Dave Sullivan's PageAKA: Big Sully Location: Southern California Certification Level: None Club Memberships: None Favorite Rockets: F with Multiple D Pods Biography: Many, many years ago as a young man, I built and launched model rockets as a hobby. After high school however, it slipped away for the normal reasons - work, school, military, family, career. There was always something with a higher priority that kept my old passions away. I'm now approaching the mid century mark. A short while back, my son's scout troop built model rockets to launch during one of their campouts. Helping him and my daughter build their rockets for that trip reminded me of the joy I experienced way back in the day. So I figured I would give it a go once again. Spend a little quality "me" time, working on rocket projects. And now that I'm older - it's go big or go home, right? Besides, I just can't let the other Dad's in the troop show me up! So we'll see where this leads me....
RocketReviews.com Pages:
2014-07-27F with Multiple D Pods Build  . Build
My project was the US Rockets “F with Multiple D Pods” rocket kit. The kits I built back in the day and the most recent kits that I built with my kids were simple, straight forward Estes kits. So for my next project, I wanted to try a cluster motor kit with ... [More]
F with Multiple D Pods Build - Final Product  Build Entry
And here is the completed rocket, ready for launch (sans motors). The decals used were from the replacement Saturn V Decal sheet from Apogee, with the exception of the NASA emblem that I made. The large black tracking marks just below the American flag were made using ... [More]
F with Multiple D Pods Build - Close up of Finished SRB and lower main body tube  Build Entry
This is a view of the completed lower portion of the main body tube. I added small pieces of black MonoKote to the leading edges of the tailfins.
You can see at one point on the inner seam of the left “C” SRB, where there was some bubbling in the epoxy fillet. ... [More]
F with Multiple D Pods Build - Almost Done  Build Entry
Here is the almost completed rocket. All four SRB’s have been mounted, the main body tube completely painted, and at this point, I was in process of mounting the SRB nose cones.
Once mounted and the spaces where the holes between the SRB and the main body tubes meet ... [More]
F with Multiple D Pods Build - The Final Touches  Build Entry
Here is the completed main body tube, with the plastic body wraps installed. The body has been primed, the upper portion has been painted with gloss white and the bottom portion is ready for a final coat of gloss orange paint. I also elected to paint the fins silver so ... [More]
F with Multiple D Pods Build - Finishing the SRB's  Build Entry
Here is a picture of an almost finished SRB tube. The homemade decals worked out better than I had hoped, and their thickness actually gives each band a bit of depth adding to its reality! I kept the bottom of the SRB open to allow the application of tape to hold the ... [More]
F with Multiple D Pods Build - Body Wraps and Finishing the SRB's  Build Entry
When I started this kit, I decided that I would move away from the normal kit look of a white body with red trim, and do something a little more interesting. I decided to theme my rocket after more modern rockets including the new Ares rockets, with a white main body, orange ... [More]
F with Multiple D Pods Build - Starting to Paint  Build Entry
The final coat of gloss white paint on the external pods, their nose cones and the main nose cone. Once dry, I then decorated the external pods to make them look like SRB’s.
[More]
F with Multiple D Pods Build - Still Building  Build Entry
Once the payload bay was complete, I noticed the pointy part of the threads of the eye screw significantly protruded into the bay. This caused me to wonder if it could damage anything that I might put in there (say like my altimeter perhaps). So I found a really thick ... [More]
F with Multiple D Pods Build - Beginning Assembly  Build Entry
After all of the prep work was complete, I began to assemble to rocket. 29mm motor mount, 24mm adapter, the two couplers (one for the main airframe and the other for the base of the payload bay). These parts were assembled using wood glue, and then reinforced and ... [More]
F with Multiple D Pods Build - Prep Continued  Build Entry
After getting the wood pieces squared away, I cut out the holes that were called for in the body tube and external pods (my first attempt at this type of design). After using the template in the instructions that showed where your body tube lines needed to be, I made my guide ... [More]
F with Multiple D Pods Build - Parts Prep  Build Entry
To begin, I prepped all of the wood pieces using sanding sealer and once dry I gave them a quick going over with some 120 grit sand paper to knock the roughness out. Then I prepped all pieces with wood filler to fill in any holes, voids, and the body tube seams.
I then ... [More]
2012-10-20CC Express Flight Wind kicked up a little, so at launch I gave it a bit more of an angle. Wind didn't seem to have an effect during flight - it just screamed straight up! Great launch, 2nd-stage lit clean, good deployment, however the wind at altitude grabbed it and took it for about 1/4 mile down ... [More]
CC Express Flight Didn't think it would go any higher - and it did! Great launch, 2nd-stage lit without a hitch, good deployment. Recovery was entertaining as what little wind there was brought it almost back to the launch site. - D12-0/D12-7 - Anza-Borrego, CA [More]
CC Express Flight This thing smoked! Fast straight launch, second stage lit off perfectly. Much higher than expected. Good deployment, no damage on landing. Actually found the 2nd stage (always a plus)! - D12-0/D12-5 - Anza-Borrego, CA [More]
Pink Power Ranger Flight Second flight as perfect as the first. Clean, straight launch, good deployment and recovery. - C6-5 - Anza-Borrego, CA [More]
Pink Power Ranger Flight Great launch, straight climb, good deployment and recovery.
- C6-5 - Anza-Borrego, CA [More]
Alpha III Flight Arced approx. 30 deg at launch, good deployment and recovery. No guess to altitude but much lower than previous flights. - C6-5 - Anza-Borrego, CA [More]
Alpha III Flight Great flight, straight climb, good deployment, recovery a bit further down range. Slight burning/melting of fin tips. - C6-5 - Anza-Borrego, CA [More]
Alpha III Flight Perfect maiden flight, straight, nice deployment, recovery wasn't far from the launch site. - B4-4 - Anza-Borrego, CA [More]
| Dave Sullivan |
