Art Applewhite Rockets Cone Rocket 29mm

Art Applewhite Rockets - Cone Rocket 29mm {Kit}

Contributed by Douglas Gardei

Construction Rating: starstarstarstar_borderstar_border
Flight Rating: starstarstarstarstar
Overall Rating: starstarstarstar_borderstar_border
Manufacturer: Art Applewhite Rockets

Brief:
Cone rocket that sports a 29mm motor mount.

Construction:
T' 29mm Cone rocket contains a 29mm motor tube, which loosely fits inside a larger diameter tube, that is used as t' Cone's center tube. Well, blow me down! An elastic cord is included for recovery. Two pieces o' foam board are used t' make t' centerin' rings. Begad! Ahoy! Several sheets o' cardstock are used t' make t' body o' t' rocket. Well, blow me down! T' build this rocket, shiver me timbers, me bucko, you will need epoxy, me bucko, me bucko, white glue, scissors, and a hobby cutlass.

Before I started buildin' t' rocket, I went ahead and cut out everythin' that needed cutting. Avast! Blimey! T' nosecone, matey, skirt pieces, tabs, matey, and reinforcement straps are cut out o' t' poster board. Aye aye! A large and small centerin' rin' is cut from t' foam board. Arrr! Well, blow me down! This be t' trickiest part. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! First you cut out t' inner and outer circles, makin' sure you also cut out t' tab for t' launch rod. Avast, me proud beauty! Arrr! Then you carefully cut t' angle o' t' outer circumference. Aye aye! This is done by insertin' t' cutlass in a acute angle from t' line, exitin' just at t' outer edge o' t' bottom o' t' centerin' ring.

Construction o' t' rocket starts with t' nose cone o' t' rocket. Begad! T' cone is rolled in a manner so that it forms a double-layered cone. Well, blow me down! After gluin' t' cone together, me bucko, t' very tip o' t' cone is filled with epoxy. This stiffens t' tip o' t' Cone rocket, and adds weight t' t' nose. Ya scallywag! While t' epoxy is curin' in t' nosecone, ya bilge rat, I took t' Center tube, ya bilge rat, shock cord, matey, and t' nosecone-centerin' ring, me hearties, and pre-assembled t' internals o' t' nosecone. Arrr! I tied a double knot t' t' shock cord, and held it t' t' center tube usin' t' centerin' ring. Avast! T' knot should be located on t' topside o' t' assembly. Well, blow me down! Once t' Epoxy set in t' cone, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, I dry fitted t' center tube assembly in t' nose cone. Blimey! Avast! I got an idea where t' centerin' rin' will go, so I applied a bead o' epoxy t' t' center tube where t' centerin' rin' should end up, arrr, me hearties, and on t' inside edge o' t' cone, shiver me timbers, and some more in t' tip o' t' cone for t' benefit o' t' center tube. Avast! Begad! Then I pressed t' assembly into t' cone, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, matey, makin' sure t' launch lug holes are lined up, and held it together till t' epoxy cured.

Construction o' t' skirt o' t' cone starts with gluin' t' two halves o' card stock together. Ahoy! Well, me bucko, blow me down! Once t' glue is dry, me bucko, me bucko, t' skirt is rolled into shape and t' two halves are clued together. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! Then reinforcement strips are glued t' t' inside edge o' t' base o' t' cone. Well, blow me down! Once all glue has dried, matey, me hearties, ya bilge rat, I glued t' nosecone assembly into t' skirt.

T' motor mount o' t' rocket consists o' a length o' 29mm tubing, t' large centerin' rin' cut out o' t' foam board, matey, and t' other end o' t' shock cord. Aye aye! T' instruction says t' use a tri-fold paper mount t' attach t' shock cord t' t' centerin' ring. Blimey! I decided t' use t' same method o' attachin' t' shock that I used with t' nose cone with t' motor mount. This time though, t' knot will be located on t' aft side o' t' centerin' ring.

Finishing:
T' Cone rocket is pretty much ready t' go as finished. Arrr! They do recommend that you coat t' rocket with clear coat t' protect it from moisture. Avast, matey, me proud beauty! However, matey, I could nay find me clear coat so I had t' skip that step.

Construction Rating: 3 ½ out o' 5

Flight:
T' first opportunity I had t' fly me cone rocket occurred August 16th, me bucko, 2003 at a Frontier launch in Halifax, MA. Begad! Arrr! However, matey, a Thunder Shower hit us so quick that I be unable t' prevent me Cone rocket from gettin' damaged by water. Well, blow me down! Thankfully, me hearties, arrr, shiver me timbers, Art was kind enough t' send me a new skirt for me Cone Rocket. Ya scallywag! T' next launch be scheduled September 6th. Blimey! T' launch was canceled, but that did nay stop me from launchin' rockets with a friend. Aye aye! Avast, me proud beauty! I meant t' fly me Cone rocket with an E16 and F40, ya bilge rat, but as soon as I reached t' launch site, ya bilge rat, I realized I forgot t' grab me RMS 29/40-120 cases.

No big deal. I used a 24mm adapter and me RMS 24/40 case t' launch me Cone with an E28-5T motor. Avast, me proud beauty! Great flight, me bucko, ejected after apogee. Avast! Blimey! Blimey! Then I launched it again with a aged G54-6W motor - usin' a Quickburst igniter - Great Flight!!! Blimey! Ejection occurred after apogee. This would be a great rocket t' fly with those Ellis G35 motors. Begad! Blimey! T' bad I am all out o' them :(.

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
Overall, t' 29mm Cone rocket from Art Applewhite is a fun rocket t' build and t' fly. Blimey! It is fairly easy t' build, no finishin' required. Ya scallywag! Well, blow me down! Due t' personal experience, me hearties, t' Clear Coat is a good idea. On September 27th, me bucko, arrr, I plan t' fly me Cone rocket with an E16, and maybe a F40.

Overall Rating: 3 ½ out o' 5

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    Brief: Single staged conical rocket that flies on 29mm motors and recovers by a combination of tumble recovery and shock cord. The light weight of the rocket makes a streamer or parachute unnecessary. Construction: The kit comes in a sealed plastic envelope with two body tubes, namely, a 5 inch length of 29mm motor tubing and 5 inches of BT55 motor mount tubing. The rocket has no ...

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