I will Survive...

Hi Everyone,

Been awhile since I have checked the forum and...wow...you guys have been busy... 110k in day, a rebuilt L2 bird, a binder sentinel and, of course, another huge project from HIM. That HARM is lookin good!

I'm afraid I haven't had too much going on in the rocketry spectrum lately.

I don't think I explained this yet, so... In the last week of August, at NEPRA's monthly launch, the booster of Thunder N Lightning decided it didn't want to come down under chute. The flight was an I284-H123 (5000) and everything worked perfectly, except that the booster arched over, kept going and going and...below the horizon! The ground in the NE at this time was rock solid and even though the rocket's front coupler is laminated with 'glass and even though it hit at about 465 m/ph, it still only went 4" into the ground. Ouch! Everything but the chute, aeropack retainer, casing and TN was destroyed. On impact, the fins flew off in all directions and landed 20-40 feet away! The entire airframe vaporized and all of the MMT up to the casing. The electronics were seen, well, at least one switch terminal was left. Even the solid urethane tailcone cracked.

So, I have a new booster and new electronics. The booster has been rebuilt and repainted with an even cooler paintscheme. It is all set to fly again which is pretty interesting considering I thought that was the end of T&L...but then a package (to be used in the future - see below) with the new booster arrived (Thanks dad)...so, T&L has got only one thing to say, "I will survive."

AFA new projects, I am building a machbuster clone (cake work). Still workig on that darn Saturn V and haven't sarted the Saturn IB. What I did do (I am finishing it right now) is build a "box rocket." This thing is nothing but a 9"x6"x30" cardboard box that the parts for the booster of T&L came in. If has a 38mm MMT, 48 Chute, ply fins and CR's and the flaps on the top pop open to deploy the chute. Pretty cool eh?

Well, thats it for here, how are you guys doing? Wallpaper that bathroom yet? Hows that (over strengthened) BBX coming along? You really think you can get more than 3 flights out ot that 38mm bird with Phil present?

Talk to you all soon.

David Kneble

Good to hear from you, Mav. Sorry to hear about your booster on the T&L. Really glad to hear that your Dad replaced it for you. Never forget to express to your Dad how much you appreciate him. Sounds like he is a great (and understanding) guy.

Now, as far as whether we will get more than 3 flights from the VBX38 with Phil being involved.... that remains to be seen. But somehow, sooner or later, we have to break Phil's jinx. Besides, I can assure you that Phil is not such a bad guy.... in spite of what everyone says -

Take care and try to check back a little more often.

- Ken

P.S. - BTW.... did you figure out why the booster chute didn't deploy?

Ken,
Yeah, my dad is awesome. He got me into this hobby, then I got him into HP, then he got me into complex rockets, then I got him into being the VP of club NEPRA. Basically, we just keep pushing each other...its fun.

As far as that jinx...just put like 79 rabbit's feet around phil, some horseshoes, a coulpe hundred four-leaf clovers...ya know what I mean. I mean...Phil...he just has some problems...we all have problems...its just that his are more pronounced...he can't help it...but society hasn't killed him YET...so I'll guess we'll give him a chance...

:kill:

Sorry Phil, just had to do that. Ya know we only tease ya because we envy you, right?

Now, about that chute... The BP charge never fired. The delay (10 sec) burnt through and you could see the hole through from the charge well to the inside of the foward closure. All the BP was still there. Even after that impact it didn't go off. The BP was good because I used it for the CPR charges. The 10 sec delay was good because I have used it before and there was plenty of BP. The only reason I can think of was that I somehow go a little itty bitty smudge of grease in the hole that goes to the BP well while I was greasing the inside of the forward closure. That's the only explanation I can think of. Oh well, my first lawndart.

David Kneble

Awww, you guys really do care....

Man, sorry to hear about the booster. Lets honor the booster with a moment of silence.
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I can't wait to see a pic of your new booster. Long live the booster!!!! I can post the pics for you again .(as soon as the web site is back up)

BTW, I'm having problems with Cybergatetech right now, so if you want to email me some pics, send them to [email protected].

Oh, and about the luck thing. I'm getting my Catholic friends to burn many, many candles for me. I'm also, paying money to a voodoo priestess. You guys have mentioned other things that shall be purchased for the 100K event. Have I missed anything?

Lucky cow's foot?