This is a relatively new addition to the list of experiments. Handley and I have both talked about making a shoulder firing rocket launcher for quite some time, and it was not until a particularly boring English class about Martin Luther King that Chadwick had a brilliant idea. The problem we always faced was that we wanted to not have to plug a whole mess of wire into the back of the rocket after loading it into the tube. This is understandable because not only is it annoying, but as the rocket goes off the fumes would heat the wires to oblivion. Anyways, the whole thing goes down like this: it is a hybrid potato cannon rocket launcher.
First, you create a standard potato launcher. After the end of the barrel you install a breech to hold the rocket in place. Now, the back of the rocket will be set to fit within the barrel tube, so it will not fall back into the combustion chamber when loaded into the barrel. Upon filling the potato launcher with fuel and igniting it, the burning hot fumes should, in theory, light the rocket as they exit the combustion chamber. The fumes will not only ignite the rocket. They will propel it at an initial high rate of speed. This launcher is predicted to make a very cool sounding 'bang-whoosh' style noise.
The rocket designed for the launcher can be found here.
Designs and list of materials: $15.00 This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Next work time: May '05
Some 3D generated graphic representations:
- The full setup launcher. More of a rocket launcher/potato cannon hybrid. Uses a pistol grip for comfort and firing. Rocket slides in the front, no plugs necessary for ignition due to exhaust fume ignition.
UPDATE:
Work has commenced on the rocket launcher. Current price is around 30 dollars for supplies total. More on this later. Here's a picture.
Picture of initial test:
Beefy as it looks, it sadly did not work, probably due to the lack of pressure due to the extreme cold. After three launch attempts, Chadwick lost use of his hands due to frostbite, so we decided to call it quits until a warmer month. I.e. May. Expect an update then.
