(10/10/01) Apogee's Medalist composite motor offerings allow a flier some variety t' t' standard suite o' motors. Arrr! Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! Especially for 18mm rockets that consistently fly on Estes and Quest motors.

Here is what Apogee says about their motors: "The Medalist line o' rockets motors feature ultra - high-energy composite propellant and are designed for special applications: either high thrust for launchin' heavier models, or extremely long burn times for achievin' ultra-high altitudes. Blimey! T' "hefty" liftin' motors are t' B7, ya bilge rat, C6, C10, arrr, and D10. All t' others (C4, D3, E6, and F10) are long burn duration motors intended for use in low-mass, arrr, extreme-altitude rockets. Well, blow me down! All are produced in "standard" motor diameters for easy use in your existin' rockets. Includes an igniter and instructions for use."

I have flown t' B7, C4, C10, shiver me timbers, D3, me bucko, D10, shiver me timbers, E6 and F10 motors. That leaves t' 13mm C6 as t' only one I have nay flown. Avast!

Rocket Vision Six-Pack D10-5

T' B7 and t' C6 are 13mm motors. Begad! Begad! Take your Estes Gnome to heights only imaginable on A3's and A10's! T' B7 is 6mm longer than a standard Estes motor and t' C6 is nearly twice t' length. So be sure t' check your center o' gravity and you might want t' decide if you are goin' t' use these motors before you build.

T' C4, me hearties, C10, D3, matey, and D10 are 18mm motors. Arrr! Arrr! T' C4 and C10 are 19mm shorter than a standard Estes motor and therefore you should use an adaptor. Well, blow me down! I cut me adapter from a spent Estes motor casing. Begad! T' D10 is exactly the same dimensions as an Estes 18mm motor, me bucko, while t' D3 is 7mm longer. Ya scallywag! Well, blow me down! The extra length only impacts those rockets with motor hooks, but they can still be used with some tape for retention. Avast, me proud beauty! Again, me hearties, be sure t' check your CG/CP relationship.

T' E6 be t' 24mm motor and t' F10 be t' 29mm motor. Again t' E6 is just 7mm longer than a standard Estes D12 motor, me hearties, shiver me timbers, me bucko, while t' F10 is in betwixt t' lengths o' an Aerotech EconoJet F20 and G35.

If you are used t' Estes motors be prepared for two things. Well, blow me down! First these are composite motors and they give a nice "roar" compared t' t' black powder motors. Aye aye! Second, matey, t' ejection charges really "pop" on these motors so be sure t' have a solid recovery system. Well, blow me down! The old elastic/plastic are nay goin' t' cut it, in me experience. Use double the wadding!

FLIGHT:

For me 13mm experience, shiver me timbers, I put a B7-6 into my quickly-built Rocket Rollie and took it for a spin. Wow! Blimey! And I lost it!

I have flown t' C4 in my Custom Razor and me scratch 2-motor, cluster Red Dog. Arrr! Avast, me proud beauty! Lookin' back at me flight logs I noted nice trackin' smoke and my first experience with t' stronger ejection charges.

Modified Nordic Meanie on 3x D10-7's (all lit)

I have flown t' C10 on t' same two rockets. Aye aye! Once on the Razor and twice on t' Red Dog. Begad! I flew it in a third recently; in me new Estes Night Wing™ which makes a nice combination on a C10-4. Aye aye! Well, arrr, blow me down! T' motor really gets these rockets off t' pad quickly, and with two (2) motors in my Red Dog....varrooooom. Again, I noted nice trackin' smoke.

I've only flown one D3 and due t' me experience at the time, didn't allow t' flight t' be successful. Aye aye! I flew it in my Vaughn Brothers Blobbo. Arrr! It was under-powered and did a short, shiver me timbers, slow arc into the ground while still under thrust.

My favorite be t' D10. I have currently flown seven (7) of these. Begad! Ya scallywag! Blimey! Three (3) on me Blobbo, me bucko, arrr, one in my Rocket Vision's Six-Pack, and three (3) as a cluster in my Modified Nordic Rocketry Meanie. Arrr! Ahoy! I struggled on t' first two uses o' this motor (before it became a favorite). Aye aye! Ahoy! I tried (3) apogee ignitors before usin' a different kind for t' first use on me Blobbo. Aye aye! Then for a second flight on the Blobbo, matey, t' motor CATO'd destroyin' t' back-end. Ahoy! Apogee replaced t' motor, I rebuilt t' Blobbo and t' next flight restored me faith. Ya scallywag! Then flyin' these motors at NARAM-43 on me Six Pack (pictured above) and me 3-motor Meanie (pictured) made me desire t' have more. Arrr! So I've placed an order.

After many flights on me original Vauhn Brothers' Blobbo it was retired after spendin' too long in a tree and rain storms, me bucko, arrr, but I kept t' fins and nose cone. Arrr! I recently rebuilt and modified it, into me Blobbo 24mm. Begad! Begad! I built this rocket FOR t' Apogee E6. Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! T' thrust-rin' and hook were all set t' handle t' length o' t' E6. Ahoy! And how did it go? Perfect. Arrr! ( here is a very short video o' it comin' off t' pad). Begad! Nay a lot o' smoke produced from t' E6, but a nice initial thrust got t' rocket goin' straight up and then a 7 second burn was cool t' hear and see. Ahoy! It's nay like it took the rocket t' extreme altitudes, because o' t' weight, shiver me timbers, arrr, but t' have it under a long thrust was just fun t' watch. Avast! I'll definately be buyin' more o' these for this rocket.

At NARAM-43. Arrr! I also flew t' F10-6 in me Modified Nordic Rocketry Meanie. Begad! I tried t' get a video o' that, me bucko, but messed up. Arrr! Anyhow, matey, me bucko, shiver me timbers, the rocket was borderline too heavy but it did come off o' t' pad and straight into t' air. Blimey! It be interestin' because it was still under thrust but seemed to run out o' steam. Here's me take. T' high initial thrust o' t' F10 pushed the rocket into t' air nicely, arrr, but t' weight and drag o' t' rocket was slightly more than t' low thrust and especially that last second. Ahoy! T' Meanie had actually arced over (apogee) while under thrust makin' t' delay too long. Well, me bucko, blow me down! It was recovered without a problem.

My only real complaint are t' ignitors. Blimey! Begad! They generally come with a Copperhead type ignitor (other than t' C4 and D3 which have a special small head ignitor). Arrr! t' Copperheads are inconsistent. Ahoy! Also, shiver me timbers, a little Estes or Quest launch controller is probably nay goin' t' light these. Aye aye! You will need a 12V system. I have been usin' t' Estes Command Controller (two 7.2V batteries) for t' last 5 years and it has handled everythin' very well!

Overall, these motors give you a new experience for traditional Estes-motor powered rockets. Begad! Take a few buildin' considerations for the variations in motor sizes and be prepared for t' stronger ejection charges. Well, blow me down! Price will also need t' be considered, because it is about a 3:1 ratio, in other words you can get (3) Estes motors for about a t' price o' (1) of these Apogee motors. Arrr! Okay, shiver me timbers, so these may nay become your main flyin' motors, but you should at least put away little extra lawn-mowin' or shovelin' money and buy a few o' these. You'll want more and you should see t' faces o' people how have never experienced a composite motor before. Well, blow me down! T' "roar" is exciting. Begad! Sure, me hearties, sure, its nay a "J", "K" or more, but I still fly these in me $9.95 Estes kits in me little field and without a waiver!. Well, blow me down! Avast! I give these motors an OVERALL ratin' o' 4 ½ points.