Ye Olde Rocket Forum - View Single Post

Quote:

Originally Posted by tbzep

I know my photos are gone thanks to the new owners of Photobucket, but I think the best way to build the ML is to use the included ball and tube hinges and make the rear bulkhead removable. I did mine that way so that I would have access to replace rubber bands. Sometimes springs end up stretching too, so I'd still make the bulkhead removable. Mars Landers should have four balls.

After seeing Tim’s photos “way back when”, I did the same mods to my Semroc Mars Lander. And I did mine after it was built. I waited until it crashed, and one leg had broken. I did not have any damage to the flex tube or dowel, the break was below that. I did use a new rubber band since it was opened up. I have another kit, and will build it with the standard hinge system like the first. I’ll also leave it 18mm, since I fly my currect lander on the D13 reload in the 18/20 RMS.

I converted my Outlander to 24mm,and the hack is not too bad, but not worth the effort in my opinion, since the D13 reload works so well. And the Q-Jet Ds should work well, though they only have about 2/3 the N-s of a D13 reload.