I've been doing a bit of re-building recently, another disaster now repaired. Once Called "The Big Nuke", a bonus delay on an Aerotech motor saw a zipper tear down both sides to just above the bottom of the 'check' mark around the top. I got myself motivated, trimmed off the top 3 or 4 inches and gave it a new lick of paint. Now simply called "Red & White" (because I can't think of a better name) has flown again! First video on an E9, the 2nd (after the jump) is on an E30. Flys like a charm and looks super under its matching red & white parachute!

At the end of January, I took a trip to Benalla with a boot-load of rockets. Some few well, while others didn't go as planned. My scratch-built Mini Mean Machine was one of the casualties. Originally launched to an absurd height on a D13 RMS motor, it came back down without the aid of a parachute (it was still tucked away in the end of the body tube). I managed to save almost 1/2 the length of the rocket, rebuilt it, repainted it and last week put it up again on a more realistic A8 motor. It was a fine flight with perfect recovery. Here's the video:

On Monday I made my way down to the Dandenong Wetlands and launched my Scratch-built C6-5 motor rocket on a C6-5! Here's the video :)

Ballistic ChickenBallistic ChickenIs it a bird? Is it a... Oh.. Wait.. Yeah.. It's a bird - sort of. It's the Ballistic Chicken!!

This brave little bird has now put in three flights on an Estes B6-4. With a nice heavy beak, it reaches a respectable altitude.

Flown a couple of weeks ago at an MMRG day, everyone got a laugh :)

After it's last flight, a small 'ding' appeared in the top of one of the fins. A bit of filler and a quick spray will have this looking like new (I'm just glad that I saved some of the custom-mixed paint I used!!)

Well, I've finally done it - I've got a cluster!!

I know, I know... The Duces wild is supposed to be everyone's first cluster - and that's why I didn't want one :P

36" of BT60, pointy nosecone on the top and a rounded 'bertha' nosecone on the bottom. Two motors are mounted in the out-board pods with ejection charge venting through a small piece of BT05 - recovery via a 24" home-made mylar parachute that pops out the top. Video - watch it!



Now to upscale!!

Big Rocket with Sparkly KNO3 motor



I am now the proud owner of a 1lb bag of powdered Titanium :) and what a sparkly motor it makes!!

Flying on a G89 Ex motor - KNO3/Sorbitol with 1% RIO and 10% TI.

60mm post tube airframe, plywood fins, balsa nosecone & MAD for apogee deployment. The 'Big Rocket' has been through the wars - it's been a trooper and served me well. Rebuilt after a ballistic landing (forgot to arm the electronics D'oh!) and then shearing the shock cord and busting a fin on landing, it's time to retire it to the recycling bin!

Video after the jump!

Big Nuke FlightBig Nuke FlightThe Big Nuke (2.8" airframe) is a super flyer. One of my biggest scratch-built rockets so far.

Performed well on Estes D & E black powder motors, but it really zips on an Aerotech SU E. Unfortunately, the second flight on the Aerotech motor saw a nice big zipper after a bonus long delay :'(

I'll get around to fixing it some time - it's too good not to try!!

V-2 RocketV-2 RocketWerner would be proud!

I finally had the chance to launch my ASP V-2 recently and WOW!

The V-2 flys on an Estes A10-3T and it just *SCREAMS* off the pad!!

A little wadding and a 7" mylar chute for recovery is perfect!

I have now launched my 'Now that's what I call a funnel' twice with success!

Flying on a KNSB 29mm motor. According to Richard Nakka's SRM software, the motor Simmed as a G79


1st Flight

Every picture tells a story, these are no exception! 2nd scratch-built sugar rocket not as successful as first :p

  
Using a new KNO3 formula, the rear enclosure of the motor blew out due to over-pressurisation. Very spectacular, but ultimately didn't make for a very good flight at all. The formula was from Jimmy Yawn's fantastic site - Recrystallized Rocketry. This is the Skillet RCandy as described on Jimmy's site: 

KNO3 - 64%
Sucrose - 28%
Dextrose 6%
Fructose - 2%

The formula was then catalyzed with 1.5% Red Iron Oxide.