Bandit Damage

The result of a C6-3 engine thrust.  It wasn't the glue that failed here, that was done by hand during the investigation. It was the cardboard centering ring, although the glue in the upper rings might have failed. On the Bandit, the engine tube is long and plugged, with vent holes on the side for an ejection gas baffle, so it might have failed from heat further up. The damage might also have been caused on impact (nose first), but since the tube was hardly buckled, it more likely failed in the boost phase, but it still flew!  It can be fixed, and a new lighter baffle and kevlar shock cord installed, but it won't be easy.

Upon cutting out the old engine mount, it was noticed that the forward cardboard centering rings had insufficient glue, as a result of bad construction design (blame it on the instructions). The forward centering rings only had about 1 inch of glue-able surface due to the openings. I'd consider it difficult for a kid to get enough glue in the right places 10" up into the body tube. The rear centering ring could only be glued on the outside - so the thrust was pulling away from the glue and cardboard (tension), not up against it (compression-much stronger).  I was worried that all my old rockets would fail from weak glue joints, but it appears to be weak only from the unique design of the engine mount / baffle.  The new engine mount will have a standard off-the-shelf baffle (easy to glue) and a standard off-the-shelf motor mount, including a Kevlar shock cord mounted to the baffle. This gives me the opportunity to install a D-engine mount (24mm dia), and use an adaptor for B, C motors (18mm).  How lucky could I get: My old trusty payloader is now going to be upgraded to D-power!  (Maybe even E-power? Am I pushing my luck?)