November Launch Report (1/9/1999)
The final MASA launch for 1998 was held on Saturday, November 21
at the Blaine sod farm site. The weather was fairly cold and
windy. However, a number of hardy rocketeers braved the
elemets to rack up a total of 72 flights on motors from A through H.
Highlights:
Russ Durkee launched his Radio Controlled 'Cuda sailplane on a D7
reload. He showed us a nice flight in spite of the wind and a
bumpy landing.
It was one of the strangest-looking creations ever to rise above
the sod...
Russ Durkee and Mark Thell collaborated to create a Mutant
Bertha. They each built two Big Bertha kits, but only attached
one fin to each. At the field, ample quantities of CA glue
served to attach all four tubes side-by-side. Streamers were
loaded in 2 tubes and parachutes in the other 2. Two C6-3 and
two C6-5 motors were inserted. After extensive preparation,
the monster was placed on a pad. The flight was certainly ...
interesting ... but successful as all 4 motors ignited.
Post-launch-fun included untangling four recovery systems.
Perhaps the MASA leadership needs better-ventilated work areas,
although they blame the whole thing on a certain hobby shop
which had Berthas on sale.
Larry Schwartz turned in two amazing flights of his new 2-stage
Fat Boy, built along the lines of the article in Sport Rocketry
magazine. The first stage was powered by a cluster of 4 C6
motors, with a single D12 in the upper stage. Although the
first stage suffered some problems with its recovery parachutes,
both flights were very impressive.
Ted Cochran launched his LOC IV on an H128 for a nice
flight. His Olsen altimeter reported 1332 feet.
Unfortunately, the rocket suffered some damage on landing as it was
dragged by the wind across a frozen field.
Carl Persson's scratch-built rocket was completely destroyed by a
D12-5 CATO.
Russ Durkee demostrated marginal stability when he launched a V2
on a C6-5.
Christopher Kvidera launched his modified Initiator on a G35 to
successfully take a roll of film with the onboard APS camera.
(Unfortunately, the pictures were blurred due to entangled
parachutes.)
Jackson Thatcher braved the winds by launching an Initiator on a
G80. It was a great flight, but a long walk. Ted Cochran
had another long walk when he launched a Silver Comet on an
F32. Kent Peterson also had the dubious honor of being the
first person to land a rocket on the other side of Hwy 14 after he
launched his Initiator on an F25.
Damian Kostron launched his R/C Shuttle Prototype on a
D11-P. However, the model went unstable on boost when the
receiver NiCd pack came loose. Fortunately, the model was not
damaged.
Alan Estenson put in the other H flight of the day launching his
upscale Der BIG Red Max on an H180. Unfortunately, a stuck
parachute resulted in a core sample, but the damage is repairable.
The days' totals are: 72 flights, 84 motors, total impulse
of 1600 Newton-seconds (K motor equivalent).
The motor breakdown is: 14 A, 7 B, 38 C, 15 D, 3 E, 3 F, 2
G, and 2 H's.
A complete list of all the day's flights is available
online. (click here)
Please feel free to email corrections, additions, or details of
other noteworthy flights to the author.
(Alan Estenson)
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