Incredible design James! Great work! :)

New video camera with potential...
 

Check out this video camera from Hobby-Lobby. It records on SD cards, and seems to have a really good frame rate. (Addendum: How does 25 Frames Per Second sound?)The demo video they show is clear and sharp when used on an RC airplane. With a 2GB card, it can store up to 30 minutes of video.

The price is not too bad, either. $98.80 plus shipping.

Resolution is 640x480 for video, and 1280 x 1024 for still shots. Camera measures 3" x 1.5" x 0.5". Contains a rechargeable Li-Ion, which uses power from your USB port to recharge in about 1 1/2 hours.

Oh, good. You're posting pics. I guess that means you're downloading the launch pics next? ;)

RSN :o

The professional camera that I use to film weddings with is 24 fps, as are Hollywood movies... it's a good frame rate.

How much does it weigh?

Like this, clickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclick clickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclickclick clickclickclickclickclick,
only faster. :D

James, that is SWEET and just BEGGING to be a cluster!
:) :) :)

New Plan -- Non Aspera
 

A "cousin" to the Andromeda. Retains the open-fin pattern and general shape, but marginally simplified. The forward payload tube can be either clear plastic or standard spiral-wound. The nose cone needs a paper transition wrapped around the bottom portion so that the forward fins have something to glue against; If you use thinned white glue, you can bond them to the clear plastic tube without smearing or fogging. This gives you the ability to remove the nose cone for payload access.

All of the following specifications are based on a sport launch condition, with no payload mass.

Length: 28.70"
Diameter: 1.04" (ST-10); Rings are 1.84" (ST-175)
Fin Span: 5.04"
Weight: 1.84 oz

B4-4......355'......Dv 9 FPS......36" x 1/8" rod
B6-4......360'......Dv 4 FPS......36" x 1/8" rod
C6-5......810'......Dv 6 FPS......36" x 1/8" rod

The phrase "Ad Astra Ad Aspera" means "To the stars, with difficulties". Non Aspera should thus be translated "No Problem!"

Enjoy!

Jay's new design -- ZETA
 

In the "Scrounged-Up Designs 2006" thread, James Pierson wrote at 07:56 PM on 08-02-2006:

"I personally think that Jay is holding out on us and keeping his best designs for himself. (Feel the love, Jay.)"


I hate to admit this, but Jim was right. :o

However, I recently noticed that EMRR had a "Box O' Parts" contest (which I was too busy to participate in, due to the recurring intrusions of real life), and I threw together a list of parts that *I* would have included. Then I took it one step further, and tried to figure out how *I'd* put them together. :D

To that end, I present the "Zeta" (pronounced "ZAY-tuh"). :cool:


Parts list (all components by Semroc):

BC-760 Nose cone
SE-14 Screw eye
ST-7120 Body tube
ST-530 Body tube (2)
ST-1040 Body tube
CR-710 Centering rings (2)
EH-28 Engine hook
TR-7 Thrust ring
LL-117 Launch lug
EC-130 Elastic cord
SCK-24 Kevlar shock cord
CP-12 Parachute (Use a streamer for B and C-powered flights.)
3/32" balsa


(This may take a few consecutive posts, so I apologize in advance.)

As always, pertinent comments or questions are welcome. Impertinent ones will be dealt with accordingly. :eek: :rolleyes:


Thanks, and cheers,

Very kewl:cool: Jay! Would be: 'Zeta see ya lata' on a D13!2015ft!:eek: But nice soft d/v of 13 ft/sec :D

That cone is becoming quite the workhorse out west. :rolleyes:

I'd be interested in seeing some production numbers from Carl as to how many of these cones he's pulled from the Krellvenator since Jay got him started. The "Tau" series really needed them, and I think there's a few more possibilities with it in the future...

Great Design Jay!
 

Yes! We have managed, once again, to squeeze another great design from Jay. Its good to hear from you Buddy and hope all is going well in your neck of the woods ;) .





I agree Craig. I would really like to see an ST-10 based Tau Cone someday soon. Hint Hint Jay :rolleyes: .

As for me here in WA the weather really sucks! Still below 50 degrees, snowed again Friday & Saturday so I cannot primer the prototypes yet. I am waiting to post pre-testflight photo's after at least one coat of primer is on. Pre-testflight photo's just in case some don't come back in one piece :D . Still consumed with starting the build of the Tranquility 9 but still have not started it yet :( .

James Pierson
NAR# 77907

A Modest Proposal -- BC-1082
 

That would be up to Carl, should he reconsider releasing more than just *one* nose cone. ;) :D (That April Fools' joke pretty much rivaled Nick's at EMRR several years back. :eek: )

Dredging up the original file posted on Ye Olde Rocket Forum (YORF) back on 06-08-2006:

http://forums.rocketshoppe.com/show...83&postcount=81


...I have updated it per young Mr. JP's request.

The cone section is 7.2" long, while the transition is 1.0" long. The widest point is 1.43", while I'm suggesting a shoulder of 0.75" long.

I humbly submit that its designation should be BC-1082. [EDIT] Instead of 10820... I got carried away and added that extra zero, which is used in *body tube lengths.* :o


Please notify Mr. McLawhorn if you feel his most excellent company should make this nose cone available. (Oh, and have him bring the dowels back. Gordon "Sandman" Agnello would probably like that. :eek: :rolleyes: :p )


Cheers,

In for a penny, in for a pound...
 

Jay,

An upscale Andromeda SLS was proposed HERE, so I think another variant would be appropriate. Probably could work it into a 24mm power package (the SLS was 29mm)... :rolleyes:

If Carl says yes, I'll get one or two and try building this upscale.

Of course, this also means I need to upscale the Andromeda fin patterns, which Carl would need to feed into the Krellvenator to produce laser-cut frames; and some new bulkheads, too, for those shrouds...

New Design: Galactic Goblin
 

I don't know if I have posted this design of not? :confused: Cannot find it posted anywhere so here it is. I call it the Galactic Goblin and am posting version 3 of 5 with this design. It looks OK, but is not as stable as I would like it to be. This design really needs an ejection charge of 3 seconds on B motors according to Rocksim for better DV's.

Enjoy and Thanks Again, JP

Galactic Goblin (18mm)
Launch guide length: 36.0000 In

MOTOR.................MAX. ALTITUDE...........DEP. VELOCITY
A8-3..................125.45308 Ft.............21.9994 ft/s
B4-4..................314.03970 Ft.............18.4159 ft/s
B6-4..................320.77789 Ft.............13.9452 ft/s
C6-5..................713.53347 Ft.............18.4870 ft/s

James Pierson
NAR#77907

Interesting images, James. 19 and 14 FPS are not horrible DVs, but if they could be brought down a bit it would make for a not-quite-such-a-nail-biter at chute time...

Could the altitude performance be sacrificed for a softer DV? Larger diameter shroud, or larger fins (greater margin)?

Input Appreciated.
 

I tried both and they did raise the margin only slightly. Maybe what this design needs is more length and some nose wieght, but it just don't look right any longer. Besides after it's built it will most likely be heavier than RocKsim says, as usual, and be better off with some nose wieght and a 2 second delay just like the Sabre Tooth on a C motor ;) .

Thanks for your input Craig, JP.

James Pierson
NAR# 77907

New Design: Sky Champ
 

Here is another variation of a Lander I came up with called the Sky Champ. It uses an
BnC-55BE as a nose cone and the main body is shaped by using an BTC-70HZ hollow balsa
transition. I cheated the Static Margin reference for this file as I felt the Maximum Frontal
Diameter is too much for this short wide design.
I also added for extra drag at the bottom of the landing legs some CR-7 kockouts of
Carl's .05 cardstock to look like landing pads. I always save these and know I finally ahve a
purpose fro them. I don't know how to sim the drag for the landing pads so I will leave it up
to Jay to fiqure that out. These pads may just be the thing needed to fix the Neptune Lander

CG-CP as well.

Enjoy and Thanks Again, JP

Sky Champ (18mm)
Launch guide length: 36.0000 In

MOTOR.................MAX. ALTITUDE...........DEP. VELOCITY
1/2A3T-2..............70.68996 Ft..............4.7838 ft/s.
A10T-3................204.79724 Ft.............7.3262 ft/s

James Pierson
NAR# 77907

.

I've GOT to build this one!

Great looking design, James! Let me guess (without looking at the RS file), the A3-4T has too high a Dv, or it deploys during the down-swing...

BINGO my friend, you guessed it. I am glad you like it. A3-4T has the power but too long of a delay. The A10T-3 should be the chosen motor for this design as actual biuild wieghts are usaully heavier so I would avoid the 1/2A3T-2.

Craig what is your opinion with my chaet to the Margin reference? I just used the inside of the BT-55 tube for the reference. If I could sim the drag of the landing pads we might be able to delete an WL-7 and get some more altitude.

James Pierson
NAR# 77907

I see what you mean...

Hard to say, JP. Using the MFD setting lowers the margin below 1.00 (about 0.74) even without the motor installed. However, using the NCBD brings it up to 2.74 with the A10-3T installed. Changing this to the URD drops it to 1.03, even though the specified diameter is exactly the same as the NCBD. I'd say it's neither, and more like somewhere in the middle.

I know it's heresy to say this, but RockSim doesn't always know what it's talking about...:eek:

Lol
 

LOL, ain't that the truth though!

I guess only one way to find out if it will fly, built it and it will either fly or crash and burn.
Although the flying part is fun, the crash and burn part is always much cooler :D .

James Pierson
NAR# 77907

New Plan -- Norseman
 

Inspired in part by the Viking series of FSI kits.

Length: 17.74"
Diameter: 0.908" (ST-8)
Fin Span: 5.41"
Weight: 1.75 oz

A8-3......150'......Dv 14 FPS......36" x 1/8" standard rod
B4-4......390'......Dv 3 FPS.......36" x 1/8" standard rod
B6-4......395'......Dv 3 FPS.......36" x 1/8" standard rod
C6-5......895'......Dv 8 FPS.......36" x 1/8" standard rod

Although not illustrated in the RockSim images, the tubes really should be cut on a bevel at the top and bottom ends, matching the cut tubes of the FSI Vikings.

Enjoy!

Winter Builds & Pending Test Flights
 

Well, I will admit that I have been too busy to post many new Rocksim designs these past few months. I have been busy doing something and that's building a few. So without any further do do, :D here they are ;) .

PS. The weather here stinks, in fact it snowed the past two days off and on so I havn't got much painting done and will postpone any test launches as well :( .

Enjoy and Thanks Again, JP

James Pierson
NAR# 77907


Cap Ship and Outpost Voyager



Nebula and Anti Cyclone



Sky Ace and Hostile Intentions



Sky Champ Lander (Version 2)



Ion Explorer (Version 2, 13mm) and Tranquility 1, and Away & Beyond


.

New Design: Vulcan Shuttle
 

Finally found some time to finish some design files and get them ready to post. Here is a new design I call the Vulcan Shuttle. It has a combination of parts using an Semroc BC-1674 nose cone and an Balsa Machining BMS60V2B drilled tailcone that shapes the main body. Also, the rearward pointing fins with the ringfin look good, I tend to wonder about how they will fair with ground impact during recovery :confused: .

Enjoy and Thanks Again, JP

Vulcan Shuttle (18mm)
Launch guide length: 36.0000 In

MOTOR.................MAX. ALTITUDE...........DEP. VELOCITY
B4-4..................270.99803 Ft.............22.7568 ft/s
B6-4..................278.26214 Ft.............18.5061 ft/s
C6-5..................687.48032 Ft.............11.4319 ft/s

James Pierson
NAR# 77907

I know that feeling...

I had to force myself to build something this month, and wound up with a nice set of "K" series clones to add to the collection. The newest clones are a Mark and Mark II, an Aerobee 300, an A-20 Demon, and with a bit more looking around, I found a BNC-20B nose cone to build another Invader. Emptying out the parts bin, I found a spare Tau nose cone (BC-760), and I used this to build up a Tau Draconis prototype (13mm version). Add to this two prototypes of the Dominion Keeper, and you get the idea of what I've done in May...

Feels good, too!



Why not attach some hard dowel stock to the tips? Say, some 1" lengths of 3/32" or 1/8" diameter, with only about 1/8" below the balsa edge? Let this take the impact shock instead of the balsa.

James, nice work on the Tranquility 1! I love the design! How about a parts list? :)

Thanks for the input Guys.
 

CPMcGraw Quote:


That's a good idea Craig, it would definitly help the tip of the fins from damage and/or breaking off :eek: .



jay Quote:


Let me complete a test launch first. A few week ago at the OPROC launch I preped this design for the test launch and then discovered that I forgot the upper and lower launch lugs. Must be the Dain Bramage thing again :o .

Some other design change on the Neptune Lander, Spaceman 2006, and the Sky Champ Lander are that I have removed the 13mm motor mount and have converted all three design to 18mm. Plan on trying the A8-3 first and then work my way up to B4-4 and B6-4's.
We will just have to see what happens :rolleyes: regardless of what Rocksim says :p .

Thanks for the input guys, JP.

James Pierson
NAR# 77907
.

Tau Draconis 13mm
 

(tapping foot impatiently) Pictures, please! ;) :D :cool:

(Don't make me beg. It's *not* pretty. :o )

(Melodramatic, yes. Pretty, no. :eek: )


Cheers,

(Overdubbed monotonic metallic-synthisized voice)
By your command...

Lookin' Good
 

Looks Great Craig. Looks like you have put thay set for French Curves to work. I hope you are not as disapointed in the 13mm motor performance as I have been :o . Best of luck with the test flight and looking forward to you report.

James Pierson
NAR# 77907

It flew great, on both A10 and A3 power. Go check out the videos in the Flight Report. I'm more than pleased with the results,

Original "Battlestar Galactica," anyone?
 

"Stinkin' cool, that was." ;) :D :p

Cool design, too, Craig. :cool:

So that just *looks* like a two-stager, eh? :rolleyes:


Cheers,

Made me look...:o

The model is perched on top of a SEMROC Rocket Rack, and the image was cropped just above the rack's base. You're seeing the display post... :p

You should be familiar with the concept of "Post Editing"...:D

Good flight Video's
 

Finally got time to respond with a post :( .

CPMcGraw Quote:


Saw the video's about two minutes after reading your post. Most untimely on my part Craig. Looks like a great design that flies well on the 13mm motors. I am slowly learning to stay away from 13mm power when a design has a high surface drag area like some of my designs like Neptune Lander etc...

James Pierson
NAR# 77907

New Design: Sky Chieftain
 

Here is a design I have named the Sky Chieftain. This design is just under 30 inches long and flies well on standard 18mm motors. I went with an Upper and an Lower launch lug on this design as it seems to help a little bit with liftoff when the wind picks up.

Enjoy and Thanks Again, JP

Sky Chieftain 2 (18mm)
Launch guide length: 36.0000 In

MOTOR.................MAX. ALTITUDE...........DEP. VELOCITY
B4-4..................333.18242 Ft.............12.3799 ft/s
B6-4..................341.32874 Ft..............7.8697 ft/s
C6-5..................789.22900 Ft..............7.1362 ft/s

James Pierson
NAR#77907

.

Another GREAT design James, I'm really digg'n this one! :cool:

Foreigner's "Double Vision?"
 

Actually, I was able to identify the Rocket Rack. However, my middle-aged vision managed to misconstrue what I *now* perceive as (embarrassed look) the pencil mark for the upper root end of your fins. (turning a deep shade of vermilion)


You'd *think.* :eek: :rolleyes: :D


Cheers,

Nice work, JP. I take it this one has been built and flown?