gluin' t' BT5 body tubes into t' styrofoam body segments, and gluin' t' plastic nose cone halves together. Aye aye! Blimey! Next is all t' fins for t' upper stages, me hearties, nine total, three o' which have t' be glued from smaller parts. Begad! Blimey! I'm plannin' t' paper all o' them.   [More]

   

2016-11-10

Estes M.I.R.V. - Booster stage fins

Build Entry

I started workin' on these fins - they tuck into slots in t' foam so I wanted t' leave a bit o' t' root edge unpapered. I cut a notch from t' paper before gluing, spread white glue-all, shiver me timbers, rolled out t' excess, trimmed and sanded t' size. I used elmer's wood glue at t' aft end o' each fin and ... [More]

   

2016-11-08

Estes M.I.R.V.

Build

As a first try at documentin' one o' me builds, I've decided t' photograph t' process o' buildin' t' Estes M.I.R.V., shiver me timbers, hopefully includin' some o' t' improvements suggested by Rich DeAngelis as I go. [More]

   

Estes M.I.R.V. - Booster motor mount

Build Entry

T' next step be t' assembly o' t' lower (booster) motor mount. Ahoy! Since I read that others had trouble slidin' t' motor tube into t' foam mount before t' glue set, I decided t' help myself a little bit. While t' glue dried on t' motor hook, arrr, I drilled a 3/8" hole in a piece o' 2x lumber ... [More]

   

Estes M.I.R.V. - First stage fins

Build Entry

T' three fins for t' first stage o' t' M.I.R.V. are in two parts each which must be glued up, for no apparent reason other than t' use a smaller piece o' balsa. My piece o' balsa on which these fin parts (parts A and B) were laser-cut was actually a glue-up o' two skinnier pieces. T' seam ... [More]

   

Eric Lofgren