PHOENIX ROCKET BUILT BY  SEAN O'NEILL ROCKET CONSTRUCTION This rocket was designed to fly on 4 x 29mm motors and a core 38mm motor. Concept was designed around the Estes Phoenix which I have been flying for a few years now. The major differences being the fin attatchment and the motor mount. All other details are similar to the Estes kit. BODY The body is made from 6inch diameter tubing cut to the appropriate length. The Fins are thin firm plastic, cut and shaped with profiled leading edges. The fins are bolted onto the main airframe via a 'T' section of aluminium. Six slots have been cut into the tube the full length of the root cord of the fins. A tee section piece of aluminium (form B&Q) is then epoxyied to the inside of the tube for each slot with the Tee section protruding out from the side of the body. The 29mm motor mount tubes are made from 32mm high temperature waste pipe. The core motor tube is a phenolic 38mm motor mount. The final fixing details to the airframe of the motor mount assembly is still to be confirmed but will used ply centering rings to take engine thrust. NOSECONE The most difficult part of a rocket to make is the nosecone. Commercially available nosecones do not fit the tubes I use. So I decided to make my own. It is a lot of work but it means that you can make it whatever size and shape you want. It is more satisfying also to know that you have make every part. The nosecone started life out as a 2inch thick sheet of polystyrene. This was cut into a number of circles that reduced down in diameter to simulate the basic shape required. These where then mounted on a central axis made of wooden dowl. The pieces of foam were PVA glued together and left to dry. Next I made a basic homemade lathe. The nose cone was turned at the drills slowest speed (only 2 speed) and a hacksaw was used to get the rough shape. When stopped the finish is very rough but very quickly comes to a smooth finish with rough and then medium sandpaper. Once the nosecone is smooth and the correct shape then it is covered with fibreglass filler and smoothed out. Normal epoxy resin cannot be used as it melts the foam. When dry this is then turned and smoothed. The surface is then coated with a thin layer of car body filler and turned and smoothed. This process is done a few times to get the smoothest finish. A number of coats of gloss under coat is then used to smooth out any final irregularities. RECOVERY SYSTEM The shock cord is 2inch wide flat elastic. The shock cord can easily be examined or replaced if found to be damaged.. I will be using three home-made 36inch diameter rip-stop nylon parachutes for recovery. FLIGHTS First flight will probably be my level 1 certification flight at LARGS International rocketry weekend in Scotland. Images left shown the Phoenix near completion. The aluminium 'T' sections can be seen on the right image which line up with the fin root postions. The motor mount has now been modified from the image shown and now has different fixings and a 38mm core motor tube. RETURN TO THE MEMBERS ROCKET PAGE RETURN TO THE MAIN HOME PAGE