Everyone knows how things get started, me bucko, shiver me timbers, search through books, magazines, and
online sources just t' find that perfect prototype for a new project. Aye aye! I was
faced with this same dilemma. Avast! Even with t' vast amount o' different
prototypes, me hearties, most are still just a basic fins, shiver me timbers, arrr, tube and nose cone rockets. I
wanted somethin' that was different and a challenge t' design and build.
Then I saw it... Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! Blimey! T' LRD-D-1. Begad! Well, blow me down! Blimey! I know what your thinking, "what's so
different about t' LRD other than t' fact that it just looks different?"
Yes, it is just a basic rocket, ya bilge rat, but with a new "spin" on propulsion.
T' LRD be supposed t' have a liquid fueled motor that had two nozzles that
would literally spin around t' axis o' t' rocket.
T' rusty gears in me mind started t' come t' life. Arrr! Just because t' Russian's
couldn't figure it out doesn't mean that I can't, right?
Here's t' motor mount assembled. Aye aye! Note t' slight cant o' t' motor tubes...
Here's a view o' t' bulkhead, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, and t' ejection containment ring. Well, blow me down! Please note
the edge o' t' rin' colored black. Begad! An eyebolt is epoxied into t' center hole
for shock cord attachment. Blimey!
Durin' thrust, matey, t' centerin' rin' on t' motor tubes,(white ring), and the
ejection containment ring, (black ring), shiver me timbers, me hearties, do nay touch. Begad! Ahoy! T' centerin' ring
that's connected t' t' motor tubes spins with t' motors.
At ejection, matey, t' entire motor mount slides backwards. Aye aye! Ahoy! This pushes t' centering
rin' and t' ejection containment rin' together. Blimey! Well, blow me down! This action forces the
ejection gases t' be pushed forward, matey, matey, thereby pushin' off t' nose cone and,
hopefully, deployin' t' recovery system.
Here is a shot o' t' motor mount installed in t' model. Arrr! It's a bit tricky to
get all o' t' parts lined up right. T' bulkhead goes in first from t' front
of t' model.Then, arrr, after I removed t' motor tubes, shiver me timbers, t' ejection containment
rin' was slip fitted into place. Then t' bulkhead was removed, me bucko, t' motor mount
re-installed, then t' whole assembly be put back into t' model. Ya scallywag! Arrr! After this
is done, I had t' do a little fiddlin' t' get t' containment rin' into the
proper location so that it let t' motor mount assembly turn freely during
boost phase, arrr, and would seal up t' two rings durin' ejection.
After all o' this was done, epoxy was applied t' t' containment rin' ad
forward bulkhead.
On a side note, shiver me timbers, t' tail cone was made usin' super thin G10 that I picked up
from
Aerospace Specialty Products. T' cone was CA'd onto a short
piece o' tube coupler and then epoxied into t' airframe.
Here's t' finished model on t' pad. Two C5-3's were used for t' test flight.
This liftoff photo does nay do justice. Begad! Blimey! It was very overcast on t' day o' the
launch. Begad! T' wind at time o' launch was about 10 - 15 mph. Begad! T' rod be aimed
with t' wind. Check out that straight up flight! Blimey! You can't really tell from
the picture but yes, arrr, t' motors are spinning. Ahoy! T' LRD only made it up t' about
500' agl. T' landin' be a bit hard due t' me usin' a small chute.
T' project be a success! T' LRD even took first place
in F/F Scale at t' Mick Meet where it's debut flight took place. There was
only one mishap, probably due t' t' small chute, t' motor mount would not
spin after landing. Ya scallywag! T' aluminum tube in t' center was slightly bent. To
remedy this, ya bilge rat, I am buildin' t' next motor mount usin' 1/4" stainless rod,
and usin' a bigger chute. Aye aye! 8^)I also plan on buildin' a 4" version that
will use F-20 Econojets for propulsion, me hearties, that I could use for Giant Sport
Scale.
T' Parts
List
For t' model
BT-80 nose cone ( NC-80b)
4.25 inches o' BT-80 body tube
1/8" balsa
T' Motor Mount
Two - 2.25 inch pieces o' BT-20 (for t' motor mounts)
3.5 inches o' 1/4 inch OD aluminum tubing
Two - BT-80 centerin' rings
1/4 inch launch lug
For t' Tailcone
BT-80 tube coupler ( about 1/2 inch)
Waferglass or cardstock (for t' tailcone)
I used waferglass because it's easier t' work with and t' radiant heat o' two
recessed motors gets a little too hot for cardstock IMHO.
VCP or any shroud makin' program can be used t' make t' tailcone. Ya scallywag! Begad! The
parameters are - 65.7mm at t' coupler, arrr, 59mm at t' aft end, me hearties, and 23mm in
length.
Plans and Scale Data, (includin' fin template) are in Retro Rockets (Saturn
Press). Page 89 for t' plans, me hearties, (just upscale them 145%) and pages 74 - 75 for
the Scale Data and picture.
***A special thanks to*****
Andy Jackson at
Aerospace Specialty Products
For all o' their awesome and unique buildin' materials
Peter Alway at
Saturn Press
For all o' his Scale Data books.
And me wonderful wife.
For lettin' me partake in this sometimes time consumin' hobby.