Jay,
Does RocSim say that the Wolverine design is stable? My 1:1 clone has only been stable once or twice no matter how much nose weight I added. :confused:

Estes "Wolverine" #0816 -- 1.00X
 

Bill,

*If* you use a balsa nose cone (no nose weight) and 1/16" balsa, per the original (as opposed to basswood :eek: ), RockSim 8 says you *should* be able to get the following results:


Motor -- Altitude -- Speed at ejection

1/2A3-2T -- 62 ft. -- 8 fps (feet per second)

A3-4T -- 181 ft. -- 36 fps [near chute-shredding speed, IIRC]

A10-3T -- 200 ft. -- 5 fps


So if you jump through all the hoops specified, it looks like the A10-3T should be the ideal motor for a "stock" 1:1 Estes Wolverine.

Unless the universe is conspiring against you, of course. :rolleyes: (heavy sigh)


That's what I "gots" for ya,

--Jay

A (Small) Pack of Wolverines
 

While I was waiting for the paint to dry on my Sirius Interrogator, I thought I'd use the label-paper fin-covering technique I learned from that rocket to rebuild my long-lost 1.36X Estes Wolverine upscale. Then for good measure, I decided to throw together a 1.00X version. (Bill, you were right! This one's *dinky!*)

I used 1/16" balsa for the BT-50 version (it's *very* light! It'll probably only need a streamer, since I made sure *not* to use an engine hook for this one), and 3/32" balsa for the BT-55 upscale.

(Oddly enough, "X-Men 2" was on over the weekend. :eek: )


1.00X 13 mm version
Motor / Altitude / Deployment Speed

1/2A3-2T -- 87 ft. -- 3 fps
A10-3T -- 265 ft. -- 9 fps


1.36X 18 mm version
Motor / Altitude / Deployment Speed

B6-4 -- 317 ft. -- 9 fps
C6-5 -- 796 ft. -- 7 fps


Now there's just the matter of BNC-50BC and BNC-55BC nose cones to deal with. Hmm... :cool:


Cheers,

--Jay

My original vintage Wolverine flies fine.

Will need to be rebuilt sometime, as the tube spiral has torn at top ( now scotch-taped), and it was never sealed when built, so ,although looks ok, the age of the just-starting-to-deteriorate decals and the bad tube,unsealed wood, etc will make for a restoration oportunity.

quick question that brngs up ( no fighting now :-) - opinions on the resto ?

would you restore it ( I will either way, since it's a memory ), or would you save it an dmake a complete clone to fly ?

I recently restored my vintage Omega, X-ray , and ahve the 1227 Honest John about done, and started resto on a Condor, so trying to save my oldies, but bring em up to bioth my current finishing standards and safety ( shock cords,etc ) standards.

~ AL

Al,

If the condition of the balsa is not too bad, and if it's just a small area around one edge of the tube that's coming undone, I'd try a full restoration. Remove enough of the tube to eliminate the old shock chord mount and add a fresh length with a short coupler (coupler not longer than 1/4", I'd think; use a split-tube quickie coupler) and make sure the coupler is far enough down to clear the shoulder.

Sand off all of those original decals and either create new ones or find someone with a "modern" set.

the balsa looks good, not chipped up or abused, just needs sealing and repainting to be nicer

side note - I have been using a pinecar brand sanding sealer, water based, right over the old paint and have had excellent results, do check it out ,

the tube is torn right along the spiral for about 1 - 1.25 " , I was going to just disect the entire thing, use a new tube , old fins and nosecone and motor mount, but then got hinking - should I save it, and just build a clone since the fins are easily made, cone can be had from bms, etc.

liekly will restore, and am taking your advise into consideration aboput splicing it, instead of 'destroying it' to rebuild.

I know Phred has the decals, so that's what prompted me to go for it .

before pic attached.

~ AL

I'd definately go for the restoration. I've restored a few of my own. However, I have a question. When does a "restoration" become a "clone with some original parts?" It's the "Grandpa's Hammer" situation. (This is Grandpa's hammer...It's had three heads and four handles since he had it, but it's STILL Grandpa's hammer) I just thought it was a fun questions...What do you guys think?

Go for the restoration, Al!

Nothing in that picture that a proper application of sandpaper and primer can't undo...

And remember, a fresh coat of paint is like love -- it can cover a multitude of sins... :D

I'd save it as is. :cool:

Well, when I was an advisor to the local middle school club ( for 15 years ), the instructor gave points for flights ( based on simple criteria such as fully deployed chute, damage,etc ), and if a rocket was damaged / repaired - he said it was the same if it used parts of the original...

course then you had 'lower half repaire d/ replaced ', 4-5 launches later payload was lost, so new one built, still same rocket he says, but might have the engine hook from the original left....

I;m gonna restore it ( sorry Bill ), since it's 'my history' and will still be afterwards.

~ AL

raining here now so no painting tonight