Shastas Rocket Site
Semroc

Texas Firefly

SEMROC Model #KA-8

Description

The Semroc Texas Firefly is a beautiful 175% upscale of the Semroc Firefly and is a Retro-Repro clone of the original Centuri Firefly 2-stage rocket. Combining elegance with a beautiful simplicity of line, the Texas Firefly flies wonderfully on standard 18mm black powder motors with a unique gap-staging design to enable reliable upper stage motor ignition.

Additional Information

  • Length: 14.3″
  • Diameter: 1.34″
  • Weight: 2.1 oz.
  • Fin Span: 7.2″
  • Fins: Laser Cut
  • Nose Cone: Balsa
  • Decals: Water Slide
  • Recovery: 12″ Parachute
  • Recommended Motors:
    • Booster: B6-0, C6-0
    • Sustainer: A8-5, B6-6, C6-7
  • Parts List
    • Body Tube – ST-1380
    • Body Tube – ST-1330
    • Body Tubes – ST-730E
    • Nose Cone – BC-1331
    • Tube Coupler – HTC-13
    • Centering Ring Set – CR-KA-8
    • Laser Cut Fins – FA-8
    • Thrust Ring – TR-7
    • Launch Lug – LL-122
    • Engine Hook – EH-28
    • Screw Eye – SE-12
    • Washer Weights – WW-8
    • Elastic Cord – ED-124
    • Kevlar Thread – SCK-24
    • Plastic Parachute – RC-12
    • Tape Discs – TD-6
    • Shroud Line – SLT-6
    • Shroud – IKA-8S
    • Dowel – WD-212
    • Decal – DKA-8

Instructions

Build History

  • 07/30/2005 – Purchased Semroc Texas Firefly from Semroc at NARAM 47 for $14.50 (Retail $14.50).
  • 01/24/2007 – Took pictures of package and contents.
  • 01/26/2007 – Scanned components.
  • 01/28/2007 – Measured components and recorded in Book #3 Page 52.
  • 10/25/2007 – Glued thrust block in one end of motor mount tube. Glued tube coupler with hole, 7/16″ from forward end of motor mount tube. Glued one centering ring 1/8″ from tube coupler and other even with forward end. Marked booster body tube coupler 7/16″ from edge and glued it into tube. Marker buster tube and sustainer tube aft ends with fin guide lines. Glued booster engine tube assembly into booster body tube with the aft ends even. Glued and filleted booster fins to tube. Cut out paper shroud for booster section. Tied one end of Kevlar cord to thrust block and inserted it into the forwa4rd end of the sustainer engine tube until even with end of tube. Marked engine mount tube 5/8″ from oft end. Pulled Kevlar cord back through engine mount tube. Glued one centering ring even with forward end and other centering ring 5/8″ from aft end. Glued and filleted sustainer fins along guidelines. Glued nose weight to base of nose cone. Screwed eye screw into nose cone base, removed it, squirted glue into hole and reinserted it snug against the nose weight.
  • 10/26/2007 – Glued launch lug 3/8″ from aft end of sustainer tube against fin fillet. Glued wooden dowels to edge of booster fins.
  • 10/29/2008 – Repaired fin strip by re-gluing the tooth pick to the edge of the fin.
  • 01/29/2012 – Damaged two fins when the storage bin slide off and hit model. Damage was severe and will require 2 new fins.

Flights

DateLocation#MotorComments