Finally - Three new kits and a booster
 

The starship Excalibur slipped out a few hours early. Here are the new ones. I am still working on the web pages.

Starship Excalibur - Classic, even if it took a few more months than we thought.
Centurion-F First Semroc kit for new Estes 29mm BP engines (and some old 24mm ones)
Maxi-Micron Classic upscale
Booster-18 Convert Maxi-Micron to 2 stage

A Booster-18 will be sent free with each Maxi-Micron until April 15.

Great news!

I'm kind of over-stocked with kits, but I might make an exception for the Maxi-Micron. I need a few "big small field flyers." It could pass for the Explorer, but I guess that it is more lightly built.

Always great to see new kits, Carl. :D

Order in! Not that I need any more kits....but since I'm going to NSL, I need to do that Centurion F - so as to have something to try out the new Estes 29mm BP motors in. And of course, I am one of many waiting for the Excalibur.

Placing my order now..... :-)

Tom C.

That Centurion-F sounds great to me !
Placing order SOON.

Had an order on hold until the Starship Excaliber was ready. Had an issue with the means of payment, but St. Sheryl fixed it for me. Premium customer service and a Brown Box, too !!!

Chas

Wow..... my order shipped already!

Excellent!

As did mine.....

My order shipped today.

I'm looking forward to getting these new kits. :)

To borrow a phrase from a comic book company, "Make mine SEMROC!" :D

While the Centurion-F is the first Semroc kit to list the new Estes 29mm BP motors for use, I think several of the SLS series models (Aero-Dart, Hustler) would be a better choice due to their mass and lower altitudes they would reach (Could be flown in smaller fields).

Of course, the E16 and F15 motors recall Mini-Max motors Centuri sold so why not fly them in Mini-Max models. ;)

I'm going to pick up a few of the new Estes motors to use in my Hustler, both versions of Aero Dart, Explorer, and Lil'Hustler just for the nostalgia factor of flying them like the originals. None of them have flown on anything but 24 and 29mm RMS reloads ecept the Semroc Aero Dart which flew once on an E9-6. May even try one of the new 29mm F's in my Enerjet Athena Clone.

I don't think I will be brave enough to ever try any 29mm ANYTHING in my Jaguar or Scorpion.

The new 29mm Estes motors are closer to the Mini-Max EB line, rather than the rip-roaring port burners.

I don't doubt they'll lift a well built Hustler, but if you are looking for a close match, you'd fly the E16 and F15 in the Jaguar, Scorpion, and Explorer.

I've flown an Explorer on an E9, and it was awesome!

Good comments. I will also be bringing an SLS Aero Dart to NSL with both a 24 and 29mm mount. It is now at the decal-installation stage. In the same order as the Centurion F I have an SLS Hustler coming as well...but that may not get done in time as the Centurion F (and one of the Starship Excaliburs) will get built before it.

And a white box (not brown) containing Starship Excalibur #15 (and another one), plus Maxi-Micron #8 and Centurion-F #8 arrived today. :) The weather this weekend is forecast to be wet and windy - time to get started on a couple of them.

And a brown box arrived today with Starship Excalibur #10. The post office tried to bash the brown box but contents was in perfect condition :)

I can see lots of filling and sanding in my future.

I have a buddy that works at one of the Major shipping companies and he says they take great relish in having a fun time performing 'deliberate destructive durability' testing on boxes of goods a few times a month.

Well . . . against my better judgement, I bought one each of the new kits, plus a few small parts I needed.

Or should say, "will buy" as soon as PayPal finishes processing the transfer order.

Those employees should be fired on the spot. If I was their manager that is exactly what I would advocate.

John Boren has commented that the new Estes F15 motor has lifted models up to 17 ounces in weight/mass. He has used the motor in all the Estes Pro Series II kits except for the Mega Maxx.

I may have to test this out. ;)

kurt-
The one I'm referring to IS a MANAGER !!!
Not much of a chance in the guys beneath getting terminated if the mgmt. at the facility supports the activity.
One time he told me about an impromptu indoor 'soccer' match played with boxes.
Every box under 2' in length for about 2hrs had AT LEAST one solid BOOT-PRINT on it.
Some had toes kicked solidly through.
His response to this is 'you better ship in a DURABLE box' !

As soon as I saw that PayPal had confirmed my deposit, I placed my order.

I added a "Midget" at last minute, to bring the total for the order to just over $100.00.

Now I need to stop procrastinating and start building!

I normally would never fly models "naked," but I wanted to fly new rockets at the monthly Oregon Rocketry launch.

So I got the Maxi-Micron and Vega to the "first coat of sanding sealer" stage and prepped them for flight.

I ended up flying them three times each today; twice on B6-4, once each on C6-5.

They flew very well; the Maxi-Micron performed quite nicely even on the B. I thought the 12" parachutes might not be enough, but they flew high enough that I'm glad they 'chutes weren't higher.

I'd like to try these out on B4-2 motors, for "low and slow" flights. I'm totally, completely out of those, unfortunately.

Stefan,

That looks good.... I was wondering how those two compared as I have a much-flown (and fairly ratty looking) Vega and Maxi Micron number 00008 in the bag.

I'm really wondering about the booster-18/Maxi Micron combo (but they forgot to send the booster to me so I'll have it sent in my next order).

I did maiden my SLS Aero Dart today (D12-5) then flew it again (E12-6). Both gorgeous flights. I have a 29mm mount for it....and am looking to try an Estes BP F at NSL..... :)

Liftoff shot of the Aero Dart from yesterday: http://www.hullaeroimages.com/p861627851/e5b99d75c

Looks GREAT !
Have you looked into building a 1972-version Enerjet Aero Dart clone to complement this one ?

I have the booster for the Maxi-Micron, but didn't build it in time for Sunday's launch.

I may give it a spin with a B6-0/A8-3 combo next month.

You may want to try a Quest A6-4 on top of that B6-0. An A8-3 would be too short a delay and an A8-5 might be a hair too long.

I'm flat out of A6-4s. I've used that motor in the past for upper-stages and it works fine for that.

I have plenty of A8-5s, but the Maxi-Micron is so bulky I think I could get away the A8-3.

I look at it this way....You would not fly it on a B6-2, B4-2, or C6-3 right ?
It would be a B6-4, B4-4, or C6-5.
A B6-0 to A8-x is 3/4 of a full C in impulse.
While a B6-0 to A8-3 may work, I think a B6-0 to A8-5 would probably be better. I think the 3 second delay would be far too short and most likely it will still be moving upward at a pretty good pace. May shred a chute.

My first thought was that the A8-3 delay was too short. But when I looked at the specs, 1.84" diameter, I decided the 3 sec delay was probably OK.

Doug

.

This thing is 1.84" in diameter. My Big Bertha, 1.64" dia, flies just fine on B4-2's and C6-3's...


That was my first thought, too, but when I considered the size of the rocket, I figured the long delay was probably not as good a fit as the A8-3. (Altho the A6-4 crossed my mind.)

...

My second thought was that this thing was begging for 24mm motors :D

Doug

.

According to Rocksim, B6-0/A8-3 works well.

383 ft
5.0 sec to apogee
16.7 ft/sec Vd
3.41 sec optimal delay

Maxi-Micron-Booster-18

Unfortunately Estes A8-3s tend to run a little short of 3 seconds.....the NAR cert data says 2.25s. But so do Quest A6-4s - at 3.52s (for the Chinese motors). So the A6-4 sounds right (though it's thrust curve will yield a lower altitude flight).

He should build an Aero-Dart family like I did. ;)

Ooops! I still need to build the Semroc Mini Aero-Dart I picked up at NARAM-52. :D

The little nozzle-shaped booster pod is very clever. I was thinking "maybe I should punch vent holes in it" when I realized that the motor mount design did that already.

I may do something like that on my Lil' Beth X-2 upscale. The tolerances on the wooden slats will have to be pretty tight, but it would look better than punching holes in the booster.


* * *
Can anyone suggest a width for the black band on the top of the Maxi-Micron body tube? That is: The nose cone is black, but it looks like the top of the body tube is as well.

The model in the photo has a 3.25" black band at the top of the tube.

Perfect, thanks!

I am going to need to build a spray booth; my new back yard is tiny, and I don't want to overspray my neighbors' fences and patio furniture.

:) I have one of those with one coat of balsa fillercoat on it.....

Not sure I'll be trying to do an Aero Dart family beyond that, but I did also just finish a mount for the 29mm Estes BP Es and Fs so I can fly the one in the picture on those motors at NSL, hopefully..... Its first two flights on an Estes D12 and E12 were sure nice.

Oh - and back on topic - got the second order from Carl and Sheryl and company with the Maxi Micron and Booster-18 in it. With a little luck I'll bring those to NSL as well.

I now have Centurion F number 00008 and 00026. I'll build the second one I think.

New SEMROC Kits
 

My Maxi Micron was delivered yesterday, looks to be similar in size to the SLS Explorer.
When I build the MM, I will go to my box of old parts and use some Flight Systems centering
rings, modify them to fit a 24mm tube. and fly this kit on C11's and D12'S.
I think I will leave the 18mm tube out of the Booster as well.
I don't know what 24mm motors will do to the CP -CG, I will compensate
with washers as needed.
The Maxi Micron / Booster 18 flying on a C11-0/ C11-7 -D12-0 / D12-7will be exciting.
SEMROC has some of the most interesting kits on the market today.