MegaBanditEstes - Bandit (1248) [1970-1982]Upscale
Contributed by Mark Morris Construction: I used 30 minute hobby epoxy for tack gluing and West Systems epoxy throughout the rest of the build including fiberglassing. Construction was similar to all high power rockets. The motor mount comprised an 18" long 54mm diameter phenolic motor tube with three centering rings designed so the fins were sandwiched between the bottom and middle ring. The top centering ring was fitted with two sections of 1/4" all-thread, nuts, and washers to allow connection to a zipperless tube coupler. The middle and top centering rings were attached to the motor tube and mount installed. The fins were then tacked in place. All internal and external fin joints were reinforced with West Systems epoxy mixed with milled fiberglass and the same mixture was poured on top of the centering rings to reinforce the paper-ring joint. The bottom centering ring was then epoxied in place. Construction of a zipperless coupler started by making a stuffer coupler. This involved removing a lengthwise slice from one tube coupler so that it fit inside another coupler. A coupler bulkhead and tube bulkhead were epoxied to one end of a tube coupler and the stuffer coupler slid and epoxied inside the open end of this coupler until it met flush with the bulkheads. The excess of the stuffer coupler was then trimmed flush with the outside coupler. A 1/4" U-bolt was attached to the bulkheads and holes were drilled to align with the all-thread extending from the top centering ring of the motor mount. The completed zipperless coupler was slid onto the fin can, passing the all-thread through the holes and by wing nuts and washers. The completed fin can and two other airframe tubes were fiberglassed with 6oz cloth followed by a 1.5oz veil layer. Once completely cured, the tubes were fine sanded to remove rough and high spots and blend seams. Superfil epoxy-based filler was used to even everything out and then it was sanded smooth. An avionics bay was constructed using the coupler-in-coupler method used in making the zipperless coupler with the stuffer coupler also shortened to allow proper seating of coupler bulkheads at both ends. A coupler bulkhead and tube bulkhead were epoxied to the drogue end of the bay and the stuffer tube epoxied in place as with the zipperless coupler. A 1/4" eyebolt and two 8.5" x 1/4" sections of all-thread with nuts and washers were installed into the drogue bulkheads. The 1.5" section of fiberglassed body tube was centered along the coupler. A 1/2" mounting hole for the arming switch from Missile Works and four 9/64" vent holes evenly spaced were drilled in the section of body tube through the coupler. A coupler bulkhead and tube bulkhead were epoxied together, holes drilled to align with the all-thread and a 1/4" eyebolt epoxied in place. This bulkhead assembly can then be connected to the avionics bay using wing nuts after the altimeter is inserted and proper igniter and electrical connections made. A sled was made from plywood and paper launch lugs to mount the altimeter. This can then slide inside the avionics bay along the all-thread rods and be interchangeable between rockets. A 1/2" PVC end cap and terminal posts were epoxied to the bulkplates at both ends to hold ejection charges and allow easy connection of e-matches. A 54mm Aero Pack retainer was epoxied to the motor tube with JB Weld. Three rail buttons were then installed, 2 in the fin can and one in the drogue airframe. Vent holes were drilled in the main and drogue parachute bays. The electronics bay was secured to each of the parachute bays with three #6-32 truss head screws using T-nuts epoxied to the inside of the electronics bay. The other airframe sections and nose cone were connected using styrene rod to prevent drag separation but allow easy separation upon ejection charge ignition. Finishing: Flight: Recovery:
Summary: Flight Log
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