My Pet Project

[sgtmike74]

Just wanted to share a project I've been messing with. I'm the second guy at my club to mount one of these airsoft guns on our raptors. I think I get almost as much enjoyment just tinkering the night away in my garage with it as I do flying it. The trigger was zipped tied down and I used a micro-servo to hit a mini switch, purchased from Radio Shack.

[blax1]

Mike, I don't even know what that thing is!!! :confused: But it looks like you are about to nail something!! :eek:

[homerlex]

You goin' wabbit hunttin'? ;)

[tdswan]

Do you know how many times I've thought of doing that?!?

Cool mod! :cool:

[CLM]

Nice! Judging by the bottle rocket I'm guessing you were considering adding missle capabilities too ;)

Chris

[sgtmike74]

Yeah I have been playing around with the idea of launching a rocket from the other end. I had the idea of using a glow plug igniter (the wire kind, not the self contained battery kind) to lite a fuse. You are able to do it with just the ignitor, glow plug and one AA battery. The problem is that when the fuse burns it leaves a residue that gunks up the plug pretty bad. In the end it would just be easier to use some Este rocket ignitors instead of a glow plug ignitor. My buddy launched rockets off of his Raptor using the Model Rocket kits purchased at the LHS. It works but he lost two of the rocket bodies when they plowed into the ground and broke up. ($10 right there plus ignitor and motors). Those rockets you see were $1 for a pack of 12. As far as the gun, it works pretty good. Can't really aim it, you just pretty much fly the heli and then throw the switch to let off some rounds. Great fun.

[sgtmike74]

Here is a pic of my buddy's R-30 now renamed to the XR-30. Not too bad, We were tossing around ideas for making a dummy engine to mimic an Apache. He hasn't flown it yet with this color scheme hopefully he wont lose orientation :eek:

[heli-cuzz]

Do you know how many times I've thought of doing that?!?

Cool mod! :cool:


Same here, td. :)

Awesome pet project, sarge. :cool:

[plpflyboy]

Not trying to knock your awsome project because i think lots of people have thought of doing something like that. Just wanted you to remember that the AMA says you wont fly a model that shoots a projectile of any kind. Just a safety note for the day.

[vapochilled]

Not trying to knock your awsome project because i think lots of people have thought of doing something like that. Just wanted you to remember that the AMA says you wont fly a model that shoots a projectile of any kind. Just a safety note for the day.

Not to mention that the FAA and homeland security have both expressed concern over the possible use of RC aircraft as weapons. While it's good fun, I did launch rockets from a plank in the UK years ago, todays world and the way people over react means we have to be a little smarter.
How many dumb ass headline grabbing congressmen do you think it will take to make our hobby a little more difficult?
Not that any of the above will have any effect, you'll still go have fun, and that's cool, just don't be alarmed at the possible outcome.

[blax1]

Boy Oh Boy!!! :eek: What have we done to our world?? :(

[sgtmike74]

Your right about headline grabbing events threating our little hobby. Whenever I test out the rockets it will be on a military training area that we (my club Im in) reserve. Its in the middle of nowhere, miles from anybody. Pretty nice deal actually. The only people we come across is the occasional horseback rider in which case we land as they past so as not to spook the horse. We are not a AMA chartered club or anything tho some members do carry the AMA card. We are just friends who come together to talk about helis, setups, deals, and eat BBQ. :cool:

[vapochilled]

Your right about headline grabbing events threating our little hobby. Whenever I test out the rockets it will be on a military training area that we (my club Im in) reserve. Its in the middle of nowhere, miles from anybody. Pretty nice deal actually. The only people we come across is the occasional horseback rider in which case we land as they past so as not to spook the horse. We are not a AMA chartered club or anything tho some members do carry the AMA card. We are just friends who come together to talk about helis, setups, deals, and eat BBQ. :cool:

Like I said, it's all cool, your lucky to have such a field, and in all honesty what your doing is not dangerous.
But if I were to try it outside my house on the field opposite, there would be squad cars and a stupid news heli hovering overhead within 5 minutes. Claiming that an al-qaeda training camp was busted! :rolleyes:
The knee-jerk group would have a field day with it, then of course ,god forbid, that a bottle rocket should be heard by the neighbours, I'd be facing a lawsuit to rival the national debt claiming that her dog was now no longer able to play the piano after being mentaly damaged by the ground pounding explosions.
It saddens and sickens me that we now live in such a place, but we do,fact. so while I commend you and wish you were a little closer so we could share a beer whilst hunting white tails with a raptor :D , it is only prudent to cover the backside of the forum and ourselves by posting the "do not use in the shower" warning,lol

[plpflyboy]

Good luck with the rockets and let us know how they work the only reason i posted that note was to let others that are new to the hobby know that its not advised to do. Also i wish the base I work at would let us fly there. Acres and acres of fields and no place to fly. Good luck and safe flying!

[sgtmike74]

What base do you fly at. Here at Lewis they are always opening up the areas for sport and recreation. Hunting, biking, Rocket armed RC Machines of Destructions etc. :)

[plpflyboy]

Im at Fort Campbell. And maby when i head up towards FT. Lewis to visit family ill have to swing by and visit.

[sgtmike74]

Not a problem, I will introduce you to the rest of the guys. If you would like you can check out our club's website. It's not bad for a semi-organized group.

http://www.hotstartheli.com/

On a side note, being in a club allows you to go in on buying fuel in bulk which saves money in the long run. :D

[sgtmike74]

Here are some more pics of my buddy's heli, codename XR-30. One is of a paratrooper who has met all requirements for receiving his jump wings. As you can see the static line will pull the chute and then detach. (It was specially made to be short enough to avoid wrapping around the rotating head). The other is an air assault version. One flip of the switch lowers the line complete with a weight attached at the end to act as a belay. Throw the other switch and the soldier will begin his descent. To stop, the pilot will increase altitude pulling the weight up. This will put tension on the line and stop the soldier’s slide.