Yep. In 1980 id launched an Apogee II on a 1/2A6-0 to 1/2A6-4 and it looked like it staged just right above the rod.

We had a Boosted Bertha flight at the last club launch that was flown A8-0 to C6-5. It staged not far off the rod, too.

I have a number of 1/2A6-0s that came to me in some odd buy or other (I don’t remember now). I’ve been wondering what to fly them in. The Sterling Silver/Epic II twins or the recent Taser Twin, or something along those lines makes the most sense to me. Low-altitude staging for sure.

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Bernard Cawley
NAR 89040 L1 - Life Member
SAM 0061
AMA 42160
KG7AIE

Good use of 1/2A6-0's is the middle stage of an Astron Farside, Arrow 300, Centuri T-Bird, or Comanche 3 in order to get all stages back.

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When in doubt, WHACK the GAS and DITCH the brake !!!

Yes, there is such a thing as NORMAL, if you have to ask what is "NORMAL" , you probably aren't !
Failure may not be an OPTION, but it is ALWAYS a POSSIBILITY.
ALL systems are GO for MAYHEM, CHAOS, and HAVOC !

I have a Farside I’ve cloned, so that’s a great suggestion. Thanks.

__________________
Bernard Cawley
NAR 89040 L1 - Life Member
SAM 0061
AMA 42160
KG7AIE

tbzep Industries produced some 1/4A3-0T motors a few years ago. I flew them on a Beta Mini-Brute clone. With no paint, the Beta staged about 2 feet above the rod. Once I filled, primed, and painted the model, it staged while on the rod. Every flight was awesome!

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I love sanding.

I have a pack or two of 1/2A6-0.

In the past, I've used them in minimal two stagers, like the Ares II (plan in the old Plan Book). I could see using it in the 2nd stage of the MPC Microsonde III three-stager. Maybe even the booster!

There is an OLD Model Rocket News in which Vern opines on booster motors, and notes that the 1/2A6-0 has a thrust curve that lends itself to use as a booster. It has been decades since I read it.

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NAR #27085 - Oregon Rocketry - SAM

The 1/2A6 time-thrust curve is essentially triangular. (https://www.nar.org/SandT/pdf/Estes/halfA6.pdf) It’s also kind of slow to get to max thrust for a BP motor.

However, depending on how old that MRN was, it may have had a different time-thrust curve at the time.

__________________
Bernard Cawley
NAR 89040 L1 - Life Member
SAM 0061
AMA 42160
KG7AIE

Yes, thinking back, it might have been the 1/2A.8-0!

Hand-drawn thrust curve. 1964 or earlier?

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NAR #27085 - Oregon Rocketry - SAM

I LIKE tbzep industries rocket motors.
Their offerings seem to only have reduced/removed delays compared to Estes motors though.
Never any increased delay motors.

__________________
When in doubt, WHACK the GAS and DITCH the brake !!!

Yes, there is such a thing as NORMAL, if you have to ask what is "NORMAL" , you probably aren't !
Failure may not be an OPTION, but it is ALWAYS a POSSIBILITY.
ALL systems are GO for MAYHEM, CHAOS, and HAVOC !

That would definitely be different than the post-Metric-transition motors.

__________________
Bernard Cawley
NAR 89040 L1 - Life Member
SAM 0061
AMA 42160
KG7AIE