The Quest Striker AGM is a simulated military missile. My particular rocket was modified with a 3.5" payload that stretches it to over 30 inches long, and painted to an entirely different red-white-blue scheme featuring some gold trim lines. Another modification was started by the shipping company. The body tube was damaged in the center, so I wrapped it with a heavy paper shroud and then strengthened the body with eight basswood strakes that looks more like it was meant to be a design feature instead of a patch-job. To hide it in plain sight the strakes were painted gold. It looks like it was painted more for an air show and not like an AGM missile. I think with this model I have finally learned that models of this size and weight (30” and about 5 oz.) should have a 24mm mount. The 18mm motors that are affordable are just not powerful enough for satisfying altitudes. I can get about 300 feet on a C6-3 motor though, so it's high enough. This should be strong enough to fly with a composite D10 motor. This rocket has flown higher than the Washington National Cathedral and the 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 to go with my gut and ignore the official flight schedule. I just repaired the re-cracked fin root of this rocket and wanted to continue comparing Estes and Quest’s motors. If I complete this third Quest flight, then I have three tests of each brand motor to compare.
The Quest C6-3 lit right up, and again showed its high initial impulse by accelerating at 9.1 Gs. The longer and louder 2.8 second burn only averaged 0.8 Gs, showing how Quest motors are all “pop-and-roar”, without much thrust after the initial liftoff.
The record low acceleration average gave me the lowest peak speed of just 50 mph. This was followed by a 3.3 second coast delay, where it reached an altitude of only 198 feet. Ejection came a bit too early, with the rocket gaining an additional 4 feet after ejection. Highest altitude was 202 feet – the lowest of any flight.
I should point out that the altimeter for some unknown reason showed “1202” feet – obviously an error, but I am guessing the “1” was just erroneous. It certainly looked like 202 feet or just a bit above ejection altitude (198 reported) and I would have to mark that down as the estimated altitude anyways.
At least I got a perfectly good parachute this time (using a much larger brand-new homemade ‘chute), and the rocket returned at a record slow 7 mph. Flight time was 25 seconds. The new 20” parachute proved much better than the stock 14” I was using.
This particular Quest motor measured lowest of all the Quest motors in all categories. Using all six flights averaged, I would have to say the performance edge as far as energy goes to Estes. In addition, the Estes motors actually fit into Estes rockets without peeling off the wrapper, unlike Quest motors! True: the Quest motors have a big advantage in initial thrust and that could be good for windy conditions, but even then it is overall slower – bad for windy conditions.
The advantage of Quest seems to be cheaper cost, louder thrust and longer burn time (which is more satisfying). Both motors are quite similar and useable, but there are some differences. Later I will be comparing the two C6 motors in different rockets.
| Stage | Motor(s) |
|---|---|
| 1 | Estes C6-3 |
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