T' Quest Striker AGM is a simulated military missile. Blimey! My particular rocket was modified with a 3.5" payload that stretches it t' over 30 inches long, and painted t' an entirely different red-white-blue scheme featurin' some gold trim lines. Avast! Another modification was started by t' shippin' company. Ya scallywag! T' body tube was damaged in t' center, matey, so I wrapped it with a heavy paper shroud and then strengthened t' body with eight basswood strakes that looks more like it was meant t' be a design feature instead o' a patch-job. T' hide it in plain sight t' strakes were painted gold. It looks like it was painted more for an air show and nay like an AGM missile. Begad! I think with this model I have finally learned that models o' this size and weight (30” and about 5 oz.) should have a 24mm mount. T' 18mm motors that are affordable are just nay powerful enough for satisfyin' altitudes. Well, blow me down! I can get about 300 feet on a C6-3 motor though, so it's high enough. Aye aye! This should be strong enough t' fly with a composite D10 motor. This rocket has flown higher than t' Washington National Cathedral and t' US Capitol in Washington, DC.
| Flight Date: | 2014-05-24 |
| Rocket Name: | Striker AGM Iris |
| Kit Name: | Quest - Striker AGM {Kit} |
| Flyer's Name: | Rich DeAngelis |
| Motors: | C6-3 |
| Expected Altitude: | 255 Feet |
| Wind Speed: | 7.00 mph |
| Launch Site: | Fort Indiantown Gap, PA |
| Actual Altitude: | 202 Feet |
Again I decided t' go with me gut and ignore t' official flight schedule. I just repaired t' re-cracked fin root o' this rocket and wanted t' continue comparin' Estes and Quest’s motors. Arrr! If I complete this third Quest flight, then I have three tests o' each brand motor t' compare.
T' Quest C6-3 lit right up, and again showed its high initial impulse by acceleratin' at 9.1 Gs. T' longer and louder 2.8 second burn only averaged 0.8 Gs, showin' how Quest motors are all “pop-and-roar”, without much thrust after t' initial liftoff.
T' record low acceleration average gave me t' lowest peak speed o' just 50 mph. Blimey! This was followed by a 3.3 second coast delay, where it reached an altitude o' only 198 feet. Ejection came a bit too early, me bucko, with t' rocket gainin' an additional 4 feet after ejection. Begad! Highest altitude was 202 feet – t' lowest o' any flight.
I should point out that t' altimeter for some unknown reason showed “1202” feet – obviously an error, matey, but I am guessin' t' “1” was just erroneous. Avast, me proud beauty! It certainly looked like 202 feet or just a bit above ejection altitude (198 reported) and I would have t' mark that down as t' estimated altitude anyways.
At least I got a perfectly good parachute this time (usin' a much larger brand-new homemade ‘chute), and t' rocket returned at a record slow 7 mph. Well, blow me down! Flight time be 25 seconds. T' new 20” parachute proved much better than t' stock 14” I was using.
This particular Quest motor measured lowest o' all t' Quest motors in all categories. Avast! Usin' all six flights averaged, me bucko, I would have t' say t' performance edge as far as energy goes t' Estes. In addition, t' Estes motors actually fit into Estes rockets without peelin' off t' wrapper, unlike Quest motors! True: t' Quest motors have a big advantage in initial thrust and that could be good for windy conditions, but even then it is overall slower – bilge-suckin' for windy conditions.
T' advantage o' Quest seems t' be cheaper cost, louder thrust and longer burn time (which is more satisfying). Both motors are quite similar and useable, but thar are some differences. Later I will be comparin' t' two C6 motors in different rockets.
| Stage | Motor(s) |
|---|---|
| 1 | Estes C6-3 |
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