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Mooney Homecoming Rocket & Jr

RocketAviator

By RocketAviator
in General Mooney Talk

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bucko Collaborator

bucko

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Very cool.  Nice to see Jr in action, with lights on and landing gear retracting.

 

Its engine noise isn't quite the same as your Rocket rumble, though.

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RocketAviator Mentor

RocketAviator

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Was so careful getting the Mini Me to the Homecoming..... but on the way home stopped to drop my mother-in-law off and slid my seat back to let her out and crushed the canopy .... ARG (not exactly what I said but you get the idea!).  I have ordered a replacement, not sure if it can make it here in time from Europe for next week AOPA Mooney Ambassadors display but we are going to try.  May try to make one myself if I can build a small thermoforming setup. I was so mad at myself...!!!#!$%!#@

BigTex Mentor

BigTex

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It was pretty cool to see mini next to the real thing...  Can't wait to get it back together and hear how she flys.

DonMuncy Grand Master

DonMuncy

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Lacee,

I have formed Plexiglas before using a mold made from Plaster of Paris from the original. If you can get the crushed one straightened up enough to make a mold from, I'll bet you could make one.

RocketAviator Mentor

RocketAviator

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Lacee,

I have formed Plexiglas before using a mold made from Plaster of Paris from the original. If you can get the crushed one straightened up enough to make a mold from, I'll bet you could make one.

Don, that was my backup plan and I hope to work on it this evening.  I did order a replacement from Europe but just in case I am going to try and make one.  My thought is that I will need to thermoform it with vacuum.

Thanks for the interest and input.  Hope your world and plane are getting along.  Did you find out what occurred with the oil in the cylinder yet? 

DonMuncy Grand Master

DonMuncy

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Don't know about the engine yet. The A&P has some stuff ahead of me.

I don't think you have to use a vacuum thermaform. Plexiglas will "sag" pretty good with heat, and if you have built a male and female mold, you can probably squeeze it into shape, if the curvature is not too great.

RocketAviator Mentor

RocketAviator

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Poor RocketAviator, just heard the FAA wants all of the maintenance records for the mini because of the incident. :)

Now that aint even funny!!!!!  Well maybe it is if it is the Mini FAA!

RocketAviator Mentor

RocketAviator

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Imagine if a fifty foot tall uber-mother in law stepped on your real rocket like Godzilla. Now that would be a bad day.

You guys are too much... I tell you no sympathy here, thats for sure!!

Hank Grand Master

Hank

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Just remember, 2 liter soft drink bottles are a readily available source of canopy material. Vacuum form it to shape, trim, mask and paint. It may not be "like new," but should not require a damage history disclosure in the future. My RC trainer windshield broke on a hard landing [as did the balsa support at the corner], but its replacement lasted years and years.

RocketAviator Mentor

RocketAviator

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Just remember, 2 liter soft drink bottles are a readily available source of canopy material. Vacuum form it to shape, trim, mask and paint. It may not be "like new," but should not require a damage history disclosure in the future. My RC trainer windshield broke on a hard landing [as did the balsa support at the corner], but its replacement lasted years and years.

Great idea Hank, I will try it.  I also plan to try both acrylic and polycarbonate sheeting as well.  The PET that soda bottles are made of is something I had not thought of.   I made a plaster mold of the broken canopy last night, had one area seperate but I think I can correct it.  I have ordered a couple  replacements but not sure if they will make it in time and I wanted a mold in case I needed to make a replacement and could not get one in the future.

Thanks for the interest and great idea, will keep you posted.

RocketAviator Mentor

RocketAviator

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Ok after 20lb of ceramic casting, craving & a whole lot of sanding I have completed a canopy mold. Now I will try & fabricate a homemade thermoforming setup & see if I can recreate a replacement canopy for MiniMe!

post-11320-0-01637700-1397964492_thumb.j

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