| The new booster was built using BT-5 (instead of BT-20
as the original) for use with the T motors as well. This booster
was essentially the same as the one which came with the later Mini-Brute
Midget (Estes 0840). One modification was the use of an aft engine
block in the booster. This greatly improves the reliability of booster
separation. Without it, the rocket is prone to spitting the booster
motor while retaining the booster whereupon the upper stage motor exhausts
through the booster and pretty much fries it.
In its original incarnation, we only ever flew it one time in the two-stage
configuration. The booster separated not far above the rod.
I can only conclude we were using one of the old 1/4A booster motors.
Anxious to test it out before completing the rehab, I sent it up on
an A10-0T_to_A10-3T combination. This time it seemed like the booster
carried it well over 100 feet into the air before the second stage lit.
The upper stage seemed to burn in slow motion. It was very exciting to
see this thing gracefully climbing skyward. Only later when it had
been recovered did I learn the A10-3T has too short of delay - it had a
1" long zipper.
The zipper was repaired and the rocket finished as shown in the picture.
The 30+ year old upper stage was then given a final two-stage retirement
flight and now is on display in my rocket cabinet.
The booster continued in use with a newer Midget clone until it was
damaged beyond repair while fighting a stuck motor. A replacement
booster was recently completed, this time true to the original using a
BT-20 tube. It is shown in the picture above. |
