Ye Olde Rocket Forum - View Single Post - Golden Scout Flight Thread

Quote:

Originally Posted by CPMcGraw

I'm at the point of prepping my 18mm casings, having drilled out the clay from eight. Now comes a question:

I see that most of you are flying with 1/4 A3-3, 1/2 A3-2, and 1/2 A3-4 motors. Has there been enough experience with the Golden Scout to say which of these motors produce the most successful flights? Or, just the most pleasing flights?

My concern was getting the rocket back. I thought I launched with a 1/4A but I see I actually used a 1/2A. I actually prepped two empty 18mm casings with the 1/4As but decided to use a dummy casing for lightness (less possibility of loosing a fin on landing). What I did was use a yellow engine block inserter (you know what I'm talking about) and installed a 13mm tube inside using two CR5-20s. The outside of the CRs had to be peeled down to fit inside the yellow spacer tube. The 13mm tube extended out the aft of the yellow tube about 1/4 inch and the motor, when installed, extended another 1/4 inch. Gave me some redundancy concerning the motor kick. If it missed the motor, the end of the spacer tube still could be caught. Also, if the motor did rebound back into the body tube, I still had most of the remaining mass at the rear of the rocket, thus, would still have a tumble recovery. Looking at the used motor, there is a very prominent dent where it hit the motor hook. Upon recovery, the yellow spacer was inside the BT. I don't know if this was a result of the landing or as a result of a rebound. Since the rocket came in tumbling, not nose first, I would assume that the motor rebounded. But, since the mass was so far aft, it was still able to tumble.

On the 1/2A3-2T motor I used, I saw the entire flight. No instability in ascent. Tumbled all the way to the ground. No charred fins. Sooty around the pressure vent holes.

First picture is of the dent in the motor. The next three show each vent hole.