Richard's Rocket Fleet Page

So, here's a sample of the rockets I fly (there's about 10 others), ranging from amateur rockets, high power rockets through to model rockets....

Note, I haven't included rockets that have crashed or been retired from service (mainly because so many of them have crashed !).

Scratch Built Rockets
1. Starbyte-1
2. Starflame-1
3. flying flop
4. cone of sound
5. Winged Booster

   Kit Rockets

6. Rampage
7. Dagger
8. Q-E-Z Payloader

   Kit Rocket Gliders

9. HL-20 Number 1

   Modified Kit Rockets & Rocket Gliders

10. SR-X
11. Navaho
12. Sonic Shock (Modified Nike Smoke)
13. HL-20 Number 2
14. X-30 Number 1
15. X-30 Number 2
16. Omloid

StarByte-1

Details	More info	Comments
Diameter	55 mm	This is the workhorse rocket, designed to test all the various payloads and avionics (this always includes one of my PIC flight computers). Powered by a Rocket Services F36-5 or an F72-0, although it will also fly on a cluster of 4 C's. It can also accomodate my CCD video camera.
Length	12 inches (150 mm)
Motor(s)	1 x F36-5 or F72-0 Rocket Services motors
Dry Mass	200 grams (4 ounces)
Recovery System	1 Parachute
Kit or Scratch-built	Scratch Built

Omloid

Details	More info	Comments
Body Diameter Payload Diameter	30 mm 50mm	Modified Estes Omloid kit. This is a super kit for flying small payloads such as flight computers, altimeters or for onboard video cameras - you really can get everything in, including batteries etc. I got the Omloid when I was in a hurry to test launch a flight computer payload, and didn't have time (or should that be, was too lazy!) to scratch build a rocket for the payload. The Omloid easily accomodates the PIC based flight computers, with plenty of room left over for all sorts of payloads. Current modifications to date include modifying the payload module by drilling holes in it for the onboard video camera, the static pressure vent and for an antenna. The video camera points downwards at a slight angle, rather than horizontally. The body tube has been painted white, with black tracking stripes. Color Scheme The motor section has been painted black, and the fins have been painted with an even more vivid day-glo orange. The payload module remains the orginal shade of orange.
Length	12 inches (150 mm)
Motor(s)	1 x C6-5
Dry Mass (without Payload)	200 grams (4 ounces)
Payload Mass	Varies according to payload
Recovery System	1 Parachute
Kit or Scratch-built	Modified Kit (Estes)

Sonic Shock

Details	More info	Comments
Body Diameter	30 mm	This is a modified Quest Nike Smoke designed for supersonic flight. The body tube and nosecone have been coated with epoxy resin for strength, and sanded to a smooth finish. A new set of through-the-wall fins have been built, a carbon fibre pitot tube has been fitted for airspeed data, and a 29mm motor mount fitted to allow 29mm motors such as G-class motors to be used (although smaller motors can be fitted via an adaptor). The rocket also carries a small PIC based flight computer (as built by James Macfarlane), which I have programmed for basic 2-channel data aquisition, i.e. airspeed and altitude. The flight computer is linked to a small Analogue to Digital Converter which is connected to the airspeed sensor (attached to the pitot tube) and the altitude sensor (side mounted). There is also a small onboard transmitter to transmit the telemetry data in real time to the ground.
Length	12 inches (150 mm)
Motor(s)	1 x C6-5
Dry Mass	200 grams (4 ounces)
Recovery System	1 Parachute
Kit or Scratch-built	Modified Kit (Quest)

SR-X

Details	More info	Comments
Body Diameter	30 mm	This is a modified Estes SR-X, with model aircraft hinges attached to custom built flaps and rudders. A miniature radio control receiver, 4 x AAA batteries, and a miniature servo attached to a control mixer are fitted in the nose. Also fitted in the nose is a PIC flight computer coupled to an airspeed sensor, an altimeter and an accellerometer. It is also "asking" to have an onboard video camera fitted ! Tips : The SR-X can be upgraded to fly on D-class motors and/or radio control with little more work than required to build the standard kit. The body and wings can be coated with epoxy resin and even fibreglass or carbon fibre tissue, to make a much stronger structure (useful if the SR-X comes down too heavily). Also, even if you don't want to coat the model, it is a good idea to add masking tape along the leading edge of the wings
Length	12 inches (150 mm)
Motor(s)	C - D motors
Dry Mass	200 grams (4 ounces)
Recovery System	Glide Recovery
Kit or Scratch-built	Modified Kit (Estes)

X-30

Details	More info	Comments
Body Diameter	30 mm	This is a gorgeous kit. Well recomended, it looks marvellous on a launchpad. The X-30 had obvious potential for "upgrading". Initially, the only changes were to add moving control surfaces to it, as well as radio control gear, a small PIC based flight computer and some sensors. I built a second one with a fibreglass body (using fibreglass tissue), and a number of balsa bulkheads, with the rear bulkhead designed to fit 1,2 or 3 D-class motors. There is sufficient space in the nose to fit in a PIC flight computer. In order to do this you need to modify the forward bulkhead, freeing up some space to fit the circuit board (by this stage, parachute recovery has become a distant memory). The cockpit space can be opened up to allow a battery compartment to be fitted, the cockpit is then modified to become a hatch. The inclusion of an aispeed sensor coupled to the flight computer has resulted in both of the X-30's acquiring a 3.25 inch long, carbon fibre, nose mounted airspike - this makes the total length a nice round 20 inches.
Length	12 inches (150 mm)
Motor(s)	C - D motors
Dry Mass	200 grams (4 ounces)
Recovery System	Glide Recovery
Kit or Scratch-built	Modified Kit (Quest)

HL-20

Details	More info	Comments
Body Diameter	30 mm	The most amazing thing about this kit is that I built one without modifying it ! Normally, if it is a lifting body, or some other form of winged vehicle, I tend to "upgrade" it. Even I had trouble shoe-horning a PIC flight computer and servo into this one though. In the end, I built a second, slightly larger HL-20, with a fibreglass body (using fibreglass tissue), and a balsa bulkhead designed to fit 1,2 or 3 A, B or C-class motors.
Length	12 inches (150 mm)
Motor(s)	C - D motors
Dry Mass	200 grams (4 ounces)
Recovery System	Glide and Streamer Recovery
Kit or Scratch-built	Modified Kit (Quest)

Winged Booster

Details	More info	Comments
Body Diameter	50 mm	This radio controlled, winged rocket is designed to be used as a stable launch platform for model waverider test flights. It has a centrally mounted delta wing, a rear delta tail, and servo controlled canards. Its onboard equipment consists of the radio controlled receiver, batteries, and a servo to control the canards. Also carried is a Black Sky Research ALTACC accelerometer/altimeter and timers connected to a small onboard PIC flight computer, which lock the canards in pitch up position, should the rocket go out of range of the Radio-control transmitter signal. The waveriders are either mounted shuttle style to the booster, or to the nose of the booster (either singly or mirrored), or on the end of a boom (ala STAAR Research). The rocket is a cross between a Pegasus and a Bomarc, with a centrally mounted G30 booster motor, and a Tutu sustainer motor mounted in an underslung pod.
Length	26 inches (660 mm)
Motor(s)	1 x G30 Comet (Booster) 1 x Tutu (Sustainer)
Dry Mass	300 grams (4 ounces)
Recovery System	Glide Recovery
Kit or Scratch-built	Scratch Built

Other Rockets

Rocket	Length(tot)	Motor(s)	Dry-Mass	Recovery System	Kit / Scratch -built	Comments
Dagger	12 inches 150 mm	C6-4	150 grams 4 ounces	1 Parachute	Kit (Estes)	Standard Estes Dagger kit
Rampage	12 inches 150 mm	C5-3	150 grams 4 ounces	1 Parachute	Kit (Estes)	Standard Estes Rampage kit
Q-E-Z Payloader	12 inches 150 mm	B - C motors	150 grams 4 ounces	2 Parachutes	Kit (Quest)	Standard Quest Q-E-Z Payloader kit, used to fly avionics such as an altimeter, and miniature flight computers
Navaho	12 inches 150 mm	B - C motors	150 grams 4 ounces	2 Parachutes	Kit (Quest)	This is a modified Quest Navaho. A new set of strengthened fins have been constructed for the booster stage and the second stage. It has been modified to use D motors for the booster stage and the second stage.).