Rockets & Planes

[n2ize]

I was going through a closet and I found two never used items that I forgot I had. One was a model rocket kit, complete with engines, 2 rockets, parachutes, electrical launcher, launch pad, etc. The rockets are even sealed in their original packages and were never assembled. I must have been around 17 whhen I bought this kit.

I also found a wooden Cessna 172 model airplane, still in the box, never opened or built. Must have got it back when I was around 14. I think the reason I never built it is that it is designed to be rubber band powered and at the time I was getting into gas models.

I am tempted to assemble and fire the rockets. I wonder if those engines would still fire after all these years. However, I think I'll just keep it as iut in it's pristine mint condition.

[N7YA]

Dispose of those old engines, and double check the parts on the rockets for deterioration...if everything looks good, go get some new engines for that class of rocket and fire 'em off! I got into that as a kid. My favorite rockets were payloaders and those tall, skinny rockets. Lots of fun. But treat those old engines like explosives. The propellant may be unstable, you dont want any trouble in handling them.


I used to go to the hobby stores and buy a whole bunch of those balsa planes and make big, multi engine flying contraptions out of them. It was tough winding and releasing numerous rubber band engines at the same time but i figured it out, and i had to get an Exacto knife and tape to cut out makeshift rudders, flaps and ailerons...and even trim tabs...to make it fly somewhat straight, which was rare. I used to do this on the airbase when my dad worked in the Elmendorf inbound terminal. The place was empty most of the time, so i just flew my planes in the large indoor area. One time, a P-3 Orion flight crew was watching me, so they decided to try flying my plane themselves...off the wing of their Orion. That was pretty cool.


They thought i was going to grow up to be a pilot or flight engineer...i became a musician. :-|

[K7SGJ]

Dispose of those old engines, and double check the parts on the rockets for deterioration...if everything looks good, go get some new engines for that class of rocket and fire 'em off! I got into that as a kid. My favorite rockets were payloaders and those tall, skinny rockets. Lots of fun. But treat those old engines like explosives. The propellant may be unstable, you dont want any trouble in handling them.


I used to go to the hobby stores and buy a whole bunch of those balsa planes and make big, multi engine flying contraptions out of them. It was tough winding and releasing numerous rubber band engines at the same time but i figured it out, and i had to get an Exacto knife and tape to cut out makeshift rudders, flaps and ailerons...and even trim tabs...to make it fly somewhat straight, which was rare. I used to do this on the airbase when my dad worked in the Elmendorf inbound terminal. The place was empty most of the time, so i just flew my planes in the large indoor area. One time, a P-3 Orion flight crew was watching me, so they decided to try flying my plane themselves...off the wing of their Orion. That was pretty cool.


They thought i was going to grow up to be a pilot or flight engineer...i became a musician. :-|


All three can get pretty high. Two just need a vehicle.

[N7YA]

Get high on rocketry! :spin:

[N8YX]

Get high on rocketry! :spin:
Just watched the Falcon 9/DSCOVR launch. It would be a real high for the SpaceX crew if they could pull off a first-stage recovery onto their sea platform. That is some cool tech.

[NA4BH]

Shoot the rockets in New York and see how long it takes for Homeland Security to find you.

[K7SGJ]

Don't do it. Bob will RAT you out.

[KG4CGC]

Ebay them. Get paid. Get high. Get knocked down.

[NA4BH]

Now there's a plan

[n2ize]

I started with U-Control (aka "control line") gas models. First with the small plastic ones. Then I started building my own from wood and powering them with Cox or Wen_Mac .049 engines. Then I went into building bigger planes with .15, .20, .35, and .40 size engines.After that I went into radio control planes then helicopters. My first helicopter was from the early 1980's. It was a fixed pitch GMP Cricket powered with a .40 engine. I still have the Cricket in the attic and with some work it probably can fly again. Lately though I have been flying mostly electric powered models. Many of today's electrics can outperform their earlier gas counterparts.

[kb2vxa]

Since they're in unopened packages they're worth something more than the risk of blowing yourself up with unstable propellant. If you want to play with rockets you can use the money to buy new ones or if you're clever enough build your own, it's only rocket science. I used to do it using spent CO2 cartridges used with pellet guns filled with match heads for motors and an electric igniter operated remotely for safety. That was mandatory because things didn't always operate as intended, NASA had the big bangs but mine still could hurt getting hit with metal shrapnel.

Kevin and I made loud explosions and clouds of smoke by day, electric arcs and flashing lights by night making the neighbors wonder "WTF is wrong with those kids?"


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=207pbJQNl58

[ka4dpo]

While I was going through my RC airplane junk in the basement a couple of weeks ago I came across this. It's a Dyna-Jet pulse jet engine. These are really fast but there is no way to throttle them and they are unbelievably loud. So loud that your hearing will be damaged if you don't wear hearing protection in close proximity. It runs on regular gasoline although you can get more power out of it if you run naphtha. The only other problem with this type of motor is they have to move while running. If there is no airflow to cool it, it will burn up in short order. I'm really not sure what I'm going to do with it.

[N7YA]

Only one thing to do with them...have someone hold yer beer, give a good ol' "Hey Y'all, watch this!", then duct tape a bunch of Mountain Dew bottles to it and let 'er rip! :-D

[K7SGJ]

I'd buy a ticket for a first row seat in the bunker to watch that.

[N7YA]

Thats why i suggested it! Better than the fourth of july.

[n2ize]

While I was going through my RC airplane junk in the basement a couple of weeks ago I came across this. It's a Dyna-Jet pulse jet engine. These are really fast but there is no way to throttle them and they are unbelievably loud. So loud that your hearing will be damaged if you don't wear hearing protection in close proximity. It runs on regular gasoline although you can get more power out of it if you run naphtha. The only other problem with this type of motor is they have to move while running. If there is no airflow to cool it, it will burn up in short order. I'm really not sure what I'm going to do with it.

Sorry to revive an old thread but Wow !! I haven't seen one of those Dyna Jet engines in a looooong time. Thanks for the pictures. Looks like it has never been run before. I would keep it in it's pristine condition. And yeah... they are LOUD !!!!!

[N8YX]

Search YouTube for pulse jet videos and you'll find a number of R/C planes with that very engine or one very similar to it.

This being said...you're going to have to build an airplane to use with your motor, John.

[n2ize]

Search YouTube for pulse jet videos and you'll find a number of R/C planes with that very engine or one very similar to it.


Not to mention plenty of videos of home made pulse jet engines. Nowadays they have fully automated jet turbine engines for model aircraft. But, they are quite expensive.

[K7SGJ]

Maybe you can find an old Yugo and..................

Of course, you sure as hell won't find a new Yugo.

[N7YA]

Maybe you can find an old Yugo and..................

Of course, you sure as hell won't find a new Yugo.

You have an entire container ship parked in your back yard, Eddie...i bet you would be surprised at whats buried in there.

[NQ6U]

You have an entire container ship parked in your back yard, Eddie...i bet you would be surprised at whats buried in there.

If he looks long enough, he might find Yugoslavia itself.

[VE7DCW]

If he looks long enough, he might find Yugoslavia itself.


........ or the infamous Slobodan Milosevic! :mrgreen:

[N7YA]

........ or the infamous Slobodan Milosevic! :mrgreen:

Are you suggesting he is just hanging around, shooting the breeze?

[K7SGJ]

Are you suggesting he is just hanging around, shooting the breeze?

I have a CCW for that, plus, it's a dry breeze.