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Just FYI, the raised rings on the nosecone aren't a result of the molding process but are actually marks for cutting the nisecone for two boattail sizes. It's a feature used by the Apogee Lexjet.

What's funny is that when I initially designed the Kestrel my preferred color scheme was much closer to what you used, but the decision to go with the final color scheme (really closer to orange and blue-gray on our showroom model) came down - almost entirely - to ability to track it down again after flight! Excellent build. Wonderful channel.

i bet this would also make a good small dual deploy rocket

I wanna try and make one of these dual deploy... I wonder if the telemini and a small battery would fit in the payload section ...

Dave, I've seen where other builders install the Eyebolt so the eye opening 90° of yours so if you want to replace the shock chord.

Neat.

My comments?

Question, Couldn't you use a fishing swivel with the clasp on nose cone off a short piece of kevlar sc ( shock chord) ?

What are your thoughts on cutting out the center of the parachute? Thanks

Another great video. Question about the Saturn V of Estes of the Rerelease of the original one from like the 70s, have you heard of anyone build it & what they thought?? It stands if I recall like 42" -43".

Thanks for posting this! I recently bought the MMA-3 and MMA-4. I noticed the "discrepancy" right away which prompted my search for a video and found yours right away.

the raised rings on the nose cone are there as cutting guides to turn that nosecone into a tail cone for 24mm or 29mm motor tubes

I would cut a hole in the center of the nose cone parachute, so that it comes down sooner. (within the launch field) Cheers from Manitoba Canada.

I remember my first rocket....you didn't get die cut or laser cut fins....you got a sheet of balsa and a fin pattern, and you traced and cut them out yourself....fun times.

Thx David. Great vid

Do you think it would be okay not to use the payload bay?

I got mine from hobby lobby and mine wasn’t pre painted , what’s a good paint for model rockets , I’m assuming semi gloss?

This IS Rocket Science!

Oh my God.

This was Very Helpful as I am currently building one. You are an excellent instructor. Thank you. Cheers from Manitoba Canada, eh!

I know this is old, but how does the rocket engine stay in the tube? I've never had one like this and there is no stop for the engine. Does the engine expand or something to hold itself in place?

I know this is old, but how does the rocket engine stay in the tube? I've never had one like this and there is no stop for the engine. Does the engine expand or something to hold itself in place?

Thanks.

Dr Dave, if I am making my bt-80 rocket with an over all length of about 48", and using an Aerotech H182R motor which is an 8" long 29mm motor, do I need to use epoxy for the centering rings or can I use white glue? thanks for your input

Thank you for making the video 😁

Dr dave, on a 2 stage model that uses friction mounting, and staging where you tape the motors together, will a 1mm gap still work for a rocket like that? The gap is no bigger than the thickness of a penny.

Nice build and video. I am curious. Do you ever stay inside the coloring book lines and finish (paint and decals) your rocket as shown on the face card? It's good how you show viewers that you can use artistic license. 😎

Complicated motor mount design. I believe it would have been better if the centering rings were plywood instead of cardboard. Nice build video. It will surely be helpful to anyone building this kit!

Is 220 grit enough for sanding excess sanding sealer Dr Dave?

Had one about 40 years ago. Painted mine black and I believe the "MEAN MACHINE" decals were baby blue. It looked great. At the same time I also had one of those tiny Estes rockets that was so light and small it didn't even have a parachute. I loved this stuff as a tween. It was ALL ABOUT the sound of ignition and lift-off for me!

Dr. Dave, New wrinkle to my scratch build... I don't have a laser cutter so I was wondering if you know of any online services that I can send the templates for my 1/4 aircraft plywood fins to be laser cut for me? thanks.

When you say over all length of a rocket are you including the nose cone, nose cone and fin tips, or just the length of the body tube? Thanks Dr Dave

You are a national treasure, thank you for this.

I like the fast-forward music, all of the versions you use. It’s not supposed to be soothing or something like that, yours has an industrial kind of sound which goes well with the fast forward footage.

Dr dave, i know id have to sew in my own loops but could a 1/4" length of nylon ribbon be used as a shock cord for a bt 80 rocket body? My wife tugged at the ribbon with me and it didnt snap but figured your experience would help thank you

I had the same issue with my key switch... but with my launch controller there is a key switch, a doomsday switch and an light to indicate that the rocket is ready to launch

So not even as the coupler tube i gather?

Dr Dave build question... the rocket im building still needs the home made baffle i plan to make.....in your opinion could a section of soda bottle work or would that be too prone to melting?

I built two Booster-55s and removed the tube in front of the plastic fin unit so I could use it as a fin can section for D-powered BT55 rockets! I have a pseudo-scale rocket that looks like a member of the Nike family of sounding rockets I call Nike-Spock.

Im curious why is there a hole in the center of this parachute but not one in smaller ones?

Here is a video of my flights this weekend... some success, some failure... how rocketeers learn. Thanks for advice as always ruclips.net/video/XbvbFa8UNrU/видео.html

Dr. Dave... I was wondering... the rocket I plan to make will be about 4' high with a body thickness of 2.5", the question I have is can my parachute be too big? I plan to use a totes style umbrella for the chute material... is there a formula for the parachutes relative to the bodies that is ideal? I know in the case of most rockets you have made go between a 12-18 inch parachute... I figure that the size of the umbrella is prob a bit more than that..... thank you

Dr Dave, i have a couple of more construction questions...i am planning to make a parachute for a rocket I'm designing out of umbrella material like you did in a video... is there a ratio i need to use for the shroud lines....i.e. the lines should be 3 times the diameter of the parachute or what not.... btw I'm making a windsock out of umbrella material and a dowel rod to assess field conditions.... second question.... i see you assemble most parachute kits with shroud lines being tied to adjacent corners.... but in pre assembled parachutes they tie the shrouds two adjacent corners on the outer corners and across the middle of the chute material for the center shroud line... is there any difference in your educated opinion? Thank you

That cable, crimping and shrink tubing is dubious at best? Why not just braided kevlar, it be lighter? Plus that whole huge elastic shock cord also. Is that really needed?

That's a very interesting rocket. Congratulations on it's construction. Can't wait to see it fly!

I just discovered your channel today. Instant subscribe. I started flying way back in the mid 70s when the biggest engine you could get was the D12-7.

When I first started the biggest engine you could get was a D12-7.

What engine does this use?

My rocketry career started with the Alpha 3. This was way back in the mid 70s. I remember having to cut each fin out of the die cast balsa sheets and having to cut the shroud lines from a single length of string. On the balsa fins I remember using sanding sealer and trying to shape each fin to a perfect airfoil shape.

I built this one in the late 70s. It was always an attention grabber. It was a great rainy day project.