|
Spike (2)
|
15
|
18" nylon parasheet |
F62-6 Dark Star |
The launch and boost were perfect, tracking as if on rails once the
initial rod whip was straightened out. The rocket coasted to apogee,
as usual, and ejected at the lowest possible velocity -- and broke the
shock cord between the parachute and nose cone. The body recovered
normally, with a little denting of the tube mouth from a tumble on landing;
the nose cone fell in from around 1500' AGL, and (due to weight in the
tip) actually stabilized and streamlined the last couple hundred feet.
After a little hike to recover the body and look for the nose cone, I was
walking back toward the flight line along my line on the nose and found
it stuck in the ground like a mumblety-peg. No damage, except to
my dignity, and the Spike has provision to permit installation of a replacement
shock cord; this rocket only needs about fifteen minutes of attention to
fly again. |
|
Fat Fat Boy (2)
|
5
|
18" nylon parasheet |
Estes D12-7, 3x Estes C6-7 |
With four motor mounts loaded, I prepped the motors with Jet-X fuse,
trying to get reliable ignition and minimize outboard ignition delay despite
launch system problems that had been causing fits on some pads. With
the Jet-X wick, a single igniter fires all motors via a hot-burning fuse.
In this case, after one misfire caused by dirty clips or launch system
problems, I got a good ignition of the core motor, which lifted the rocket
off the pad, followed by air ignition of two of the three outboards
about one second into the burn -- but by that point, there was enough velocity
that the off-center thrust didn't cause a problem. Ejection was close
to apogee, but with enough horizontal speed that the shock cord tore out
at the root, leaving the body to tumble into a weedy area without damage
while the nose recovered normally, albeit slowly, under parachute.
At this point, with two flights and two separations, I considered it prudent
to call it a day, and packed up to go home. Once again, however,
repairs will be simple; I just need a better method of attaching the shock
cord. |