@matthew6969ify Ignitors are from the same shops that sell rocket motors. The launch system is part of a rocket starter set, again from model shops that sell rockets.
once in a while mine to this pasted sunday i had one get stuck on the rod and not go up and out of site but sit there run all of all its fuel out and be in good shape
Looks like the motor mount may have failed? It looked like the motor went clear through the body tube, popped off the nosecone, and kept going. I doubt that's what happened, just my first theory on looking at it. Is that anything like what happened?
@Calvertfilm it looks to me that the motor casing exited the bottom of the rocket and made the big dent in the launch deflector. I would say the nozzle got clogged and forced the propellent out of the top of the motor and into the air as you suggested in the video.
Are you using the engines in cluster or multiple stage configuration? And, what kind of engines? What you describe sounds like a 60's Estes Ranger, but no way it could go so high on two C engines!
not really something to be proud of, not bragging or being rude in anyway at all, but lickily i have actualloy never had a CATo in my entire life, and i have succesfully had 164 launches in my career
A 'D' motor Cato isn't too bad. You'll find bigger motor Catos that totally destroy rockets. That's why the ignition cable is so long. If you have a motor Cato beware the others in the batch.
They estimate that 1% of motors may have a fault which causes then to burn in one single moment = explosion. It usually damages the engine mount and lower half of the rocket. That's what happened here, plus it blew the nose off. But I could repair it on site and it flew minutes later. Actually I've only had 3 Catos in about 700 ignitions/flights.
I used to have some old Estes/ cobra E-15's that were very CATO prone, that i shot years ago and it seemed it was a manufacturing problem on estes's behalf. the motor was a good performer when it worked, but sadly it was discontinued.
'E' motors are great. I used to use E25s (or was it 24s?) in reinforced Zingers (designed for 'C' motors). Alticalc estimated they were going supersonic. They certainly made a crack, like a whip noise. We never measured the speed officially.
The rocket moved so fast that it could not be followed by the human eye at low altitude and only the smoke track could be seen. I have no idea at what altitude the crack occured but it was very soon. On video the rocket is on the pad one frame and the next frame it is gone with just a trail of smoke. The
The rocket was a converted Zinger - I had to epoxy the plastic wings to the tube and strengthen the top of the tube where the nose sits. It was only a few grams.
Excellent. That's exactly what I would have done for reinforcement. I am very interested in supersonic velocity, & the effects on stationary objects. Did it sound like an abrupt single "crack" like a sonic boom, or did it sound like a continuous "tearing" crackle like lightning?
Single crack, just like a whip crack. I launched 19 supersonic rockets. The fastest were these Zingers (I called them Merlins) that reached estimated speeds of 1077mph and 3,200ft. Others used larger E-25 motors in the wider body tube and should have gone close to 800mph and 3,400ft. Not all survived as any slight misalignment caused a violent spiral flight and total break up. They were always spectacular and always made me very nervous. Challenge was to get them back in one piece and safe!
I checked it out & I like it! I have an idea with your concept, but using other parts (not from Zinger, Wizard, Thunderhawk. I need to estimate the center of pressure & center of gravity before knowing if it will work. I'll let you know once I get the part #'s worked out...
We launched a rocket with a weaker engine and it blew the launch plate thing into 3 pieces. We had no idea how that happened. There was an explosion at the base and that was it.
I had an Estes E do the same thing... No wait, mine blew out the bottom. It was quite violent... it melted the whole launch pad and damaged the rocket...
THAT was awesome.
PyroDesu 6 months ago
where do get the thing that ignites the rocket
matthew6969ify 1 year ago
@matthew6969ify Ignitors are from the same shops that sell rocket motors. The launch system is part of a rocket starter set, again from model shops that sell rockets.
Calvertfilm 1 year ago
nice ;d
MrM4rek 1 year ago
once in a while mine to this pasted sunday i had one get stuck on the rod and not go up and out of site but sit there run all of all its fuel out and be in good shape
newyorkcentrury 1 year ago
the first launch was the best
0ArraboY0 2 years ago
Looks more like forward motor mount (thrust ring) failure.
metermatch 3 years ago
Looks like the motor mount may have failed? It looked like the motor went clear through the body tube, popped off the nosecone, and kept going. I doubt that's what happened, just my first theory on looking at it. Is that anything like what happened?
tombirkland 3 years ago
Your theory could be right. Either that or the motor just exploded and the propellant shot out the top.
Calvertfilm 3 years ago
@Calvertfilm it looks to me that the motor casing exited the bottom of the rocket and made the big dent in the launch deflector. I would say the nozzle got clogged and forced the propellent out of the top of the motor and into the air as you suggested in the video.
harmsworth1 1 year ago
hey i have a rocket named big bertha that goes a couple hundred feet but i modified it to go 3,899 feet and it uses only 2 e engines
latinopimp24 3 years ago
Cool for a Big Bertha. My (standard) one has done over 50 flights and it is still going strong.
Calvertfilm 3 years ago
Are you using the engines in cluster or multiple stage configuration? And, what kind of engines? What you describe sounds like a 60's Estes Ranger, but no way it could go so high on two C engines!
Florhusband 3 years ago
FYI CATO stands for Catastrophe At Take-Off
elnod 3 years ago
I've had a good few CATO's.HeHe, explosions and flipping out. ^_^
alexsydmaddie 3 years ago
not really something to be proud of, not bragging or being rude in anyway at all, but lickily i have actualloy never had a CATo in my entire life, and i have succesfully had 164 launches in my career
good luck next launch =]
gibsies13 2 years ago
I've been told they reckon 1% of motor fail and CATO, so you're beating the odds so far. I've had nearly 800 motors fired and three CATOs.
Calvertfilm 2 years ago
ya, knock on wood, i have some G launches im doing tomorrow or tuesday, depending on the weather.
=O
gibsies13 2 years ago
@gibsies13 ha ha ive had like 10 catos and like 53 sucsseful launches lol
saluteshell5 2 years ago
Oh my gosh that was bogus. Y did u put this on youtube? Sum people may mock it, but I'm just showing concern
PrinceBR373 3 years ago
This launch shows the importance of launching a few feet away from a model rocket in case the motors explodes.
Calvertfilm 3 years ago
Oh I see you're tryin to help some1
avoid a mistake with rockets
PrinceBR373 3 years ago
Does CATO mean a flase engine.
rocketboy734 4 years ago
CATO is short for CATOstrophic lift-off.
Calvertfilm 4 years ago
A 'D' motor Cato isn't too bad. You'll find bigger motor Catos that totally destroy rockets. That's why the ignition cable is so long. If you have a motor Cato beware the others in the batch.
Never launch near a rocket either.
Calvertfilm 4 years ago
Catastrophe
At
Take
Off
auburntaco 3 years ago
does cato mean like a messed up engine.
rocketboy734 4 years ago
They estimate that 1% of motors may have a fault which causes then to burn in one single moment = explosion. It usually damages the engine mount and lower half of the rocket. That's what happened here, plus it blew the nose off. But I could repair it on site and it flew minutes later. Actually I've only had 3 Catos in about 700 ignitions/flights.
Calvertfilm 4 years ago
I used to have some old Estes/ cobra E-15's that were very CATO prone, that i shot years ago and it seemed it was a manufacturing problem on estes's behalf. the motor was a good performer when it worked, but sadly it was discontinued.
BackupNTAuth 4 years ago
'E' motors are great. I used to use E25s (or was it 24s?) in reinforced Zingers (designed for 'C' motors). Alticalc estimated they were going supersonic. They certainly made a crack, like a whip noise. We never measured the speed officially.
Calvertfilm 4 years ago
at what altitude did the crack begin...was the rocket within visual distance, or was it just a trail of smoke when the crack occured.
PassionStone 3 years ago
The rocket moved so fast that it could not be followed by the human eye at low altitude and only the smoke track could be seen. I have no idea at what altitude the crack occured but it was very soon. On video the rocket is on the pad one frame and the next frame it is gone with just a trail of smoke. The
Calvertfilm 3 years ago
The rocket was a converted Zinger - I had to epoxy the plastic wings to the tube and strengthen the top of the tube where the nose sits. It was only a few grams.
Calvertfilm 3 years ago
Excellent. That's exactly what I would have done for reinforcement. I am very interested in supersonic velocity, & the effects on stationary objects. Did it sound like an abrupt single "crack" like a sonic boom, or did it sound like a continuous "tearing" crackle like lightning?
PassionStone 3 years ago
Single crack, just like a whip crack. I launched 19 supersonic rockets. The fastest were these Zingers (I called them Merlins) that reached estimated speeds of 1077mph and 3,200ft. Others used larger E-25 motors in the wider body tube and should have gone close to 800mph and 3,400ft. Not all survived as any slight misalignment caused a violent spiral flight and total break up. They were always spectacular and always made me very nervous. Challenge was to get them back in one piece and safe!
Calvertfilm 3 years ago
Search out 'Supersonic model rockets' and 'Calvertfilm'.
Calvertfilm 3 years ago
I checked it out & I like it! I have an idea with your concept, but using other parts (not from Zinger, Wizard, Thunderhawk. I need to estimate the center of pressure & center of gravity before knowing if it will work. I'll let you know once I get the part #'s worked out...
PassionStone 3 years ago
Yep, keep us posted.
Calvertfilm 3 years ago
We launched a rocket with a weaker engine and it blew the launch plate thing into 3 pieces. We had no idea how that happened. There was an explosion at the base and that was it.
cataclysmic325 4 years ago
I had an Estes E do the same thing... No wait, mine blew out the bottom. It was quite violent... it melted the whole launch pad and damaged the rocket...
TheyCallHimDietSeth 4 years ago
Indeed it is the Silver Comet. It flew several times successfully. I was just unlucky on this occasion that the motor was faulty.
Calvertfilm 4 years ago
Was that the Estes Silver Comet?
jackdeath 4 years ago
I'd give it 5 stars, bu...ut.
jackdeath 4 years ago