Manufacturer: | Scratch |
Brief:
Converted a Generic Foam Dart to MicroMaxx Power. I hereby dub thee a MicroFoam
DARockeT.
Modifications:
A length of barrel was cut from a round pen to form a motor mount tube. Two
1/8" wide centering rings were cut from the "A" casing. The tube
was wrapped in masking tape until the rings were a snug fit. The centering
rings were CA'd to the MMT. The end plug from the pen was inserted into the MMT
to provide blockage for positive engine ejection. The MMT was CA'd into the
tail of the foam dart. The forward third of the dart was cut off with a razor
knife to provide access for nose weight. A 1" length of "A"
casing was used as a coupler of the dart tip to the tail section. A length of
ink tube from the pen was cut and taped to the side of the MicroFoam DARockeT
to serve as a launch lug.
Construction:
This Custom Modification includes:
This was a seemingly simple conversion, but not without its challenges. The centering rings were so narrow that they started to unwrap during handling. They were kept small to reduce the overall weight and optimize performance from the MicroMaxx engines. Gluing the forward ring in place within the main body was unreliable, so extra CA was used to bond the rear ring thoroughly to the foam tube. The ink tube launch lug was a perfect diameter for the MicroMaxx Launch System Rod. Finding a glue to hold the slick lug to the foam proved problematic, but a piece of cellophane tape made for a secure mount.
Flight:
The new, more powerful, MicroMaxx Motors were used. These are listed as 300 Mil
N-Sec, and claim 120 feet Max Altitude. This proved too much thrust for a
MicroFoam DARockeT without additional nose weight. It rose about 10 feet and
flopped about before ejecting the engine and safely executing a Boink recovery.
Clay was used to fill the "A" casing nose coupler, and a second
launch yielded a stable thrust with a slight arc-over. The engine ejected, and
the DARockeT coasted to spec-busting altitude. The DARockeT crossed over the
road and landed on the neighbors front stoop. The nose piece separated during
the Boink maneuver. For the third flight, a piece of cellophane tape was used
to bind the tip to the tail. Another stable thrust and ejection sent the
DARockeT soaring over the neighboring trees. The streamlined nature of the
BOINK recovery system allowed the DARockeT to slide through the dense foliage
and land unharmed.
Summary:
In summary, this modification explores the top end of the performance envelope
defined by MicroMaxx Motors. The BOINK recovery system provides maximum
altitude via ballistic coasting, while maintaining a sleek profile for foliage
foiling. To sum it up in two words. It's FUN!
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