My Rocket Collection

RB (Andrew) · #1 08-09-2005, 06:33 PM

G'day all,

Slice of Heaven asked me to post some pics of my rockets so if you'd like to see them there here: http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...5809#post45809

Cheers everyone

RB

Thiink · #2 08-09-2005, 06:49 PM

Nice collection!

When I get home I'll post up some pics of my rockets (and some of my friends too). We last launched ours yesterday afternoon in fact! We always get footage so if you are interested in seeing our launches let me know and I can post some up. At $18.99 for a pack of C6-3/5/7's out this way we don't launch often, but we are working a way around that.

RB (Andrew) · #3 08-09-2005, 07:06 PM

Thanks Simon,

Yeah, I don't fly them much because it adds up but I like to build and collect them.
Actually I'd love to see the videos, Great.

RB

slice of heaven · #4 08-09-2005, 08:15 PM

Top stuff Andrew

How well does the UFO fly?

Yeah post some pics and footage Simon.
Its another great hobby you guys have.

RB (Andrew) · #5 08-09-2005, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slice of heaven

Top stuff Andrew

How well does the UFO fly?

Yeah post some pics and footage Simon.
Its another great hobby you guys have.

The UFO is a great little peformer, it's great for starters and younger kids.
It goes straight up, ejects the engine and flips over and lands on its "feet".
Beautiful to watch. Can't ever loose it. Virtually lands meters from the launch area.

RB

toetoe (Peter) · #6 08-09-2005, 11:19 PM

Great collection there Andrew.

Did you happen to see the Mythbusters episode when they put small rockets on top of a car to power it along,?? Good fun indeed.

cometcatcher (Kevin) · #7 09-09-2005, 03:06 AM

Great stuff! I'd like to see a 6 footer go!

Take any aerial photos with them?

RB (Andrew) · #8 09-09-2005, 03:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cometcatcher

Great stuff! I'd like to see a 6 footer go!

Take any aerial photos with them?

I've got a aerial CAM rocket but havn't used it yet.
As soon as I do I'll post the pics.

slice of heaven · #9 09-09-2005, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rocket Boy

The UFO is a great little peformer, it's great for starters and younger kids.
It goes straight up, ejects the engine and flips over and lands on its "feet".
Beautiful to watch. Can't ever loose it. Virtually lands meters from the launch area.

RB

Where can I grab one of them Andrew?
That would make a novel intro to rockets for the lad

RB (Andrew) · #10 09-09-2005, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Where can I grab one of them Andrew?
That would make a novel intro to rockets for the lad

Not sure slice,

I bought that one about 4 years ago from a local toy store. I'll check it out and get back to you. I havn't seen them around for ages.

RB

slice of heaven · #11 09-09-2005, 10:05 AM

Thanks RB

Striker (Tony) · #12 09-09-2005, 12:20 PM

Nice Rockets....

This brings back some memories.

I purchases a small rocket and motors not long after they first come out many years ago....On the back of the packet it sayed you have to advise the local fire department of the location you are going to be firing them off...and also not to set them off within 16 KM's of any airport.....so what did I do I rung the fire department giving them the park I was going to do my first launch....got all my mates to meet at the park then all of a sudden the police arrive.

They were responding to a call made to the fire department that some mad man (me) was setting off a rocket in this park....what did they think it was some Nuclear missile or something.....lol

Anyway the police enjoyed themselves watching there maiden flights.

mojo (Terry) · #13 09-09-2005, 12:59 PM

Excellent. Can you give us some details about the rockets. What fuel do they use? How high have you fired one? Do you build your own engines, or do you buy them?

Striker (Tony) · #14 09-09-2005, 01:08 PM

Terry...they use like a small firework (Motor) unuseable again once fired...you can get different size rockets and motors with different firing lengths.

Usualy the small rockets go the furtherest...my little one went up to 1600 feet where my bigger one went only 400 feet....you can even get multiple stage rockets that keep firing diffent motors as you go up...they normaly work in 2 stages....the main motor fires then once it runs out it fires a secondry out of the top that blows your little parachute out of the nose cone so your rocket can land safely...this was a while ago when I had them so things may have advanced but they were a lot of fun.

Play the 3 second MPEG to see one launch...below

http://www.ranum.com/fun/bsu/rocketry/

slice of heaven · #15 09-09-2005, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Striker

Nice Rockets....

This brings back some memories.

I purchases a small rocket and motors not long after they first come out many years ago....

You old fart Tony..,you hide your age well

Maybe a daytime show could be organized at a IIS starparty to pass time during daylight.

Thiink · #16 09-09-2005, 02:10 PM

Quest Astra III (~1000ft)
http://think.bluearsefly.com/gallery/Rockets/astra.jpg
One of the originals we started with. We ended up loosing the nose cone for this on the first flight we had. We lost sight of it shortly after launch and only ended up finding the body of it. Somehow I don't think the shock cord was tied to the shrowd lines properly

. It sits at home waiting for me to make another balsa nose cone for it.
(video)

Quest Harpoon
http://think.bluearsefly.com/gallery...ts/harpoon.jpg
One of the originals we started with. My workhorse! Has seen about 15 or so launches now. It's spent time on someones roof and spent the night in a tree.. and it still flies!
(video 1 / video 2 / ejection charge + chute video)

Quest Super Eagle (~800ft)
http://think.bluearsefly.com/gallery...supereagle.jpg
This one is 1m high, and is always a crowd pleaser! Has done about 5 launches so far. We brought this one from the US.
(video)

Estes Mecury Redstone (~500ft)
http://think.bluearsefly.com/gallery...ryredstone.jpg
One of my friends rockets. We brought it from the US. Makes for some great slow launches because of its weight! The longest part of putting it together was him painting it.
(video)

Videos have been uploaded. You are going to need the DiVX codec to watch these as they've been cropped, compressed and resized.

We still have plans to build a proper launch pad (to get rid of the block of wood), but our home made launch controller works great (image to come). We still have my Quest Navaho (dual-stage rocket with max altitude about 2100ft), my friends Estes Patriot (~500ft) and Estes Bull Pup (675ft) to build.. but we are too lazy. As you can see I am a Quest fanboy, he is an Estes fanboy. I'll upload the missing pictures and videos when I get home from work.

ps. For a good run down of how solid fuel (black powder) model rocket engines work see here.

ving (David) · #17 09-09-2005, 02:37 PM

humungus

iceman (Mike) · #18 09-09-2005, 02:47 PM

haha way cool hobby! Looks awesome.. What happens when they come down on someone's head? I can just imaging these being launched in suburbia! You'd have the feds knocking on your door

Striker (Tony) · #19 09-09-2005, 05:30 PM

Thiink is into astrophotography and he doesn't even know it.

Check out the large rocket...that looks like the moon to me...with the rocket pointing to it.

Thiink the astrphotographer....nice daytime moon shot.....lol

slice of heaven · #20 09-09-2005, 06:47 PM

Nice one Simon

Definitely a larger variety off the shelf these days.