statistics

UK BBC's 'TECHNO GAMES' TV SHOW

Model rocket Car entries for 2001, 2002 & 2003 (updated Mar 2003)

LIGHTSTORM MRC

(Model Rocket Car)

The Silver Medallist in 'Techno Games 2001' Rocket drag racing contest.

See lower down for LIGHTSTORM 2 the Gold Medallist

& World Record Holder Rocket cars 2002.

See lower down for DAFT ADA the winner of

' The Sportsmanship Award' during Funny cars 2003.

Constructed & designed by Laurie Calvert.

 

Click here to read TG race details if you want a complete breakdown of performances.

This is a short drag race of 30 to 50 meters on a guide wire, filmed for BBC TV.

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Venue - St Albans.

Date - December 9th 2000.

Course length - 30 meters.

Engine types - 'C' size and lower.

Number of contestants - 6 racers (plus 3 other entries not selected to race).

Laurie was with Peter and Tony as team H.A.R.T.

 

The car was made several years before the Techno Games TV show (TG) and has run successfully without a guide wire. It is a stable design. It was designed to run on 'D' engines (or bigger) and so was underpowered for the TG contest, which only allowed up to 'C' power. I used a C5-3 to get off the line quicker. Nevertheless, it came 2nd. It was the fastest survivor (Lightning the winner broke up) and travelled 30 meters in 1.634 seconds at 75 mph (108 kph). If one more race were necessary, it would have won because of the car's robust quality. I'm proud of my little car.

The World record was set at 1.328 secs by a car called Lightning and this was a guide wire car (it cannot run without one - fair enough since it is a guide wire competition).

Guide wire cars have an advantage because they don't need a wheelbase for stability and can therefore be lighter. Our next car had to be a guide wire car therefore since this is a guide wire competition.

 

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Some of the Lightstorm cars but not all.

 

The original Lightstorm details:

The side pods contain two parachutes. They are operated by ducting the exhaust gases from the central tube towards the side pods. They look great but were removed for TG. The car is designed to be robust and so weighs in at 141 grams. It is 57cm long and 34cm wide. Three wheels.

Newer versions of Lightstorm exist now capable of slaughtering the current World record. What are the competition doing though?

 

 

LIGHTSTORM LMC

(Laurie's Model Car)

Competed in 'Techno Games 2002' rocket drag racing contest as

LIGHTSTORM 2

Constructed & designed by Laurie Calvert.

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Venue - Shepperton Studios.

Date - December 18th 2001.

Course length - 35 meters (longer).

Engine types - 'C' size and lower.

Number of contestants - 16 racers (plus other entries not selected to race).

Laurie was with Peter and Robert as team H.A.R.T. We are from Elm Park and Hornchurch, Essex.

 

Car weight 7 grams.

Engine weight 8 grams.

Engine type A10.

Length 20 cm.

Width 2.5 cm.

Height 4 cm.

 

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Lightstorm 2 is the tiny car on the far right. This is the H.A.R.T. table with several other of our cars present.

I have built many cars and have evolved the design of Lightstorm. Engine choice has varied depending on car design. I did try clustering 3 and 4 A10 engines together too for a very high impulse kick and improved power to weight ratio. Some cars are guide wire cars, others run without a guide. Lightstorm 2 was a radical approach which I consider quite innovative. It had a very small but high impulse engine. This was front mounted so the body was short and less weight, with wings at the rear to make it inherently stable. Lightweight components were used such as balsa instead of plastic and three guide clips for safety. There is a lot more design in this than some people give it credit for. In private tests Lightstorm has run 30 meters (slightly uphill) in 0.64 seconds and survived in one piece due to a sheet used as a stopping system. As described above, it had to be a guide wire car to get its weight down (smaller axles). It has four wheels.

 
March 19th 2002 saw the rocket cars race on BBC 2 Techno Games. The first heats saw four races of four cars per heat. Lightstorm 2 was in the 2nd heat and won convincingly with a new World Record time of 1.0369 seconds (rounded to 1.037). Remember this is over a 5 meter longer run than last year too and with a thicker (more drag) guide wire. But if you check out the video, it didn't ignite for 0.403 secs, so in fact its actual time is 0.6339 seconds and this agrees with my test times. Speed measured at 153.4 mph but is that the finish speed? If so Lightstorm 2 was probably going faster at the end of its engine burn at 0.26 secs into its run, at about half way. The A10 engine delivers its power much quicker than other motors. This motor plus light weight was the trick.

How does it get its speed? It has much less mass than even its nearest weight rival (remember to add respective engine weights too).

Lightstorm is 7 grams + 8 grams = 15 grams total

WWW2 is 14 grams + 25 grams = 38 grams total

In the next heat Lightstorm 2 stormed off into the lead and was over the line whilst the others were just moving off. This was our greatest margin of victory. We could have run there and back within the time of the second placed car. In the final round we had the crowd on our side. We were the favourites. As the start switch was pressed the cars sat for what seemed like an eternity whilst the clock ticked. One car roared off, then another then Lightstorm 2, then the fourth car. But within 5 meters Lightstorm 2 had the lead again and blasted to an amazing victory. Our hands went up as we didn't need a photo finish to know we had done it. It was the closest race because we had been set off the line so late. The winning times were getting slower (1.485 and 1.924 secs) due to the ignition systems running out of juice and the guide wire being placed lower to the ground, increasing friction. (The batteries were replaced for the funny cars final later, so they got off the line faster and recorded faster times but their actual times were slower at 1.320 secs for the best). Lightstorm was still fast with actual runs of 0.806 and 0.852 secs (TG peope placed the guide wire lower in these two runs to slow us down). It was so fast that nothing, not even start line delays, could deny it victory. A wonderful day and a nice pay off to a year of hard work, testing, development and fun. I was really happy.

 

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Is this the world's fastest accelerating car? 0 - 153 mph in 0.26 secs. Completing 35 meters in 0.6339 secs.

'Blink and you miss it'

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'Life begins at 140'

(140 mph)

 

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 'She may not look like much but she's got it where it counts'

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212 K movie supplied by Peter Barrett. Click on image above.

Some other details:

Max acceleration = 76.82G

Max deceleration = 20G

Drag peaked at 3.5 Newtons

Thanks to Doug Ellison for these estimates

 

Click here to read the Lightstorm Cars history

Click here to read Lightstorm 2 race report

Click here to read TG race details if you want a complete breakdown of performances - interesting.

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If you are planning on making a rocket car do it safely. Get permission to launch at your launch site. I suggest you get insurance from the British Model Flying Association. Consider people and animals. Use a guide wire at first if you can. Apply rocketry rules where applicable. Have fun!

Lightstorm 2 got a mention in Real Robots magazine issue 31 pages 10 and 11.

 

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Lightstorm 2 (LMC) and the 2 gram Lightstorm Light (L) and not only that but it can run on a modified 6 gram A10 engine or even mini motors. Is this a faster car?

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Lightstorm HPR (High Power Rocket) non-guide wire car has yet to run but with 64 times the power of Lightstorm 2 it will have a high top speed estimated at 250 mph + and that is a very conservative estimate. It is designed to run on 'G' engines but only weighs 225 grams. Length 62 cm, width 29.5 cm, Height 14 cm. Lightstorm 2 will still accelerate faster.

 

 

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The outdoor launch area.

 

 

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Brickbat, the 'Odd Roc' entry for TG 2002. A flying model rocket shaped oddly, in this case as a brick. Fairly heavy at over 170 grams. It has the dimensions of a real brick. Can have problems deploying chutes and wedging on the launch pad. It wedged at Techno Games and didn't do well therefore. It should have managed a 28 second flight but didn't. If it had it would have won with 34 points.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some other cars
 

 

 

Lightstorm SSC (Super Scale Car) is of course modelled on the first official supersonic car Thrust SSC.

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This Lightstorm Bigger Brother is an amazing large version owned by Peter Barrett, made by both of us, running here on a D12 motor.

 

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This car is a whopping 423 grams and can take up to nine motors. It is designed to work on one motor normally and carry smoke pellets for effect. It also deploys a parachute from the upper tube. It is 60 cm long. For the Techno Games 2003 opening ceremony and for that the upper tube will be removed. Fires on a D11-P motor.
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The restored (tape pulled off) Lightstorm 2 in the display case with the gold medal and another brand new Lightstorm behind it.

What makes Lightstorm 2 special? Some of the design ideas are as follows:

1. Lightweight vehicle, only 7 grams.

2. The only 2002 car to use a tiny A10 motor but this motor has the highest impulse, hence massive acceleration.

3. Front mounted engine for stability (not fighting to get off the guide wire and wasting energy).

4. Built to break in set places for easy repair.

5. Balsa nose not plastic, to save weight.

6. Three wings not four, so the flame roars between the wings.

7. Aluminium tail rod so it can be bent back easy.

8. Lightweight paper clip fixings for guide wire (three for safety).

9. Frictionless wheels from Hot Wheels type of cars.

So it was more than just a 'light car'.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Doug Ellison has kindly worked out some estimates for Lightstorm L (the 2 gram car opposite)  and come up with some entertaining figures:

Time = 0.55 secs (I'm not standing in front of it)

Peak speed = 262 mph (I'll stop smiling soon - I love it)

Peak accel = 100G

Peak decel = 50G

WOW!

 

I plan to retire undefeated in Rocket cars for 2003. Although Lightstorm 3 (LS3) does exist (see below) it won't race. This is due to the unreliable four lane start system that TG employed in 2002 resulting in cars setting off at different times (unlike the two lane racing in 2001). Luckily there was no stopping Lightstorm 2 in 2002. Remember 153.4mph and a real time of 0.6339 seconds for 35 meters. Laurie Calvert

My son Laurie, nephew Ian and I will put in a fun entry for Funny Cars in TG 2003 since this category is based on fun mainly although some aerodynamic cars work their way in. It is called Daft Ada. Get the Star Wars reference? He has a Darth Vader mask that is removed for running but because of the front mounted engine he gets quite a dirty face. In 2003 this car came 5th out of 20, beating last years winner Rock Rover which came 6th. In our heat we led the first 40 meters out of 50 and then came 2nd. Some aerodynamic funny cars in front but we did OK and we got on TV too which was the best bit for us.

And the other best bit was winning 'NESTA Sportsmanship Award' with Daft Ada for 2003. Thanks to Techno Games.

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Jon, Laurie and Laurie Jnr

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Lightstorm LDC (Low Drag Car), (or Lightstorm 3), is very strong - won't bend, has rotating guide wire hooks to fit any height, is very low drag - doesn't even have wings, has ballast at the front to make it stable and take it up to the TG 150 grams minimum limit (it weighs 99 grams or so), has only 3 low friction wheels, is a minimum diameter rocket for a C5-3 or C6-0 (and 22 inches long), and has an internal tube that allows the ejection charge to fire back through the exhaust nozzle thereby giving an extra kick. Still inventive I hope. Static ground tests were amazing. This car won't race in TG though but I made it to show my thoughts for 150 gram rocket car racing.

(Actually in TG 2003 they managed to get the cars away together after I mentioned the problem to George Francis but there were too many DNS (did not start) to just be ignitor issues or poor setting up. George has done well this year though I must say. Hopefully next year they'll let the DNS's have another go or improve the system further.

 

 

 

 

Lightstorm Vampire was a Batmobile bubble bath container with R2-D2 on the top for Techno Games 2002 Funny Cars (I'm a Star Wars fan). This was heavy (nearly 150 grams) and we considered it a fun car rather than a competitive one. It didn't get through the first heat due to Techno Games poor ignition system and a huge delay resulting on the start line. But it actually recorded the third fastest 'actual' time, so it should have got bronze. In the final the fastest car (Flinstone) came second because of the delay but should have won that race and got gold. TG really need to sort out their start system. Good to get Vampire & R2 on TV though. Lots of fun.

Click here to read TG race details if you want a complete breakdown of performances - interesting.

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A familiar passenger - R2-D2.

These cars, like many of the Lightstorms, run without a guide wire. Techno Games is a guide wire event.

 

 

 
H.A.R.T. were really happy to qualify for all four rocket events in 2002. Especially considering out of 500 original applications, 16 competed in rocket cars, 8 in funny cars, 9 in egg-lofting and 6 in Odd-Roc. My medals/awards as follows:

Gold - Rocket Cars 2002

Silver - Rocket Cars 2001

Bronze - Egg Loft 2002, Pete's design (Pete also got a silver in 2000)

'Sportsmanship Award 2003'

 
Rocket parts from Reeves Models, Romford on 01708 740522. Adrian not only sells rocket kits but also R/C car parts, which come in useful.

 
Techno Games is at www.techno-games.co.uk Check out the forum. Update 2004 - has been closed but I'll leave the link here in case it is ever opened again.

 

Click here to see H.A.R.T. rockets web site and more car and rocket info. (& Techno Games info on the Egg Lofter for team HART-  I'll let Pete do that). I've been told some of the better Egg rockets in TG are competition kits you can buy - not much skill in that. I admire Pete and John Jacomb for designing their own machines.

Click here to find some amazing rocket car kits www.garlitsrocketracing.com
Click here to read the Techno Games 2001 rules for rockets (They may vary from year to year, or even day to day). For example in 2003 there will be a minimum weight limit of 150 grams (Rocket cars) & 200 grams (funny cars) and they will require very strong attachment points to the guide wire. Course may be longer.  

 

Please e-mail me from the Calvertfilm home page if you want a free 'CFL' (calvertfilm) CD of some of my films as Real Player movies. Includes my films, rocket cars and robots. You will need Real Player to play them from www.real.com   Click HERE for a list of films on the CD. Remember to send a postal address of some kind for me to post it to. While stocks last.

 

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