The Nike-X: One of my favorite '70s kits. This design was inspired by air defense missiles. The real Nike-X project was begun, but cancelled before it saw the light of day; this is only a suggestion to what the real one would have looked like. The pseudo-second-stage fins and the great Black & White decals are the highlight of the design.
I have modified this kit by adding an altimeter payload bay ("Iris"), which adds 3 inches and 17.5 grams of weight. Of course, now she's just a bit too heavy to fly safely with A8-3 motors. (Iris is named after the Greek god of the rainbow. She is a messenger of the gods, linking the gods with humanity.) This rocket has flown higher than torch of the Statue of Liberty, including its base.
Flight Date: | 2010-11-13 |
Rocket Name: | Nike-X |
Kit Name: | Estes - Nike-X {Kit} (1270) [1975-1984] |
Flyer's Name: | Rich DeAngelis |
Motors: | B6-4 |
Launch Site: | Tanguy Soccer Field |
Actual Altitude: | 200 Feet |
Good Flight, Moderate Weathercocking, Good Recovery. Estimating 200 feet altitude based on other flights with an altimeter aboard.
Stage | Motor(s) |
---|---|
1 | Estes B6-4 |