Launch!

I'd like to do the next Mega Mosquito race at out first Fall '25 Amesbury launch (which is hopefully Sept.20). I wanted to announce it now so that folks who need to make repairs or who've been thinking of building a bird to join the fun will have time to do their thing. We've yet to fill all the pads during a race, but we have the potential to get really close!

Assuming there's an available pad, I was going to include an Astrocam-enabled "chase rocket" to launch with the swarm and hopefully get a view of deployment just from above (so we should all aim to fly with D12-3's, if you wanna be in the picture).

If you don't have a Mega Mosquito in your build pile but would like to build and fly one, Bad Boy Rocketry makes a pretty nice clone kit.

The Mega Mosquito Drag Races are always fun - I'll bring mine. If you wouldn't mind, please repost this again a few days before the launch to remind everyone. I know I'll forget!

Thanks.

All in!

Happy to bring a drone to get video and photos from above.

Jim

PS: D12-3 is under-powered for my custom big mosquito (which is BT-80 based but also 29mm and heavier than some kits). I fly it on Es or Fs.

The drone's a cool idea. We can catch it from multiple angles!

What about trying your Skeeter on a Q-Jet D22?

I can't find a Mega Mosquito kit for sale anywhere. Suggestions?

You can go to https://www.spacemodeling.org/jimz/estes.htm and skim down to Mega Mosquito and get the plans, Which is what I did.

Bad Boy Rocketry on eBay has the fin cores and centering rings available. They used to sell the whole kit. Might be worth an email.

As Bruce said, Bad Boy Rocketry on ebay has some key parts, but they appear to be out of their full kit. It was just leaked this week that Estes is planning on reissuing the kit before the year's end, which may be why Bad Boy let his supply lapse. Between now and then I'm not sure I can offer a reliable source for a full kit... but using the Bad Boy parts and the Jim Z instructions, you should be able to clone a kit. The most difficult part would be getting the Super Big Bertha nose cone, but they're around.

As far as finding out when the next race 'll be, just keep an eye on this forum. I may try to hold two in the Fall: one for the opening of Amesbury and one for the closing. If you can't get it together to join in this Fall, I hope you'll be able to dive in come Spring.

Hi, I can fix you or any one up with a complete set of parts... laser cut fins, 3d printed bulkheads, NC and body tube. Just let me know.  I can do a single 24 motor or 2x24.

I won't have time to get them ready for today's meet.

If you look in the dropbox folder, you can check out my designs. https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/dopr8aav53id4uzj43an5/h?rlkey=8s790jsnwk2dfsrm0jh52lhrx&st=d64qb2cq&dl=0

Curtis

I bought a Mega Mosquito kit from Rob and I'm building it now. 3-layer plywood fins and paper centering rings & motor mount. In sanding the fins to a subsonic shape I sanded through to the center fin support on the trailing fin edges, so I've sealed them with diluted white PVA glue, coved the fin with wax paper and clothes pinned a spare piece of balsa over the top to pin down the loose flap of balsa the over-sanding produced. I'm hoping this will fix it all. See you on the 20th!

Just a reminder about the Mega Mosquito drag race, since we're a week out. Bring yours to Amesbury if you have one. Unless there's something in your clone structure that requires a more powerful motor, aim for a D12-3. We'll most likely have the race sometime after lunch. This is one of two planned drag races for the day, with the other being for Frick-n-Fracks.

Roughly when will the Mega Mosquito drag race happen? I'd love to join Frick-n-Frack race too but I'm Frackless!

My guess is in the 12:30-1:30 range. Try to have your birds ready and prepped to fly before then so we can "grab-n-go". Again, unless there are physical requirements (more weight) dictating otherwise, aim to load up with a D12-3.

It’s looking like I need to get my flights up early so I can enjoy this race that’s shaping up.

NAR# 86455

L3

Thanks for the info. Do we have a rough estimate on Mosquito numbers?

Thanks for the info. Do we have a rough estimate on Mosquito numbers?

Technically speaking, "lots".

We've yet to fill all eleven pads in a Skeeter drag race, but it's possible we'll finally do it... and have to activate pads A & B. But I try not to count our blood sucking before they hatch. One way or another, it should be a bunch o' fun.

Received my kit Monday and it's built now but only at the priming stage of painting - so functional but not finished. I did install both 1/4" lugs and 1010 rail guides for flexibility. I will get there late though ( most likely 2pm) so maybe I'll miss the main drag race - but I'll be ready now!

That's great, Casey! If we have an overflow issue (more than 11 fliers), it good to know you can fly off A or B (the rail pads). This is gonna be one hell of a display, I think! I'm definitely gonna try to get the Astrocam on my bird.

Claude's post on the Frick-n-Frack race just reminded me to suggest (if possible) that you have your birds prepped in advance so that we can spontaneously pull the race together quickly (as usually happens) sometime after The Dogging Hour (aka "lunch'). I'm gonna aim for a 12:30-1ish launch time.

I'm looking forward to this. I'd like to have my Astrocam running, we'll have drone footage, and I'm sure we'll have several folks on the ground filming from different angles. It'd be fun to throw the results together as a kind of montage!

Where is the drone video of this race? And there were group photos taken for this & the Frick-n-Frack Race?

Hey Kevin-

I don't know where the drone footage is, but I'm as eager as you to see it!

The group shots were take by Scott Clement who is near the last person on the planet to be shooting film. As a result, he has to use up his roll before he can get them out for developing.... in other words, you have to be patient as it won't be imminent. If we fly this weekend, hopefully he can use up the rest.

Once he has the pics, he was going to bring them to me to be scanned. I'll post those results both here and on Facebook.

Thank you All for the Mega Mosquito recommendations. The easiest thing for me to do would be to wait until Estes reissues the kit. But if I get impatient can I be guaranteed the Bad Boy or Curtis's kit will be identical to the rest of the racers rockets? Or the new Estes reissued kit for that matter?

Kevin... I wouldn't worry too much about the component details on the Mega Mosquito. I remember your question about "race specifics" and I'm not sure we answered that. It's not a real "race", per se - it's more done just for the fun and spectacle of the simultaneous M.Mosquito launch. There's no formal "winner", so the fine specs of construction aren't all that important. Some are original Estes kits, some are people's own clone attempt, some are mfgr. clone kits, and at least one is a 3D printed repro. They all look the same... and we try to keep 'em all on D12-3's for the race, unless there's extenuating circumstances. So your options are wide open.

With a reissue imminent, I'm willing to sell by back up kit. I could do it for $30, plus the postage. If you're interested, drop me a line at skylakerob@yahoo.com.

And how do I find out what drag races are panned over the next year and where are the rules written?

Just a reminder for folks, Bad Boy Rocketry has their Mega Mosquito clone kit in stock. Even with the reissue coming later in the year, I suspect this kits is more rugged as it features plywood motor mount bits and fin cores, as well as a Kevlar shock cord. I think you just need to add a chute and you're good to go.

Thank you again All, for your feedback. I bought Rob's kit and will see you in Amesbury!

I purchased one of the clone kits - it should be built by the 20th. Does anyone have an open rocket or rock sim file. I understand open rocket doesn't work too well with stubby geometry - but at least its a starting point.

Hey Casey, you should be fine on that build without having to run it through Open Rocket.... unless you're thinking of upgrading it to a 29mm mount? Those big, swept-back fins provide good stability for most if not all 24mm motors. I've certainly never seen one go unstable on the field. That goes with absolute assurance if you're drag racing, where we're all just using D12-3s. My own Mosquito is, upgrade-wise, the same thing as Bad Boy's kit.... so plywood centering rings and fin cores.

I'm not modifying the motor mount other than adding a screw on retainer - so you're right the stability with standard build techniques should be good for nearly all 24mm D-F (and I'll stick to the d12-3 for the drag race).

Aerotech teased a g55w earlier this year which I think in most 24mm rockets would either require tracking or would simply not fit (If the case is similarly as long as the old AT SU g55 at 177mm). The mega mosquito may fit that engine, and may be draggy enough to keep it reasonably in the field with a chute release, although it may require some nose cone modifications.

I don't have to worry about it now - but I would like to be ready to have an excuse to try out the new g55 when it's available.

Here you go.

Thanks !

I'm a little late to the party, but I'm in too!