CYCLONE Mapleseed Recovery Rocket

[hcmbanjo]

I lone wolf launched at the local soccer field this morning. This rocket was a great surprise.

The Maple seed recovery CYCLONE had a vertical boost on a 1/2A3-2t engine.
At ejection, both upper and lower parts separated and went into a fast helicopter spin.
The lower "stabilizer" half with two fins and the engine mount landed first, in the field.

The upper spin unit (with the larger wing/fin) stayed up way too long and went just over a high fence into a back yard.
It must have been spinning and drifting for 20 seconds.

This thing flys and recovers better than the old Gyroc or the re-released Flutter-By rockets. Helicopter recovery with no elastic, flaps or moving parts!

It's a fascinating build and a better flyer. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
I found this link on Wayne Hill's Rocketry Blog. Check it out HERE.

I rarely "fly naked" but the instructions said it'd be best to test fly it unpainted, until you know how it performs.
Jonathan Mills gets all the credit for the many prototypes and design work.
Be sure to check out the back story on the model.

 

[Boosterdude]

That's cool Chris! There is a guy in our club that flies the maple seeds, always fun to watch.

 

[lessgravity]

This of course is one of my favorite rockets of all time. I have built 6 so far. These perform exceptionally and I have lost several of these models on windier days. I now paint mine bright orange.

 

[Micromeister]

The large one is OK but it really travels to far in even light wind, I'm sort of partical to the Micro verison that does get out of sight on the way up but generally recovers a lot closer to the launcher LOL!!

Fun stuff these maple seeds.

 

[hcmbanjo]

I could clearly see the back yard where the upper half of the Cyclone had landed.
I typed up a letter and left it at the front door of the house.

Tonight while driving home I got a call. The caller, Louis, said he found it in his back yard. He told me to come by tonight and pick it up.

I rang the doorbell and heard a dog. I had visions chewed balsa and cardboard.
Louis came to the door and handed me the upper half of the rocket. It was in new shape! It looked like it hadn't been launched.
There was no ejection charge burns around the vent hole and no charring of the upper single fin.

There is only slight burns on the rear of the lower stabilizer fin unit at the rear root edges. The masking tape wrap over the coupler had a blackened edge.

I explained a little about the model and the maple seed recovery.
I thanked him and shook his hand. In rocketry you lose a few, this was one I was glad to get back.

 

[eugenefl]

Any idea how big these can safely be upscaled? I imagine the weight needs to be kept to scale somehow although I can't imagine something like this in a 3"-4" diameter model! Might take someone's head off! :y:

Really neat design!

 

[hcmbanjo]

Upscaled?
I have no idea. I would think the weight of an upscale would effect the spin and rate of descent.

From the ground, when the upper monocopter section is spinning, it looks to be spinning flat like a Frisbee.
Sure, the nose cone was angled down a bit but not enough to drop it quickly.

I couldn't believe how this thing performed.
I'd try it this size before you think about upscaling. You won't be dissapointed.

I forgot to mention another thing, the ejection vent hole whistles on the way up!
It's not a loud whistle, but you can hear it during the delay before ejection.

 

[lessgravity]

We have a guy in our club that upscaled to 29 mm 4ft tall version. He has not had the best luck with the launches. It did work once but he has had issues with stress on the larger maple seed blade during lift off.

 

[dragon_rider10]

Chris,

another way cool find. I had seen one of these in my early rocket researching days (when I found your sites). Never considered building it- it was too weird for my earlier 3fnc tastes. Cool that you got your rocket back and got a chance to proselytize for rocketry in the process!

 

[AKPilot]

You know, it seems that a sharp vendor could kit these?

 

[lessgravity]

Chris and all
It's great to see excitement over this rocket again. I have been an evangelist for this rocket for years. It is so much fun to fly!Here is an old thread from 2006

 

[hcmbanjo]

You know, it seems that a sharp vendor could kit these?

Shhh! I'm the sharp vendor.

 

[bradycros]

Shhh! I'm the sharp vendor.

If you make it, I'll buy it.

 

[AKPilot]

Shhh! I'm the sharp vendor.

Talk to us . . .

Didn't see it on your website, or a release date.

Do tell . . .

 

[Marlin523]

I'll buy several. They look like fun.

 

[hcmbanjo]

Let me say - it's in the works.

There's the building, testing, building, testing and more tests.

Communication and permission - This one is not my design. I can't take credit for something this good!

Drawings and instructions. Beta tests by outside builders.
Vendor shopping and buying of parts, then finally - bagging.

Putting out a new product (and doing it right) doesn't happen overnight.
Every vendor reading this would agree.

I have four new products in the works.
Three really different kits and a new accessory that could change how we fly these things.

It's exciting and a little overwhelming.
Stay tuned!

(p.s. You should see what products didn't make it!)

 

[JAL3]

(p.s. You should see what products didn't make it!)

I'll take you at your word. Send those "failures" to me for a second opinion.

 

[dragon_rider10]

I'll take you at your word. Send those "failures" to me for a second opinion.

Be careful what you wish for.

I think there's a turkey baster in there somewhere.

 

[JAL3]

Be careful what you wish for.

I think there's a turkey baster in there somewhere.

Great! I was wondering what to get SHE WHO MUST BE OBEYED for Christmas.

 

[Peartree]

Be careful what you wish for.

I think there's a turkey baster in there somewhere.

Don't knock it... One of my boys built a rocket during NARAM 51 that used a turkey baster for a nose cone and it flies pretty well.

 

[dragon_rider10]

Great! I was wondering what to get SHE WHO MUST BE OBEYED for Christmas.

John, I have a little experience with this. If you don't want to turn SHE WHO MUST BE OBEYED into SHE WHO MUST BE PAID :y: I would reconsider that.

 

[JAL3]

John, I have a little experience with this. If you don't want to turn SHE WHO MUST BE OBEYED into SHE WHO MUST BE PAID :y: I would reconsider that.

Actually, I should not tease her like this.

In reality, she would probably appreciate a turkey baster more than most things I would be inclined to give. Christmas and birthday presents are not a part of her culture and I have to remind her to get things for the kids.

When I have tried to get something extravagant, she rolls her eyes and speculates what the funds could have better been used for. I finally gave her something she really seems to appreciate for her birthday in November. I wrote a letter of pledges of things I would try to improve about myself. We both took it seriously and I know she appreciates it.

FWIW, my BDay was the next day. Still waiting....

For Christmas, I am getting her an my daughter a ticket to Korea to visit her family there (round trip for both).

 

[seanmca79]

Look up the Estes Tornado. Basically the same thing, but with 18mm motors and smaller fins. I used to fly mine all the time on 1/2A6-2's. A8-3's and you'd end up chasing the upper section quite a ways in any kind of wind.

 

[Boosterdude]

I started building mine tonight, but unfortunately I don't have the pieces for the motor mount. Oh well, I'll have to place an order Monday.

 

[hcmbanjo]

I started building mine tonight, but unfortunately I don't have the pieces for the motor mount. Oh well, I'll have to place an order Monday.

Or, you could just make the centering rings and engine blocks out of engine casings like I did. That along with scrap BT-5 and BT-20 and no order is needed!

The longer centering ring is 1" and the smaller one is 1/4". I also made the 13mm engine block out of 1/4" piece of engine casing.

(I had to guess on the lengths as Mr. Mills recommended using parts from the Estes Mini Engine Mount kit.)

 

[AKPilot]

Look up the Estes Tornado. Basically the same thing, but with 18mm motors and smaller fins. I used to fly mine all the time on 1/2A6-2's. A8-3's and you'd end up chasing the upper section quite a ways in any kind of wind.

Now that's the ticket!!!

 

[Boosterdude]

Or, you could just make the centering rings and engine blocks out of engine casings like I did. That along with scrap BT-5 and BT-20 and no order is needed!

The longer centering ring is 1" and the smaller one is 1/4". I also made the 13mm engine block out of 1/4" piece of engine casing.

(I had to guess on the lengths as Mr. Mills recommended using parts from the Estes Mini Engine Mount kit.)

That's a very good point, I could do that. Thanks for the tip!

 

[Boosterdude]

Ok, here's mine. Easy model to build, and now that I have the templates drawn the next one would be even easier. Probably brush on a couple of coats of polyurethane to seal the wood. Seems like it might be ok to leave it natural, or maybe a stripe on the main fin.

 

[hcmbanjo]

Hi John and all,
John, the build looks great!

I didn't paint mine, the balsa I used was stiff.
Believe me, it performs fine without paint. On the other hand, maybe I'll fill and paint the next one so it won't fly as high or helicopter so well.

I flew my Cyclone this morning (Monday, 12/20/10) on a 1/2A3-2t.
I made the (smart) decision to set up the launcher farther up, or north on the soccer field.
The launch was picture perfect, stable and about the right altitude for this size of field.
At ejection, both halves went into their fast spin. The lower half landed first, the upper monocopter stayed up longer and almost landed in the road.
When I paced it off, the upper half landed just over 200 feet from the launcher.

Listen during the boost, you should hear the whistle from the air going past the ejection hole port!
Be sure and report back on how well your Cyclone did.

 

[hcmbanjo]

I received a call yesterday from Jonathan Mills, the designer of the Cyclone Mapleseed Recovery Rocket.
We had a great conversation about rockets and music.

The big news is -
Odd'l Rockets will be producing the CYCLONE!

With any new kit, it might take a few months to get this one bagged up!
We'll keep you posted!
This is a perfect addition to the Odd'l Rockets line. It's an odd-ball with a fascinating back story and recovery. It even whistles during boost.

Jonathan sent me this picture of his BT-60 based CYCLONE upscale!
For now, the upcoming kit will be a BT-20 mainframe model. This smaller rocket is an amazing performer using 13mm engines.