V-2 status (and other stuff)

Well, a little sanding and a re-coat did the trick.  Trying to sand the base of the cone actually lifted all the primer.  I sanded the exposed areas good before the re-priming.  My dilemma is how to proceed to apply the other colors.  I did a good job (IMO) on the free-form camouflage for the AquaBottleBat and El Tubo Loco.  But I'm not sure how this will work out on a smaller rocket.  I'm wondering if I should make masks with some random shaped holes and hold these an inch or so from the rocket as I spray?

I'm also putting the final touches on the stretched Nike Smoke.  Needs paint and a shock cord.

I hate raking leaves and hate raking pine needles even more.  But I love turkey sandwiches and pie so today hasn't been that bad :)  I was going to photograph the primed V-2 but don't want to drag my carcass down into the Dungeon.

I read the instructions for the Delta X-15 and decided I'll save this for the next building session.  Note to self: scrub the crap out of that resin cone. Again.

Nike Smoke cone work (and other stuff)

After two days of eating and visiting with family, I ventured back down to the Dungeon.  First up was priming my Hostile Projectiles V2.  I chose Rustoleum red-brown primer since it would not only prime but serve as one of the colors in my planned cammo pattern.  Well, one instruction I thought that I had heeded was to scrub the nose and tail cone with steel wool to get the mold release off. I scrubbed until I thought it would be good...and then scrubbed some more.  It appears I was not uniform in this process because spots formed on one quadrant of the tail cone and around the base of the nose cone.  I let it dry well, sanded and have re-coated.  I probably should strip it and try a Dremel brush on it...nah...just press on. I've recovered from this condition before and can strip two layers as easily as one if it doesn't work.   I'll report back tomorrow.

Then I decided I might as well touch-up the MLAS cone after its mud bath.  I coated the whole thing with Future and put three coats on the cone.  Here, the brush on paint still doesn't look that good, but is shinier.

And to the star of this show...my attempt to make a functional Nike Smoke cone.  That is, one that will spew tracking powder as it boosts.  You can see the guts in the photo.  An Estes lug in the tip will feed air into the First Fire igniter tube.  The holes in theis tube will then hopefully blow the powder out a vent, which isn't cut yet.  I found that a plastic cap donated by Warthog (aka Don B) that fits almost perfectly in the shoulder.  The vent will be on the short transition section just above the plastic insert. The ear plug protruding from the end will be replaced with a plug that extends to the bottom of the lower hole.

I plan to add the tracking powder with the cone separated  It will be held together with tape for its test flight.  If it works, I may glue the two halves together and fill it from the tube that protrudes out the back.  But that's a BIG IF.

Black Friday

When Black Friday comes
I'll stand down by the door
And catch the gray men
When they dive from the fourteenth floor
When Black Friday comes
I'll collect everything I'm owed
And before my friends find out
I'll be on the road
When Black Friday falls you know it's got to be
Don't let it fall on me

No point, I just like Steely Dan.

Dark matter propulsion

OK, if black hole propulsion wasn't enough, now we have dark matter propulsion - Dark power: Grand designs for interstellar travel, Marcus Chown, New Scientist, 25 November 2009.  (According to the article, this proposal predated the one on black hole propulsion.)  Unfortunately, physicists don't really know what dark matter is and not all even agree it exists.  But if it does as many believe, there is plenty of it.  Thus, the propulsion system could scoop up its fuel as it goes. The article of course goes into much more detail and even presents a nice simple diagram of how dark matter and black hole propulsion would work.

Mach diamonds

Click, then zoom and check out the mach diamonds on the Long March:

Hostile Projectiles update

Here is the V-2, flight ready and waiting for primer.  I ended up laminating the fins with paper since I couldn't get the fin template off the balsa.  The instructions have you attach the template with 3M Super 77 spray glue and methinks I went a tad heavy on it.  I was worried that the method of embossing the fin panel lines wouldn't work...but it did.  This technique requires some practice as my panel lines are not anywhere near of uniform depth.

I meant to add nose wight to get it balanced for up to AT D24 reloads.  After a couple of brain farts I found I added too much nose weight and a flight on a C6 is very iffy - anyone got a 100" 1/8" rod?  So, it will now fly on D13's and D24's.

While on the subject of screw-ups, I managed to totally melt the decals for the Delta X-15 with a coat of Future.  The instructions told me to use a specific decal product, but I tried the Future.  If the model flies well, I guess I'll see if Steve will sell me a new set get some decal paper and print a new set using the file provided with the instructions.

Solar tsunami!

Maryland Weather has a couple of interesting animated gif's of a solar storm "of hot plasma that is 62,000 miles high, travels at half a million miles per hour and packs the power of 2,400 megatons of TNT."  I'm impressed. These were generated from images from NASA's STEREO spacecraft.

New details on the X-37B

Spaceflight Now has some new details on the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle and its pending flight atop an Atlas5/501.  It is scheduled to fly from the Cape Canaveral in April 2010. (via Clark Lindsey)

Bow to my power (Red Glare 7 update)

Earlier today, I lamented the lack of photographic evidence from Red Glare 7.  It looks like I jumped the gun.  I'm sure my post had no role in facilitating the update....or did it...

I felt I could lament the issue but I can't complain since my photos and one video are here.

Rocket magazine's album is also up (at least for Sunday).

Blue Origin quietly marches forward

Clark Lindsey reports that Blue Origin has selected four research payloads for their New Shepard suborbital vehicle.

Pushing Reg Glare 7 off the queue

What I mean by that is that the first post today will push my Red Glare 7 flight report off my top page (it is obviously still there, but visitors will have to look for it).  I was hoping to replace it with a post that pointed to the MDRA photo gallery.  Unfortunately, the web site hasn't been updated.

(It is obviously a slow day....)

Breaking news: the Dungeon is bombarded by Hostile Projectiles

While I was gone for the weekend, my order from Hostile Projectiles arrived!  I got both the V-2 and the Delta X-15.  Here are my initial impressions. 

I'll start with the reason I ordered them - the V-2's nose and tail cones and the cone for the X-15.  These are not your daddy's resin cones. They are thin walled and I bet not much heavier than solid balsa (if at all).  The initial flight reports are that they are also tough. Steve really knows how to cast parts!  The detail is really makes them stand out.  You should be able to click the thumbnail to see some of it.  The finish is great and the only flaws are two small voids on one V-2 fin flaring.

These are very obviously 'builders kits'.  There is no header card or print instructions.  The latter comes on CD.  The parts are fairly typical and I didn't bother photographing them.  The tubes are not a cleanly cut as, my 'meter stick' vendor (e.g. Semroc),  there are no laser cut fins, and the chute is plain plastic.  Nevertheless, these will be fun and I'm sure will look and fly great.  Building should commence on the V-2 tomorrow.