I, too, launched more today than I ever have at one launch.
Thanks to Alan's postings of the monthly launches, I realized
that I have launched my Big Bertha every time I have launched
with MASA, except once. Today I kept that going.
Besides that, I launched my Baby Bertha, Ring of Fire (Baby
Bertha kitbash), Der Red Max, Barracuda and Nano from Starlight,
the LOC EZI-65 that was my doorprize from the picnic this
summer, the Avalear (FlisKits), Lil Ivan, Tornado, and the
Explorer 2000 from Rogue Aerospace. I built it in 2000,but
didn't paint it until this past summer.
A special thanks to Alan for letting me use his launch
equipment!
It was a fun day of launching and well worth the 2 hour
drive!
What a great day to end the flying season and the month of
November's activities for me. Paul and I brought many rockets
that we have been avoiding in favor of large AP. rockets. The
rockets cut across many lines.
Planes: I flew the Tinee on a A10-3T for the first time.
Don't know whether it was the high thrust or the winds but it
just looped and crashed. No damage. Ditto for the CICI on a
B6-4. But this loop ended in many pieces. Paul's going to take
it over and adjust (Increase) the down thrust angle. Again maybe
the winds.
Copters: My second Rose-A-Roc which is highly modified into a
Enhanced Sport model. This was a test on a A8-3 with the
dihedral increased since the first flight. It started to spin
and then collapsed and flew upside down. Wind may have been a
factor. However, one binder was loose causing that rotor to
flop.
Snow Flakes: The highlight of the day for me was trying out
my new design. While the day was nice there was one large 12"
Snow Flake Rocket on a C6-3. This snow flake took off slowly
with a slight wobble due to the flat forward surface. It climbed
to a nice height and flipped over after burn out and floated to
the ground with that slight wobble. A complete success. Probably
will make a short kit report for Sport Rocketry.
Paul said he got it on video and is going to put it YouTube.
Goonies: I flew the GoonyBird one and the Goony Ghost on
B6-4's. A weak ejection charge did not kick the chute out of the
GoonyBird One and the Goony Ghost had a broken schrod line. No
damage to either rocket.
Saucers: I flew the 6" Delta SpaceShipEarth on a E11-0J for a
nice but low weather cocked flight into the wind with a short
recovery drift. The original 12" Stars & Stripes went up with
G76-0G for a fast and noisy lift off. After burn out the S&S
tumbled until it stabilized about 10' off the ground. Must be
the wind.
Sport Scale: Paul and I had a Patriot drag race. Paul used a
B6-4 and I used a C11-3. On launch they crossed over each other.
I thought we might have a collision. On ejection my Patriot
severed the weak shock cord and the nose cone drifted away with
the chute. I found it several hills over in the land to the
North.
Streamer Duration: I flew the "E" Rocket which is a 1/4A SD
weighing 13 grams with 1/64" plywood fins. Today I put in a
A3-4T for more altitude. It ripped off the pad and flew into
cloud haze. As a white rocket I lost sight of it but I did see
the ejection charge. But not the 3"x30" tracing paper streamer.
It went almost straight up so if the streamer failed it should
be near by. No luck. I walked about 3/4 of the field down wind
with no sight.
Just as we were packing up to Dwayne came up and asked me if
that was my rocket. I guess it made it to the end off the field.
This is one of many small pencil rockets but I was glad to get
it back. More so to know it really worked well.
Paul likes to fly clusters so today he flew three.
Big Daddy Lifter: This is a Big Daddy with out board tanks
like the Shuttle craft. Paul flew with a D12-5 inboard and two
A10-PT in the outboard tanks. Fast lift off with the three
flames visible in a straight line alignment.
SR-71c BlackBird: This is also a three cluster rocket with a
D12-3 inboard and again two A10-PT's in the outboard tubes. Once
again a great flight with the three flames.
Astron Cobra: This is my old first time cluster rocket
(scratch built in the early '90's). Paul flew it on three
C6-5's. The rocket went way up there and I believe it had a 18"
chute. We lost sight of it as it headed down wind. With the help
of three young people they found it on the berm of HWY 42.
Two Staggers: Paul flew the gap staged rocket with the "Tiny
Tim Booster" and the top stage on a C6-0 and A8-3. Top stage did
not ignite and the bottom motor moved forward in the "Tiny Tim"
and burnt it up pretty badly.
Rubicon: This used a D12-3 but the chute tangled and it came
in streamer. Don't know if Paul had any damage.
Boink: His revised plastique Boink was flown on A8-3 , B6-4
and a C6-3. On the C motor the winds carried it down range a
bit.
Sport Scale: Paul's Patriot was used in a drag race with my
Patriot. His was a normal close by flight on a B6-4
Spools: The White American Spool on a C11-3 was a good wind
bet. At TRA-MN Paul flies three spools in Red, White and Blue.
Nice color in joint flight.
CATOes: The CATO rocket which self destructs at burnout with
a C6-0 is always a good one for the unsuspecting NEWbie. Today
was no different.
Copters: Last but not least was Paul's standard F1 "Tornado"
on a A8-3. I didn't see it as I was off wandering the fields
looking for parts. Paul tell me it really spun out in recovery.
NOTE: I have a F2 Tornado and Paul has a F4 Tornado which
have been flown natural as 2x and 4x upscales
