Free Astrobee 1500 Scale Data!

[Initiator001]

Folks,

Aerojet General Corporation has created a data packet on their Astrobee 1500 sounding rocket designed for use by scale modelers.

This data is compiled on DVD and includes manufacturer drawings, sales brochures, flight reports and a series of pictures reproduced from color slides (Samples attached).

This is an experiment by a few of the Aerojet staff to gauge the interest in making this information available to modelers.

And...It's free!

In order to obtain one of these data DVDs, you will need to write a polite and professional letter to Aerojet requesting the DVD.

Write to:

Judy Bauer
Aerojet Communications Dept.
P.O. Box 13222
Sacramento, CA 95813

In your letter request, "...A set of DVDs of historical information on the Astrobee 1500". Note: The data may come on one or two DVDs depending on how it is compiled/copied.

A few notes about ordering this data:

1) Requests MUST be in writing. Please do not call or try to e-mail.

2) One DVD/set of DVDs per letter.

3) Please do not request information on any other Aerojet products along with the Astrobee 1500 data requests.

Again, this is a test project. Depending on the response to the Astrobee 1500 data, data DVDs for other Aerojet sounding rockets may be made available at a later date (Hint: Next program would be the Astrobee-D).

Several Aerojet staff in the Communications Department and other areas of the company have worked to make this data available to modelers. Aerojet has a long history of developing important rockets for scientific and government needs.

This data would make an excellent resource while building Peter Alway's Astrobee 1500 model. ;)

Even if you don't believe you would ever build an Astrobee 1500 model, looking through all the information on the DVD is pretty cool! :cool:

And, remember, it's free!

So, don't hesitate to write Aerojet and request your copy of Astrobee 1500 data. Be sure to thank them for making this resource available.


Bob

[tbzep]

All that work Peter did, and now it's on a silver (disk) platter for him. :rolleyes:

[GregGleason]

Wow!

Thanks for the head's up, Bob. Very good instructions that I intend on following.

I love super-detailed scale rockets. It's so hard to do well for non-flying rockets, let alone flying rockets.

Greg

[blackshire]

Did Judy Bauer and the other folks at Aerojet decide to continue the sounding rocket scale data DVD series? I'd love to see them cover the Astrobee 200, the Super Chief series (which is part of their Astrobee series of solid propellant sounding rockets), and their U.S. Navy Project Hydra (water-launched) test vehicle that used an Aerojet Junior motor (Aerojet's version of Thiokol's Castor I motor).

[Initiator001]

Did Judy Bauer and the other folks at Aerojet decide to continue the sounding rocket scale data DVD series? I'd love to see them cover the Astrobee 200, the Super Chief series (which is part of their Astrobee series of solid propellant sounding rockets), and their U.S. Navy Project Hydra (water-launched) test vehicle that used an Aerojet Junior motor (Aerojet's version of Thiokol's Castor I motor).

An Astrobee-D data disc was released last year. I'll have to contact my 'source' and ask if anything else is in the pipeline. ;) :D

I DID ask about the Super Chief. Sadly, Aerojet is unable to release any data on that rocket. Seems the Security Department at Aerojet needs a letter from the US Navy ( Which was the customer) approving public release of the Super Chief data. Too bad the Super Chief rocket section in the Navy closed down decades ago. :(

[guyw]

Are the Astrobee 1500 and Astrobee-D DVD's still available for the asking?

Thanks!

Guy.

[blackshire]

An Astrobee-D data disc was released last year. I'll have to contact my 'source' and ask if anything else is in the pipeline. ;) :DThank you for doing that, Bob! One half century-old Aerojet & model rocketry mystery that your source may possibly be able to shed light on is this: Why were the 40" diameter Astrobee 350 (and the shorter but otherwise identical Astrobee 250) never built, and was the Astrobee 350 intended to use the Algol motor? G. Harry Stine drew up NAR contest design plans for both rockets (see: http://www.oldrocketplans.com/narts/ASTROBEE-250-350_104.pdf ) that called for MMI's 13/16" diameter tubing, and Centuri later released a 1.040" diameter Astrobee 350 kit (see: http://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/catalogs/centuri65/65cen10.html ) that Semroc offers today as one of their "Retro-Repro" kits (they have corrected its under-sized fins, see: http://www.rocketreviews.com/reviews/all/sem_astrobee_350.shtml ).I DID ask about the Super Chief. Sadly, Aerojet is unable to release any data on that rocket. Seems the Security Department at Aerojet needs a letter from the US Navy ( Which was the customer) approving public release of the Super Chief data. Too bad the Super Chief rocket section in the Navy closed down decades ago. :(At least we have Peter Alway's drawings (of the Super Chief II or III); also, the Super Chief is still in use (which is a *good* thing!), which could account for their being reluctant to release data on it without the U.S. Navy's approval.

[Cohetero-negro]

All that work Peter did, and now it's on a silver (disk) platter for him. :rolleyes:


Well Peter did get a lot of help from people who sent him info. I recommend this disc. I have one that Judy made for me about 3 years ago and it is LOADED! Anything and everything you want to know about the 1500.

I scored a 700+ score at my first NARAM meet in decades back in 2008 flying with SSS.

Tom Lyons scored me, and with the detail provided on the CD, coupled with Peter's 1500 kit from BMS, I ran away with the scale judging and only flew it as a single motor flight; so most of my points were from static.

I will post pics of it when I get home later. The front end has a little damage that I need to repair, but its repairable!

Here was my final score with the model:

1 Dunbar, Jonathan 34583 506 Astrobee 1500 [730] 87 817 960

730 was my static :)

Jonathan

[Cohetero-negro]

Thank you for doing that, Bob! One half century-old Aerojet & model rocketry mystery that your source may possibly be able to shed light on is this: Why were the 40" diameter Astrobee 350 (and the shorter but otherwise identical Astrobee 250) never built, and was the Astrobee 350 intended to use the Algol motor? G. Harry Stine drew up NAR contest design plans for both rockets (see: http://www.oldrocketplans.com/narts/ASTROBEE-250-350_104.pdf ) that called for MMI's 13/16" diameter tubing, and Centuri later released a 1.040" diameter Astrobee 350 kit (see: http://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/catalogs/centuri65/65cen10.html ) that Semroc offers today as one of their "Retro-Repro" kits (they have corrected its under-sized fins, see: http://www.rocketreviews.com/reviews/all/sem_astrobee_350.shtml ).At least we have Peter Alway's drawings (of the Super Chief II or III); also, the Super Chief is still in use (which is a *good* thing!), which could account for their being reluctant to release data on it without the U.S. Navy's approval.

Peter's RoTW drawings have a couple mistakes ;) Sorry, I know he is a favorite in the rocketry world. but he used erroneous information passed on from other sources.

Stine's drawings, which I ordered directly from the Smithsonian Museum, are also erronious. I found this out when I viewed the material on the Aerojet Disc.

Howsoever, if a modeler entered included the erroneous data in a scale data packet and modeled the entry based on the data packet (with errors) the entry won't be docked any points. So, Peter and Stine's info is just as good in competition as the Aerojet information.

Jonathan

P.s. I like Peter Alway. I have been in his home and actually saw him working with his Mac and Mac Draw III making the original RoTW. Just want to make it clear that using RoTW or Stine's drawings is more than enough for the average modeller. For those who really dig scale, get this FREE dics from Aerotjet!

P.s.s. I am working on a project to develop a website to give FREE access to 1950's/60's Sounding Rocket scale data. Will announce it here FIRST when it is ready!

[Cohetero-negro]

YORS:

Here are my photos of my finished Astrobee 1500 from 2008. Only flown x2 and a little dirty. I suffered a chute malfunction on my first flight and that is when I suffered top of tube damage from impact.

I re-flew and got a qualified flight. It will fly again! I need to putty some spots and fresh paint. Also note that my nozzle detail is SCALE.

The motor creates a lot of dirt at the base and trailing edges because it operates up within the scale nozzle.

Please enjoy the 'Rocket eye candy' :)


Jonathan

[Cohetero-negro]

Couple more and done!

[Initiator001]

Are the Astrobee 1500 and Astrobee-D DVD's still available for the asking?

Thanks!

Guy.

I heard back from my contact at Aerojet.

Both scale data discs are still available. Just follow the directions in the first post of this thread.

The was a 'run' on the Astrobee-D discs a few months ago. Does that mean there will be more Astrobee-D models entered in contests? ;)

[blackshire]

I heard back from my contact at Aerojet.

Both scale data discs are still available. Just follow the directions in the first post of this thread.

The was a 'run' on the Astrobee-D discs a few months ago. Does that mean there will be more Astrobee-D models entered in contests? ;)Thank you for letting us know! Regarding the Super Chief, since the Super Chief I (Talos/Sergeant-powered) is out of production and no longer used, maybe the U.S. Navy wouldn't mind if Aerojet released scale data on it (it would be best for the Navy to be asked first, of course)?

[mojo1986]

Wow, Johnathan! That is flat out fantastic detail! Is that based on the Peter Alway kit? I built his kit a couple of years ago and thought I did a nice job on it, but your efforts on the rocket leave me feeling truly humbled.

Joe

[Cohetero-negro]

Wow, Johnathan! That is flat out fantastic detail! Is that based on the Peter Alway kit? I built his kit a couple of years ago and thought I did a nice job on it, but your efforts on the rocket leave me feeling truly humbled.

Joe


Joe,

Thank you for the accolade!

Yes its the Peter Alway/BMS Kit. The kit is AWESOME; Peter did an excellent job engineering this kit and it is one of my favorites of all the scale models ever available on the public market!

One thing I had the MOST difficulty with was filling and sanding the nose cone. It took 4/5 applications of sand 'n sealer and sanding to get all the grain filled in.

The scale detail was from the fore mentioned Scale Disc that Bob brought to the group's attention.

Jonathan

[Eagle3]

I received my discs one week after sending my letter. That's pretty amazing and they're really really nice. I hope they continue this program!

[privateer]

I received my Astrobee 1500 discs in about a week. It is very nice of Aerojet to make the data available.