Got two great flights out of my Cluster Duck on Saturday at the UROC Cinco de Mayo launch. I planned on building a boost box as described on https://bpasa.com/Cluster-box.htm, but didn't get it done in time. I went ahead and followed Boris and Paul's advice and wired the seven motors in two strings of two igniters and one string of three igniters, so a combination of serial and parallel. I use some of my precious Q2G2's and dipped them in QuickDip (https://www.quickburst.net/quick_dip.htm) as extra insurance. All fourteen motors lit instantly leading to two awesome flights.
The first was loaded with 6 x B6-0 + 1 x E9-4, and the delay was a bit short (as predicted by RockSim) to around 800'. The second was 6 x C6-0 + 1 x E9-8, which simmed as a bit long, but looked perfect from the ground, to around twice as high. Due to better rail pointing the second flight actually landed closer to the pad than the first.
On the pad, ready to attach the clips:
Waiting to push the button:
You can see some of the outboards are still coming up to pressure:
By the time it came off the rail, everything was burning.
Under one of my wife's beautiful chutes. Maybe I'll use the JLCR next time!
I've got to say this rocket was a ton of fun to fly, if not to build (finishing 6 fins gets old REAL quick). The flights are SMOOTH and stay within sight (and within site). Lots of fun to be had with black powder motors. I think this bird earned a paint job!
The first was loaded with 6 x B6-0 + 1 x E9-4, and the delay was a bit short (as predicted by RockSim) to around 800'. The second was 6 x C6-0 + 1 x E9-8, which simmed as a bit long, but looked perfect from the ground, to around twice as high. Due to better rail pointing the second flight actually landed closer to the pad than the first.
On the pad, ready to attach the clips:
Waiting to push the button:
You can see some of the outboards are still coming up to pressure:
By the time it came off the rail, everything was burning.
Under one of my wife's beautiful chutes. Maybe I'll use the JLCR next time!
I've got to say this rocket was a ton of fun to fly, if not to build (finishing 6 fins gets old REAL quick). The flights are SMOOTH and stay within sight (and within site). Lots of fun to be had with black powder motors. I think this bird earned a paint job!