Hybrid Dart Photos

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Email Vern

My Hybrid Dart is based on the Rocketman Hybrid Dart kit. However, it has been modified. It is built in an anti-zipper configuration with the motor section just long enough to accommodate the Hypertek 440cc tank and J-motor grain. Just below the nose cone is a removable altimeter bay that contains two Missile Works RRC² altimeters. These fire two separate ejection charges (for redundancy) to deploy the main parachute at apogee.

As of July 2003 the Hybrid Dart has flown 13 times and usually reaches between 2500 and 3200 feet on a J170 hybrid motor. A short video clip of its very first flight can be seen here.

Hybrid Dart Specifications

Length:

70.5 inches

Diameter:

2.685 inches

Weight:

8.25 pounds with motor but without any N₂0 in the tank.

Motor:

54 mm mount accommodates Hypertek 440cc tank and J-grain

Altimeter:

2 each, Missile Works RRC²

Locator:

Walston radio transmitter

Payload:

none

Parachute:

Rocketman R7

Built:

Spring 1999

First Flight:

May 16, 1999 on J170 motor at Crater Rings (Idaho) site

Construction:

Body tube:	phenolic tubing with one layer of fiberglass
Fins:	1/16 inch thick G10 fiberglass
Nose cone:	Plastic

Hybrid Dart Launch Photos

Click on any photo to see a larger version of it.

Hybrid Dart Flight #19

The Hybrid Dart flew to 3990 feet on May 3, 2008 at the Tripoli Idaho Swan Falls launch site. It went straight up on an Aerotech J420 redline motor and deployed the main chute right at apogee. It then drifted straight down on a perfectly calm day landing with no damage only 200 feet from the flight line.

This photo shows it exactly as it landed.

Hybrid Dart Flight #16

March 20, 2004

"Sweet 16" was a nice boost on a Hypertek J190 EFX grain. Parachute deployment seemed just a little early and consequently it only reached 2576 feet.

Photo by Dave Thedens

Hybrid Dart on a Hypertek J170 hybrid at Swan Falls launch site on June 14, 2003

Hybrid Dart on parachute at the Swan Falls launch site on June 14, 2003

The photos above show my Hybrid Dart as launched on a Hypertek J170 hybrid motor at the Tripoli Idaho Swan Falls launch site on June 14, 2003. It was a very nice flight! The two altimeters reported exactly the same altitude. Both beeped out the same 2492 feet. These two Missile Works units seem to be very well matched since they have done that before. This was the 13th flight of the Hybrid Dart. A "Pad Cam" video of this flight can be seen right here.

Hybrid Dart at Fairfield launch site in July 2003. Motor is J170 Hypertek.

Hybrid Dart lift-off at the Tripoli Idaho launch site near Fairfield Idaho in July 2003. This flight was also on the J170 Hypertek motor.

Photo by Richie Boltizar

Hybrid Dart launch on a J190-EFX Hypertek hybrid motor. This was June 15, 2002 and the temperature that day was just over 90F. The Nitrous fill took a little longer than normal, but was otherwise just fine.

This rocket has two Missile Works RRC² altimeters in it for redundancy and on this flight they both reported exactly the same 3178 foot reading!