MicroMaxx Gallery

[Micromeister]

OK I have to admit this one was in fact done because I was told by a club member I couldn't possibly make it work. At almost 100grams I wasn't sure if we'ed get enought altitude to be called a flight but by gosh I was gonna make the thing flyable.
An In-line 6 motor cluster it is the largest "In-line" micro cluster i've done. The Lindburg model at 1:180 scale is fairly compact lending it's upper deck to only accepting a T3 .375" diameter body tube making recovery system room pretty scarse. the original intent was to use a 6" heavy mylar chute. After completion of the fabrication and painting I know that was simply not going to be big enough. a lighter weight 10" chute was placed in exchange.
Over all this model is 5/8" OD x 11.5" in length with a 7-3/4" windspan. as working landing gear that can be pose wheels down for display and retracted for wheels up flight. the Ewt went up slightly with the larger chute from 92.4 to 95.0grams. adding the 6 MMX-II motors liftoff weight was 101.6grams.
Which makes it by far the Heaviest model in the entire Micro Maxx flying model fleet.
To be perfectly Honest; As a flying model it sucks! getting only 10-12 feet of total altitude, popping the chute just in time to prevent disaster, but did snap a wing tip on a hard landing. but She did fly, eject and deploy.. and could...perhaps will fly again But it LOOKS SO darn KEWL!

 

[Micromeister]

Another Mapleseed recovery type model is Estes Tornado.
I decided to add it to the mapleseed helio recovery downscales to round out the group.
At T3 it did provide a bit of a challange getting the mating halves to stay together. with .032" Basswood fins reinforced with a vary small amount of .5oz glass at the joints it's proven to be a very Nice Spinner. If you build on be very clear about the need for fluorescent colors on the parts and at least two pair of eyes on the models during boost/seperation. It's a tough job as she's Super fast off the pad. Once seperated both parts tend to stay pretty close on the way down usually landing within 10-15feet from each other.
Great flying model with an Ewt. of only 3.6grams LOWt. 4.7 it's GONE. I've yet to catch more the a smoke trail...but super to watch on the way down

 

[Micromeister]

OH this was a FUN downscale. the original design and flight tests were done by TRF's own Bohica aka Gerald Wallace. Truely a unique look and somewhat spooky looking beast to the RSO LOL!!!

My T3 downscale is no less so. .375" in diameter and 8-3/4" long is Ring fins make it really stand out at check-in and on the pad. .052" holes carefully aligned in at the fin/body joint serve as Launch lugs giving the model are very clean almost "stand alone" look on the rod. does take a good bit of noseweight to get the thing to swing and fly right but even at 12.9g LOWt it's quick off the pad.
I painted this model before realizing there is no way to protect the Chrome silver Highly reflective finish. But it looked great for awhile.

 

[JAL3]

Heres an Oldie that really great for adding to your Night Flying micro collection.
built around Pratt Hobbies 10.5mm super light weight vacuum formed nosecones with a .444" clear Polyethylene mailing tube payload section the Micro Constellation can handle three 1-1/2" Cylume fishing lure light sticks or a custom LED light package.
it's a very nice flying Micro model at T4 size. because it's a bit slower you might even catch a lift off shot every now and then

What is the original prototype nam and manufacturer?

 

[Micromeister]

What is the original prototype nam and manufacturer?

Constellation by Estes mid 70's I think
One of Sandmans favorite models.

 

[Micromeister]

Next three models are all Fliskit "Micro to the Maxx" kits

This first one is one of my favorite Demo micros because of it's unique tab fitted triangular self aligning fin unit. As a first micro or First model rocket period this is one of MY NUMBER ONE recommendations. large enough for small fingers this T4 (.448") OD model is almost 7-1/2" Long. Great balsa Nose cone as usual with laser cut fins that tab together into a slide on unit that just can't be easier. The kits T2+ motor tube and centering rings are about the only really small parts.
As is my usual practice the kits laser cut motor stop was replaced with a 3/16" length of T2 (.246") tubing. I've replaced the provided shockline with 36" of 90lb kevlar and swapped the proved mylar streamer for a 3/4" x 10" Red military grade Teflon Wadding/Streamer. Painting is all rattle can fadding after some time was taken to completely eliminate fintab pockets and grain. Ho yeah I also Added a water slide Doo-Hickey decal just for fun.
Model finished with all that extra paint is still only 10.0g so it flys great as well.
If you're looking for a first Micro or one that gets attention at the table or on the field I strongly suggest the Doo-Hickey!

PS; The 13mm and 18mm motor verisons I won't waste the typing space for the names are equally fun to build and fly LOL!!! Goooo Fliskits!

 

[Micromeister]

I guess I'm a semi-Trekie as I recognized the Star Trek eposide reference as soon as I saw the kit.
Almost added a decal likeness drill-thrall miss Pettyjohn but thought it might be a bit to racy for the intended audience LOL! but I digress...

Another super fun to build "Micro to the Maxx" Fliskit offering the Teeny Triskelion can be a challange to get the alignment and colors right, but at this T3 (.375") Scale is a super flying fun thing when complete. My only alterations are the usual extended shockline line, changing the mylar streamer to a 1/2" x 10" yellow military grade teflon wadding/streamer and making a Waterslide kit Name decal for easy identification
You'll hear all kinds of Wow's at ignition for this little model it's quick off the pad and a nice high flyer.

 

[Micromeister]

The MudWasp is a pretty big 6-fin model that just seems too heavy as a single MMX motor model.
Granted I did add some mass by completely filling the grain in all those fins and Nose cone, the extra length 90lb kevlar shockline & 3/4" x 10 Red military grade teflon streamer... but at just a little under 8 inchs (7.92") with a 3.32" finspan, an Ewt of 14.7grams, LOWT of 15.8g is just a little much with all the DRAG of the outer T3 body tubes and fins.
I'm looking at adding a few (2 or 4) T2+ motor tubes with stops to the inside coretube side of some outer T3 tubes to turn the model into an in-line 3 motor or a (core+4) 5-motor cluster. Either set-up should help with the very low altitude performance flight problem.
Just trying to decide if I want to extend the T2+ almost the entire length of the outer T3's, capping and side venting them back down the strap-ons or leave them minimum length and open top, hoping the burn thru with vent backwards in flight. Tis a puzzle???

 

[Micromeister]

Just another MMX conversion the Estes often 1st flight Lost BT-5 size 220 Swift makes and Excellent single motor conversion.
After paint and Decals this little model came out with an easy flying 7.1 Ewt. adding the MMX-II motor we had 8.2grams at liftoff and fine flights to 60-70 feet. 1/2" x 10" Yellow Teflon Wadding/streamer brings it back every time

 

[Micromeister]

Halloween is the better 2/3rds and my favorite Rocket fly'in Holliday. on of the all time great Theme Estes releases was "The BAT".
Just a 3F&NC model but the Decals were SO darn KEWL!!!!
I just had to downscale it to T3 then completely redraw the decals to fit. being all white they also have to be printed on an Alps printer.
At 6.5grams it's a great flying Micro model as well...Spooky

 

[Micromeister]

What A HOOT! This is currently my smallest, lightest and least likely to ever be seen again Micro Model.

I've named it the NANO-DOT. minimum diameter .281" OD x 1.60" long with a fin span of .9375" this little T2+ ring, Computer paper printed fin & hi-density foam NC model tips the scales at .8g
I made up an entire computer page of folded fins and strips that can be rolled into the motor retainer rings but I find it is just as easy to cut a 1/8" & 1/16" side slice of T2+ adding matching size Stirstick Launch lugs you have a model ready to insert a MMX-I or MMX-II in just a few minutes.
I made up 6 in the first batch. Taking them to a Narhams sport launch thinking with 30-50 sets of eyes watching I'd at least get one back.
Not so! After the RSO finially realized there was actually a model out there waiting to launch we called for all hands looking...5,4,3,2,1,....Woosh! gone!
reload and repeat 5 more times still haven't seen one back LOL!!! OH man these little things are super fast. Made one and give it to Jim Flis at NARAM-50 all he could do was laugh! haven't heard if he flew or is keeping it for display
If you'd like to try your hand the 1-page plan is in McCoys Micor Plans folders over in the files section of the MicroMaxRockets yahoo group. They are a hoot even just the once

 

[Micromeister]

Going a bit in the other direction from the Smallest, Lightest micor model I let the vehicle weight get away from me a bit on this downscale.
It's such a KEWL looking design I simply wanted to make it as close to the original Space probe as I could. All the centering rings and 12 fins give it some heft and additional DRAG. Turned out pretty well building wise but this little piggy doesn't like to get much altitude on a single motor. Flys OK and recoverys without damage I just wish I had paid a bit more attention to the mass while building.

 

[jflis]

What A HOOT! This is currently my smallest, lightest and least likely to ever be seen again Micro Model.

I've named it the NANO-DOT. minimum diameter .281" OD x 1.60" long with a fin span of .9375" this little T2+ ring, Computer paper printed fin & hi-density foam NC model tips the scales at .8g
I made up an entire computer page of folded fins and strips that can be rolled into the motor retainer rings but I find it is just as easy to cut a 1/8" & 1/16" side slice of T2+ adding matching size Stirstick Launch lugs you have a model ready to insert a MMX-I or MMX-II in just a few minutes.
I made up 6 in the first batch. Taking them to a Narhams sport launch thinking with 30-50 sets of eyes watching I'd at least get one back.
Not so! After the RSO finially realized there was actually a model out there waiting to launch we called for all hands looking...5,4,3,2,1,....Woosh! gone!
reload and repeat 5 more times still haven't seen one back LOL!!! OH man these little things are super fast. Made one and give it to Jim Flis at NARAM-50 all he could do was laugh! haven't heard if he flew or is keeping it for display
If you'd like to try your hand the 1-page plan is in McCoys Micor Plans folders over in the files section of the MicroMaxRockets yahoo group. They are a hoot even just the once

Yep, that's a downscale of my Micro-Dot design. And, no, I haven't flown the one you gave me, nor do I intend to... LOL Maybe if I had a 250 foot long launch rod, so it would just slide back down to the pad...

 

[Micromeister]

Yep, that's a downscale of my Micro-Dot design. And, no, I haven't flown the one you gave me, nor do I intend to... LOL Maybe if I had a 250 foot long launch rod, so it would just slide back down to the pad...

ROTFL! Yeap I can fully understand LOL!! I've gone through almost the entire first dozen.. with 10 to 30 pair of eyes watching...without a single return... but they are SO Cute and fairly quick to make.
I do hope your Nano-Dot gets displayed somewhere anyway just for laughs.

 

[Micromeister]

Found this design in a very OLD Popular Mechanics Article found in my Dad's archives from the 60's. While the real Vehicle never got off the drawing boards I thought I might be able to make a Micro model of it fly.
As it turned out it this T3 model not only looks very KEWL but flys well also.
Ewt of 9.5grams.
Well shoot I thought I had a few lift-off shots of this model but apparently they were all fuzzy or smoke trails as i'm not finding them.

 

[Micromeister]

I have to admit this one was a real labor of love. I had an original KC-8 Centuri Orion back in the day...flying it to death on every launch occasion. It's just one of the super nifty looking Futuristic Mod-Roc designs that just klicks.

To down scale it for micro maxx flying was a chore and a JOY at the same time. Bt-5 (.544" dia) and 6.104" long it's a good sized Micro model with a lot of frontal area to deal with. This does effect flight performance but I really wasn't looking for out of sight flights on this one.
Turned Basswood Nosecones (7), 1/16" basswood fins & pod standoffs along with custome fabricated cardstock corrugation and all the tiny styrene protrusions etc made for some very interesting evening building.
Model recovers on a 3/4" x 12" red teflon streamer after flights to 60-70 feet on good old MMX-II motors. Ewt of 9.2grams gives a LOWt of 10.3grams.
Finished in Rustoleum Silver metallic flake you really have to see this little jewel in the sunlight to appreciate the sparkle... in my best itallian accent "it's a very very nice".

 

[WizardOfAZ]

LOL Bob!
If he hadn't someone would have....I'm enjoying it

Next on the Downscale list Ramjet.

I've been thinking about building something similar. I'd probably make it much larger, but haven't seen anything like this before. My idea is to centre mount a motor mount tube with "stator" vanes, within a cowl (larger body tube). My idea is that if the motor is mounted slightly inside the end of the larger tube (with fire protection of foil or something), could the thrust of the motor actually create an amount of low pressure to suck air in the front and create more forward thrust? Now, the rational part of me says of course not, because the low pressure suction wouldn't even come close to equalling the amount of form drag. Thoughts???

 

[Micromeister]

I've been thinking about building something similar. I'd probably make it much larger, but haven't seen anything like this before. My idea is to centre mount a motor mount tube with "stator" vanes, within a cowl (larger body tube). My idea is that if the motor is mounted slightly inside the end of the larger tube (with fire protection of foil or something), could the thrust of the motor actually create an amount of low pressure to suck air in the front and create more forward thrust? Now, the rational part of me says of course not, because the low pressure suction wouldn't even come close to equalling the amount of form drag. Thoughts???

I'm sorry Josh! I'm not sure what model your referencing. That said; based on your post above I'm inclined to agree not because of exactly the reason given, not to mention the burn time on these micro motors is quite short.

 

[Micromeister]

Our club Logo features a rocket that just needed to be built.
For the Naram-50 contestants packet we decided to include a plan for our Logo rocket in both BT-60 and of coarse I had to downScale it to BT-5 as well Our section number "139" is the only identifying mark on the model, Finished in Rustoleum Silver Metallic flake it makes a nice looking model in the sunlight.
Flys pretty well for a Bt-5 based micro. 8.1grams empty.

 

[Micromeister]

In the late 80's the old Estes BT-20 Courier was on of my favorite Non-competition very high flying Streamer recovery models.

When I got into micor's this model just had to be added to my Micro fleet. I have to say it like it's larger counterpart do not disappoint in the flying either. at ignition this little puppy is gone! To date with more then 20 flights i've yet to get anything more then a smoke trail from this minimum diameter .281" OD x 4.375" long screamer. finished with a 1/2" x 10" yellow teflon tape streamer/wadding the bird weighs in a 3.1grams add a MMX-II motor we have a liftoff weight of 4.2grams... WooHoo it's a speedy little bugger LOL!!!

I recently reworked my orginal 1989 courier so I thought I'd include it's photo just for fun.

 

[Micromeister]

This is another Downscale of a Very Nice flying "high performance" design from the early days of model rocketry. The Drifter with it's sleek body design and long boattail made for a very sweet flying and LONG Distance Drifting PD model if built by the instructions and kept light on the paint.

My Micro downscale in T3 (.375") diameter is just 6 inches long and 4.6grams without motor, giving a 5.7gram liftoff weight. depending on the chute size selected 5" to 14" it also can be a very long time hanging.
Just a Super flying and majestic hanging micro Chute model.
The Better 2/3rds who normally acts as my recovery crew doesn't like me flying this one with a chute... she likes it flown with a 3/4" x 18" red Teflon streamer/wadding that brings it down gently with a much shorter walk.

 

[Micromeister]

Downscaling models from my early days in the hobby has been fun.
This one was one of my very early models from the mid 60's the Centuri Javelin was a very simple 4f&N 18mm model that I flew to death..rebuilt and wore out again LOL!

For Micro Maxxing I decided to do a T3 (.375") diameter version which gives the model an overall length of just over 6 inches. 1/32" Basswood fins and custom turned basswood NC and alps printed decals finish off the model. recovers on a 36" x 90lb kevlar shockline and 3/4" x 12" red Teflon tape Streamer/permanent wadding.
Finished as I did with my first Javelin in Yellow and Back it's easily tracked on it's 100foot plus flights. Ewt. 4.9g, LOWt; 6.0grams it's been impossible to get anything more then a blur off the pad but i'm still trying

 

[Micromeister]

This is a fun one! not all that difficult to built but just a joy to fly single motor or 3 MMX-II's.
T3 (.375") diameter and 5-7/8" long it's easy to see, a good size to handle, really fun to prep and fly's like a bat! 8.8grams LOWt with a single motor or 11.3 with Three...it' SCREAMS off the pad on three motors with a tiny .3grams pin locked in Nose weight addition. Man I wish we had about 4 second delay motors LOL!
I was too slow to catch the lift off on a single MMX-II, I didn't even try adding 2 MMX-II-NE motors in the outboard cluster Very kewl smoke trail though

 

[Micromeister]

One of the early Payload models in first fleet they Centuri Kc-20 Payloader-II was alway a great little 18mm motor workhorse. I used it often at Grade and Middle school flight demos showing youngsters some of the neat things that could be flown (other then animals and insects). Night lighting, acceleration graph/carbon paper plots, Locator buzzers...etc.
My little 2.6X, T3(.375") diameter downscale won't quite allow the same experiments but does in fact have room for a single LED night flying fixture.
At an Empty weight of 7.9grams with it's 1"x 15" Red Teflon streamer it comes back slowly from nice 100foot plus flights.

 

[Micromeister]

As Micro's go this one is on the large size Bt-5 to T2 in diameter and just at 9 inches long. keeping it as light as possible the model tips at scales at 10.5grams. giving a liftoff mass of 11.6grams with a 1" x 18" orange teflon Streamer/wadding recovery.
Still for its size it does get off the pad quickly enough for my slow camera to only catch the smoke trail as usual.

 

[Micromeister]

Looking back to the Good ole days of rocketry again the early Estes Model K-54 Saros "scale like model is a fairly large Micro downscale in T3 .375" diameter. 9" Long it needed 5 #9 lead shot to get it to fly right.
Ewt: 7.4g LOWt: 8.5g it gets good altitude recovering on a 1/2" x 15" yellow teflon Wadding/Streamer.

 

[Micromeister]

This one I did just for me... Back in the very early 70's Estes introduced the 13mm 1-3/4" long shorty motors. Along with them were designed 3 "MINI Brute" Models. the FAMOUS Mosquito, mini-Bertha and this model The Mini-Screamer. Wow did these little models GO on those 13mm bp motors!

I just had to add this Micro Screamer to the collection in minimum diameter T2+ (.281") making the over all length 4-3/16". Turned Basswood for the Nosecone and 1/32" basswood fins even with two color paint and a 1/2" x 9" yellow teflon streamer/wadding this little model still only tips the scales at 2.45grams. With a Liftoff weight of 3.55grams it truely is a SCREAMER! if you build one it's very advisable to have several extra pair of eyes watching as it Teleports to very high altitude in a flash! I Give full credit to the streamer/wadding for bringing this model back again and again. If it were only noseblow it would have been lost on the first flight.
After logging over a dozen flights I've yet to get anything other then smoke or it still sitting on the pad before liftoff. When the motor starts it's just GONE.. to well over 200 feet. This one is really fun to fly!

 

[Micromeister]

Another Downscale of a "Scale like" estes sport flying Missile is the Micro Maxx T3 3.5X Sentinel. Looking sorta like and air to air missile it was a nice build and super flyer.

It's even been used in an "open ping-Pong Ball Spot landing" contest recently just for fun. with a little "alteration to the ball it worked just fine LOL!

 

[Micromeister]

Just a fun flying little model the Micro Zinger in T3 tubing makes for a decent size 6.0" length model that's also light enough to be a real Head Jurker off the pad.
Ewt: 4.7g give a LOWt of 5.8g fast but still followable to apogee about 150feet up.
Painted this one with Rustoleum Metallic Silver. This particular can seems to have Larger metal flake the most. Giving a really nice deep metal flake finish under a couple coats of Krylon #1305 UV Clear. then a finish coat of future just for shine.

 

[Micromeister]

A just for fun Micro Scale enhanced downscale of one of the "good O'le days" Estes Semi-Scale models the K-28 Thor Agena-B made a nice change of pace build.

using .030" clear lexan fins this tiny flying replica is a nice flying model in T4 (.448") 10.5mm diameter.
at 5-1/8" long its large enough to follow and light enough at 5.6g LOWT 6.6grams to get very nice altitude. Recovers on a 1/2" x 12" Yellow teflon streamer/permanent wadding.