TECH

WARHAMMER 40K MODEL ROCKET LAUNCHER

[Daniel L]’s friend has a passion for Warhammer 40K. [Daniel] himself has a similar zeal for perfection in details. When he remembered a long-forgotten request to build a working rocket launcher for one of his friend’s Warhammer 40K models — well — the result was inevitably awesome.

The MicroMaxx motors — one of the smallest commercial rocket motors on the market — he had on hand seemed to fit the model of the Hyperios Whirlwind anti-air rocket tank. Modeling and 3D printing all the parts proved to be easier than assembling the incredibly detailed model — on top of sanding and filling gaps, a perfect paint job was no simple matter.

The launcher has two main circuit boards: a STM32F407 microcontroller brain, a low-power A20737A Bluetooth module, and a voltage regulator. The second has the constant current source and MOSFET output stages for the rocket igniters. Pitch and yaw handled by a pair of RC servo motors. [Daniel L] has also gone the extra mile by creating an accompanying iPhone app using the Anaren Atmosphere IDE — it’s simple but it works!

While you may be tempted to fire off a full-salvo, keep this in mind: each rocket is a custom-made, single-use projectile. Milled out of plastic tubing with stability cuts made in the side and a 3D printed, sanded, and painted nose cone, every one is a labour of love!

For your not-quite-40K model rocket hobby, make your next launch count with a bit of guidance.

James Hobson