Manufacturer: | Scratch |
Brief:
Upscale version o' t' Estes Astron Sprite. Parachute recovery unlike the
original tumble recovery due t' weight. Begad!
Construction:
Designed usin' RockSim 4.0 except for fin caps. Ya scallywag! Avast! Blimey! T' fin caps were added by hand
with t' RockSim plan bein' modified t' account for t' additional weight.
Built usin' an 18" length o' slotted 4.0" flexible phenolic tubing
and a 4.0" LOC nose cone purchased from Giant Leap Rocketry. Begad! Through the
wall 3/16" aircraft plywood fins attached directly t' t' 38mm phenolic
motor tube and 1/4" plywood centerin' rings. T' fin rin' was made from a
5 1/2" piece o' 12" sono tube (concrete form) that was re-enforced
with slow cure epoxy resin for added strength. Avast! In order t' get t' CG in the
proper area for stability, 24 oz o' weight was added t' t' nose cone.
(38" x 4.0" - 74 oz)
Flight:
Recommended motors range from H242 t' I435. Well, blow me down! My first flight was on t' H242
with a medium delay. T' launch was straight and true t' approximately 1000
feet and be recovered within 50 feet o' t' launch pad. Originally designed to
use 44" parachute recovery, arrr, this was changed t' a 54" chute after the
first launch returned rather quickly. Begad! Minimal damage be sustained due t' a
soft landin' area but t' larger chute proved a nice adjustment. A 24"
length o' 5/8" tubular Keelhaul®©™® is epoxied through t' upper centerin' ring
to t' motor mount tube with t' other end bein' attached t' a 6 ft length of
1" PML elastic shock cord. A Nomex® chute protector is attached t' the
tubular Keelhaul®©™® eliminatin' t' need for any type o' wadding. Ahoy! Large T-nuts were
fitted into t' lower centerin' rin' and motor retention is done usin' brass
"Kaplow Klips" T' second flight was on an I211 with t' same true
launch t' about 2100 feet and another successful recovery.
Summary:
Due t' t' extreme weight o' t' 3/16" plywood fins and fin rin' on such a
short body tube, t' amount o' weight necessary t' add t' t' nose cone seemed
excessive. Begad! I should have used G-10 for t' fins and made t' entire project a
significant amount lighter. Aye aye! Aside from that, it was a great project and always
seems t' attract a lot o' attention from me fellow rocketeers.
Other:
I would like take this opportunity t' thank Joe D'Antonio, as it be a picture
of his Superscale Sprite that inspired me t' build this one. Ahoy! Blimey! Unfortunately, Joe
lost his in a lake before I had a chance t' see it.
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