| Model |
Flt
# |
Recovery Type |
Motor |
Comments
|
|
Air Shot 1 (green)
|
1
|
Featherweight |
Estes 1/2A3-2T |
First flight of a cheap experiment -- the Air
Shot rockets were sold as toys, similar to Stomp Rockets. This
one flew and landed about as well as could be expected, but the impact
apparently tore the CA out of the foam and the nose weight (a 110 grain
.38 cal bullet) was lost, though the rocket itself simply bounced about
a foot back into the air. In addition, the ejection charge blew out
the forward bulkhead in the motor mount, even though motor ejection was
being used; I'll have to rebuild this one in some manner if it's to fly
again. |
|
Air Shot 2 (black)
|
1
|
Featherweight |
Estes 1/2A3-2T |
This is the second rocket from the 2-pack -- it flew exactly like the
green one, but this time the motor mount bulkhead stayed in, and the rocket
recovered through the branches of a nearby tree, thus hitting the ground
much more gently than Air Shot 1 and retaining its nose weight. That
means I still have something to work with in reinforcing the nose to take
the impact of featherweight recovery. |
|
Readin' Klingon
|
1 (7)
|
2x12" plastic parasheets |
Estes D12-5 |
This was the first flight after repair of the Fat Fat Boy, following
the CATO that had me writing it off as totalled in December. Though
ugly, the rocket proved completely flightworthy, and boost, coast, ejection,
and deployment of the dual parachutes were all nominal. Unfortunately,
due to limited wire length and the need to run ignition off my car battery
(other Section members who have portable batteries hadn't arrived yet),
I was forced to launch close to the row of Lombardi Poplars separating
the parking lot from the field, and the rocket drifted into the very top
of one of the trees. This time it's really gone. B( |
|
Maniac
|
11
|
Dual crepe streamers, 48" and 18" length |
Estes C6-3 |
I didn't want too much altitude for this flight, to reduce drift, so
I sent it up on the smallest motor that will reliably fly the rocket.
Flight was acceptable, and deployment was near apogee, but the streamers
were too small (the Long Shot recovers well on dual 48" streamers, but
the combination of long and short is obviously inadequate here), and the
rocket cracked two fins on landing, as well as exaggerating an existing
wrinkle in the body tube. I'll be able to glue the fins, as I've
done in the past with the Long Shot, and in future I'll probably fly this
rocket on the same kind of 12" parasheet I use for the Bertha 24, which
performs a bit better. |
|
Bertha 24
|
26
|
12" plastic parasheet w/ spill and vents |
Estes C6-5 |
At this point, with two rockets damaged and one lost in four launches,
I needed a jinx-breaker, and that means the Bertha. Sure enough,
the flight and recovery were all as near perfect as one could want.
Landing was even close to the pad. |
|
Bertha 24
|
27
|
12" plastic parasheet w/ spill and vents |
Estes D12-7 |
Given confidence by the good flight, I loaded up a D. At this
time, though, I'd also moved my pad further from the trees, after the arrival
of Mike Pearson and Abby Chang, who have a lead-acid battery that's not
attached to a car. As a result, I was further from the trees, and
used a more vertical rod setting. From 900+ feet, the rocket found
fresher high-level winds and drifted a couple hundred yards, landing next
to a paved path provided for joggers, bicyclists, etc. |
|
Cherokee-D (2)
|
11
|
12" plastic parasheet |
Estes B6-4 |
This was to be the last flight of the day, and I didn't want to risk
losing my Cherokee-D, so I used the adapter and a B motor -- and obtained
a perfect flight with close recovery. After this, we packed up our
gear and went to our meeting, which (this time) was a reload motor building
session in support of a Section Mass Certification (Level 1) attempt scheduled
for 1 March. |