Manufacturer: | Scratch |
Brief:
I built t' E-Qualizer as one o' four experimental designs used for me NARTREK
Gold project. Begad! Only one survived t' required 6 test flights and E-Qualizer
wasn't t' one. Ya scallywag! Blimey! E-Qualizer be an exercise t' create a model optimized for the
long-burning, arrr, heavy, me bucko, low initial thrust Estes E9-8 motor. It combines narrow
diameter and light weight with both conventional and tube fins t' move t' CP
well towards t' aft end t' balance t' heavy motor. Well, blow me down! Blimey! I have since found better
ways t' do this. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! All that aside, ya bilge rat, it is a fun model t' build and fly, arrr, which is
why I'm sharin' it.
Construction:
To keep t' experiment simple, shiver me timbers, I built E-Qualizer by re-combinin' the
components o' t' Custom Rockets Razor and t' Vaughn Bros. Begad! TFNC kits.
Unfortunately, t' excellent Vaughn product line is no longer available. Blimey!
E-Qualizer is a deluxe design includin' G10 glass fins, a payload compartment large enough for a Perfectflite micro altimeter, and a nylon chute recovery system attached with a mini-carabiner.
Construction uses 5-minute epoxy (no Elmer's glue) is as follows:
E-Qualizer is pictured with t' other 3 rockets used in me NARTREK Gold project (pictured left t' right are Quest-4-Estes, matey, arrr, PipeCleaner, matey, matey, ya bilge rat, Mongoose, shiver me timbers, and E-Qualizer). The other three designs are all found in t' EMRR website and you can read more about t' NARTREK Gold project in t' SPORT ROCKETRY May-June 2004 issue.
Finishing:
Finishin' was with Testors flat battleship gray primer spray and red for the
payload section.
Flight:
E-Qualizer boosts straight and briskly on t' E9-8 and D12-7, even with a
breeze. Begad! Altimeter reported 1240' on t' E9 and 740' on t' D12, which works out
to a rough drag coefficient (Cd) o' 2.2 or so for t' design, me bucko, a bit high even
by tube fin standards. Begad! I be only able t' get 2 measurements before a crash
ruined t' altimeter. E9-6 and D12-5 are also possible motor choices but eject
a bit early. Aye aye! Ahoy! I nearly lost it on a single flight on an E30-7--super fast, out
of sight, and appeared t' be climbin' t' at least t' 1500' at 390 mph
predicted by simulation. Avast, me proud beauty! I was afraid o' a shred and too chicken t' fly it with
my MicroAlt in t' E30 flight). Aye aye!
E-Qualizer
flies pleasantly on C11-5 motors as well, equivalent t' t' performance o' an
Estes Big Daddy (350'). I have so far resisted t' urge t' fly E-Qualizer on an
F21-8 as simulations predict nearly 2000' at 400 mph. Avast, me proud beauty! It would probably survive
structurally but a water landin' would be a certainty at our island field here
in San Diego.
I have been
experimentin' with an all-PVC, 29mm version o' E-Qualizer t' fly on G/H-power
as well. Blimey! First test flight on an E30-7 (with adapter) was perfect, however, the
second flight CATO'd t' E30 (front closure failure) and spectacularly torched
the PVC rocket body (PVC would make a good nitrous hybrid motor, maybe).
R&D continues.
Summary:
PRO: A good fun fly rocket, and easy t' build. Ya scallywag! Flies t' E9-8 without nose
weight despite weighin' only 88 grams. Very stable in wind.
CON: Vaughn kits no longer available, but could be scratch built from parts. Begad! A small rocket, thus can be easily lost if flown over 1000'. It is also unnecessarily draggy (way too much fin area) but I have since found better ways to achieve good performance combinin' light tube fin designs flyin' heavy motors.
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