6" Saturn V Model Rocket - Flight Tested

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6 inch Saturn V High Power Rocket Model To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11, I've crafted a 1/66th scale flying model of the Saturn V rocket. Some components are derived from remixing and scaling up Saturn V elements by Works-of-Claye and scottdee, while others were designed exclusively for this project. Please refer to the images provided to better understand the description below. The liftoff weight was 8.6 kg (19 lbs), with 2 kg (4.5 lbs) of ballast in the nose section for optimal weight distribution. A lengthy piece of 1/4-20 all-thread is threaded into the bottom of the command module, serving as a structural component that holds the upper sections of the rocket together. The lead ballast is cast in a cylindrical shape to fit within the service module and secured using a nut and fender washer on the all-thread. A 4-inch segment of 4-inch diameter airframe tubing serves as the 4th stage, while the 3rd to 4th transition is reinforced internally with expanding foam. To create this reinforcement, pour the foam into the four holes in the base of the transition and trim off any excess when cured. The recovery harness attaches to an eye nut on the end of the all-thread, securing the bulkhead in place as well. The bulkheads are ¼ inch thick plywood, crafted using a manual lathe. CAD drawings for these plywood bulkheads will be posted later. 10-24 all-thread and corresponding hardware are used to join other airframe components together internally at three points. ¼-20 all-thread and eye nuts facilitate recovery harness attachment within the avionics bay. Avionics bay closures/airframe couplers are shielded with Nomex for protection from ejection charges. The airframes are attached to these couplers using 4 ea 6/32 set screws in a radial pattern, allowing for easy replacement if damage occurs. The outboard F1 engines are secured to a removable bulkhead held in place by the motor retainer nut, while the center F engine is attached to a plug that fits inside the 54mm motor retainer. The F1 engines (and the escape tower) are removed before flight, serving solely as decorative elements. Decals were sourced from Apogee Rockets: https://www.apogeerockets.com/Building_Supplies/Replacement_Parts_for_the_Saturn_V/Saturn_V_Decal_Sheet Recovery components were obtained from Rocketman Enterprises (7-foot diameter Apollo 11 parachute): https://the-rocketman.com/apollo-11-nasa-parachutes/ Avionics components were sourced from Featherweight Altimeters (Raven and Power Perch): https://www.featherweightaltimeters.com Airframe and 54mm motor mount tubing were acquired from Always Ready Rocketry: https://alwaysreadyrocketry.com Please exercise caution with the tiny fins, ensuring that weight distribution, balance (CG/CP), power-to-weight ratio, and launch rail integrity are all satisfactory before flight. The flight test motor used was a 54mm 2000 N/sec "K1000" motor with a 2-second burn time, reaching a peak altitude of 1900 ft.