All Rocketry Blogs

Model Rocket Building: Apogee Heli-Roc Build Part 1 Parts (2010-11-29)

Apogee HELI-ROC Kit # 05017 Here's all the parts laid out on the floor. This looks to be a fun, different build. The last helicopter rocket I built was the Estes Gyroc in the early 1970s. ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Apogee Heli-Roc Build Part 2 Rotors and Fins (2010-11-30)

After separating the balsa from the die-cut sheets, alike pieces are stacked and sanded to the same size.     I hadn't seen die-cut balsa in a while. While the cuts were close, ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Apogee Heli-Roc Build Part 3 Airfoil Rotors and Fins (2010-11-30)

On the left is a before and after pic of the fin airfoil. On the right is the rotor blade airfoil (one side flat or chambered) before and after. The fins are smaller so the airfoil was sanded using ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Apogee Heli-Roc Build Part 4 Ports (2010-12-01)

On my BT-5 tube, the fin marking guide was a little to wide. It over wrapped by about 1/32". I knew the fin marks and ports (or slots) would be critical, so I made a new marking ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Apogee Heli-Roc Build Part 5 Ports (2010-12-02)

  I used a strait edge to cut the slots.   Be careful not to over cut the corners. I pressed the tip of the blade into the corner and stopped the cut before reaching the ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Apogee Heli-Roc Build Part 6 Filling Balsa (2010-12-03)

Looking ahead to Step 17, the rotor stops should have a dihedral angle of approximately 8 degrees.     I got out my protractor and drew up the angle to check the rotor stops. ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Apogee Heli-Roc Build Part 7 Prep and Priming (2010-12-04)

Before gluing the balsa parts to the body, I also wanted to prime the body tube. The body tube seams were already filled with thinned Carpenter's Wood Filler and sanded smooth. Next, the spray ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Apogee Heli-Roc Build Part 8 Nose Cone Seam (2010-12-05)

I decided to fill the body tube / nose cone joint.     The tip of a older X-Acto blade was dipped in thinned Carpenter's Wood Filler. The blade tip was set in the seam ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Apogee Heli-Roc Build Part 9 Fins and Launch Lug (2010-12-06)

The fins are glued in place, 1/2" from the rear of the BT-5 tube.     Here again a square piece of paper was taped around the tube to be sure all the fins are at the same ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Apogee Heli-Roc Build Part 10 Tissuing Rotors (2010-12-07)

Ahead in step 22, it is suggested that you can cover the rotor blades with tissue to increase their strength. I hadn't done any tissue work since the 1970s. I thought I remembered the technique, ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Apogee Heli-Roc Part 11 Trimming Tissue (2010-12-08)

After all has dried, the overhanging tissue was trimmed off with a razor blade.   Another coat of clear dope and the tissue covering is finished.   I was surprised how ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Apogee Heli-Roc Build Part 12 Paint (2010-12-09)

I decided to go ahead and paint the body before the rotor blades were attached. It'd be to hard to get paint into all areas once the blades were in place.     ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Apogee Heli-Roc Build Part 13 Hinges (2010-12-09)

  In Step 12, the hinges are cut to this profile. With one side trimmed down, it better fits the contour of the body tube. Scissors easily cut through the hinges.   ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Apogee Heli-Roc Build Part 14 Hinges (2010-12-10)

Here's how the hinges line up. The corner of the trimmed hinge touches the back corner of the reinforcement strip. Enlarge the picture to see better detail. Hold the ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Apogee Heli-Roc Build Part 15 Self Adhesive Decor (2010-12-10)

These ares the supplied self-adhesive panels on the rotors. They look good and will help strengthen the long balsa rotors.   While the face card shows the grey panels all the way ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Apogee Heli-Roc Build Part 16 Hooks (2010-12-11)

Three metal hooks are bent from the supplied music wire. These are small, you'll need needle nose pliers to make the small hook. Enough wire is supplied to make five hooks. I ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Apogee Heli -Roc Build Part 17 Burn Thread Holes (2010-12-11)

Drill two holes, 1/16" diameter by spinning the tip of your hobby knife on the body tube. The hole center should be 2" up from the leading edge of two fins.     Make the hole ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Apogee Heli-Roc Build Part 18 Rotor Stop Lugs (2010-12-12)

In Step 18, the remaining launch lug is cut in half and to the length of the top of the rotor stop. I decided to fill, sand and paint the lug before cutting it to size.   ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Apogee Heli-Roc Build Part 19 Rubber Bands (2010-12-12)

  The rubber band "cradles" from the last step are glued in place on top of the rotor stops.       I've placed the three rubber bands under the metal hooks and ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Apogee Heliroc Part 20 Finished! (2010-12-13)

Here's the finished Heli - Roc with the rotors flipped up! The lower half of the rocket with the rotors up. The full view showing the span of the rotors. This build was a good stretch! I learned a ... [Read More]

Rich's Rockets: Building the FlisKits Rose-a-Roc (Part 1) (2015-03-31)

I’ve let a fair fraction of my work space (and play time) get taken over by my chalumeau project but there still are rockets to be built! I’ll try to squeeze that in. I opened up ... [Read More]

Rich's Rockets: Building the FlisKits Rose-a-Roc (Part 2) (2015-04-04)

I took a few minutes out of an otherwise busy Saturday to get started on this build. Following the instructions closely for a change of pace, I started by cutting out the rotors: Those square pieces ... [Read More]

Rich's Rockets: Building the FlisKits Rose-a-Roc (Part 3) (2015-04-22)

Okay, so it’s been about two and a half weeks since Part 2. So what have I been doing on this kit? Not a lot. But some, a few minutes here and there. Next step, say the instructions, is to ... [Read More]

Rich's Rockets: Building the FlisKits Rose-a-Roc (Part 4) (2015-05-19)

And another long delay. I don’t need to finish this thing before August ... [Read More]

Rich's Rockets: Building the FlisKits Rose-a-Roc (Part 5) (2015-07-05)

Okay, let’s get this thing done, shall we? Or a lot of the way toward done. I put the hub together and wired the rotors to the hub. Here it is after trimming the wires and putting the hub on ... [Read More]

Rich's Rockets: Building the FlisKits Rose-a-Roc (Part 6) (2015-07-24)

I didn’t much like the thought of gluing the other ends of the rubber bands to slits in the nose cone, so I decided to give the other way a try. I drilled small shallow holes in the nose cone ... [Read More]

Rocketeer's Corner: Working through the list... (2017-10-09)

A few days ago, I finished a clone of the Estes Falcon Commander, which was one of the three items on my 2017 build list. Next up is a clone of the venerable Estes Gyroc, which is also celebrating ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: First Maple Seed Model? (2020-08-07)

On TRF, the subject of Maple Seed recovery came up. Eric (RKTMAN in TRF) posted a link to probably the first "eject and spin" or maple seed recovery. The December 1965 Estes Model Rocket News shows ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Cyclone Build FINISHED! (2011-01-01)

Here's the finished CYCLONE! The longer adapter / coupler needed a wrap of masking tape for a good fit. Be ready, the performance of the helicopter recovery will be better than you would expect. I ... [Read More]

Rocket Dungeon: Mega Review: Vintage Estes (2011-01-14)

This post covers the following out-of-production Estes kits: Helio*Copter (Kit #1995) Sizzler (Kit #1906) Starter Set Skinny Mini (Kit #0880) Space Shuttle (Kit #1284) ... [Read More]

Rocket Dungeon: New Odd'l products announced (2011-04-05)

Chris Michielssen announces three new products from his modroc company, Odd'l: The Cyclone is a mini-motor-powered rocket that utilizes 'mapleseed' helicopter recovery. The Up! Cup , is ... [Read More]

DTH Rocket Blog: University Student Launch Initiative -- We Made It Again! (2011-10-19)

Our proposal was accepted, so Iowa State is now one of 42 universities competing in USLI. The University Student Launch Initiative (USLI) is a NASA competition for universities across the country to ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Top 10 for 2011 (2011-12-19)

I had 280 launches in the past year, 85 flights more than in 2010. Of the 24 builds completed in 2011, these are my top picks. Click on the BOLD NAME to go to the finished pictures or blog post. ... [Read More]

Rocket Dungeon: Links roundup (2012-04-25)

Pictures: Huge "Snowballs" Seen Piercing Saturn's Outer Ring - National Geographic Pondering the dark side of Commercial Cargo How Safe Does a Rocket Have to Be? - IPinSpace  (found ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: More New Estes Kits (2014-12-23)

  The best news is -  The 2" diameter (Centuri capsule) Mercury Redstone is returning! This is the Liberty Bell version. They specify a C6-3 engine only for a 200' altitude. This ... [Read More]

Rocket N00b: My First Club Launch - Upcoming (2015-09-14)

I haven't launched a rocket in months. Last time it was with the Ivy Tech Rocket Camp I taught in June. The rockets were all really small, I was the only adult, and because of where we launched, I ... [Read More]

Model Rocket Building: Launch, L.A.S.E.R., Groveland, FL, December 20, 2020 (2020-12-21)

Cool weather, low winds and a small chance of afternoon rain. I took the 70 minute drive to Groveland to join the L.A.S.E.R. monthly launch. I tried the MMX BLUE BIRD ZERO first, but had trouble ... [Read More]