Semi-personal launch report: QCRS April 2014

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daveyfire

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Hokay so the dryer is still running and I can't go to bed yet because my sheets are in there, so here's my last catch-up report from the past three weeks!

I had to return equipment to QCRS after Thunderstruck and I figured that the launch this weekend was the perfect opportunity to do it. So I hopped back in the car and headed west with my old reliable Competitor in tow. The weather was gorgeous and warm and I figured this was also the perfect opportunity to work on fixing the (seriously) terrible farmer's tan I had acquired at Thunderstruck and Red Glare.

I arrived on the field pretty late-- like noonish-- since I got a late start in the morning. (Free pancakes from the roommates tend to make me want to stick around.) So I missed a few flights. I got out of the car as Wendell's Frenzy was roaring off the pad on a Skidmark. After shaking hands with Hot Tub II, Hot Tub I, Adrian, and MCS (good to see you again man!), I grabbed my rocket and toted it into Tim's trailer to pack the chute and turn on the tracker.

Meanwhile, rockets! John Olevich flew his purple fiberglass rocket on an L900DM. I know that's Dan Michael's signature motor but I bet John has burned more of them than Dan has:


Don Kennedy flew his Upscale Guardian for like the millionth time on an I161W:

For a 3 grain 38mm, that is a loud motor!

Not only did Adrian show up, he actually FLEW one! His LOC IROC on an I211W, a classic:


After three rockets I was pretty much ready to go. I walked out to the pad and had the honor of setting up next to Frontpage. He was readying his Darkstar with a 2550 N-sec K1000, so we were going to go about the same altitude. I told him, "you go first, then I can see where you land!" "Sounds good to me." Hot Tub II pushed the button:

Roarrrrr, a little kick to the right and a perfect Albino Assault boost from Chuck. Dual deploy landed him about 200 yards south of the barn. Excellent! I hope I land there too. Tim called out the count for my Competitor loaded with 4700 N-sec of orange flamey goodness:

Roarrrrr, dead nuts straight into the sky on the L800. It disappeared at burnout, but the tracker signal jumped about 20 seconds later, indicating successful drogue deployment. Well, it's up there somewhere. I'll worry about it in a minute.

CJ had instigated yet another Jart drag race; had I brought mine, I probably would have been suckered in too. This time, it was Tim, CJ, and Hot Tub I on K940s. Right? LOL

Tim had a Warp 9. But CJ's special igniter had him up and at 'em before Tim's finger was all the way down on the button, and he won the race. Pop-pop-pop all three got chutes and headed downwind.

I jumped in my car and followed the Jarts with my tracker to began hunting for my Competitor. After driving the roads of Kasbeer, I had eventually narrowed the search to one field:

Is that a small spot of pink that I see? ENHANCE!

You can give me all the flak you want for having a neon pink fin can, but it sure does stand out in a corn field! Thus ended flight #14 for the Competitor: 13,325' up and 1.1 miles away.

Russ flew his Competitor 3 on a K300 moonburner, as detailed in his launch report thread:


Jim V's nice 4" Arcas on a J350W:


John getting some help from his son with his Formula 75:

And away on an I327DM!


John also flew his Flying Pumpkin on another Dark Matter. When you've got two kids who chase your rockets down for you, it's a lot easier to turn 'em around quickly ;)


CJ apparently makes a great babysitter...

at least for a while :p STAHP!


Missouri S&T rounded out the day with a very impressive flight of their breech-staged M1315-M1315 vehicle:



It ended up not lighting the second M motor, but everything came down under chute as planned for a successful test. Nice work guys!

Finally, I dumped the borrowed gear back in the QCRS trailer and headed back east.

Another great day with QCRS! Can't wait to come back at the end of May for Mini MWP.
 
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I arrived on the field pretty late-- like noonish-- since I got a late start in the morning. (Free pancakes from the roommates tend to make me want to stick around.) So I missed a few flights. I got out of the car as Wendell's Frenzy was roaring off the pad on a Skidmark. After shaking hands with Hot Tub II, Hot Tub I, Adrian, and MCS (good to see you again man!), I grabbed my rocket and toted it into Tim's trailer to pack the chute and turn on the tracker.

Not only did Adrian show up, he actually FLEW one! His LOC IROC on an I211W, a classic:



Finally, I dumped the borrowed gear back in the QCRS trailer and headed back east.

Another great day with QCRS! Can't wait to come back at the end of May for Mini MWP.

Good shot of the IROC Dave, you can even see the old school launch lug in the photo :cool:
That thing is a great flier, I was almost tempted to fly again! I did grab a I280DM for next month...

Congrats again Dr Reese!!!!

Adrian
 
Good shot of the IROC Dave, you can even see the old school launch lug in the photo :cool:
That thing is a great flier, I was almost tempted to fly again! I did grab a I280DM for next month...

Congrats again Dr Reese!!!!
Thanks man! I love my IROC too. I'm tellin ya, you HAVE to try a J350W in it... it's a life-changing experience! (If I had mine here, I'd say we should drag race........)
 
Thanks man! I love my IROC too. I'm tellin ya, you HAVE to try a J350W in it... it's a life-changing experience! (If I had mine here, I'd say we should drag race........)

How do you think I got my L2. Yessir! That very same rocket on a J350 @ the BONG in WI! Must have been around 1999. Lets see... How old were you then Dr??? And I did use a 1/2" rod back then. I actually like flying it on the I195J. Makes for cool slow liftoffs :fly:

Adrian
 
I put together a short video (documentary) of the team from Missouri S & T prepping and launching their rocket. You can see it here: https://youtu.be/jK-_2JNZpuI. They really did a lot of great work getting ready for this day!

-Wendell
 
How do you think I got my L2. Yessir! That very same rocket on a J350 @ the BONG in WI! Must have been around 1999. Lets see... How old were you then Dr??? And I did use a 1/2" rod back then. I actually like flying it on the I195J. Makes for cool slow liftoffs :fly:

Adrian

Please let *Me* answer this one...:D

Well, El Viejo...I imagine that while you were dropping a "J" over the Bong way back with a motor more length and, girth than your weenage...

An eleven year old *future* Dr. David was probably mixing up his first 114mm. "O" motor in the corner of his parents garage...one grain at a time...with a Kitchen Aid mixer his folks bought for him for Christmas...with advice from a quirky neighbor named "Frank"...so that someone could rip the air a new "A$$hole" over Black Rock Nevada...
Unlike his peers who were probably out riding their decks and, tagging train cars....our little friend was honing his skills hunched over notebooks of formulas.

Am I close Dave:confused: I think that should answer your question Adrian...;)
 
Adrian? It was good to see you DID fly something though...:D
I knew you had it in you, sorry we couldn't hook up....I will see you Memorial Day weekend!

*That is IF you aren't still whizzed at me for the "Manhood Joke"....thingy*:p
 
Adrian? It was good to see you DID fly something though...:D
I knew you had it in you, sorry we couldn't hook up....I will see you Memorial Day weekend!

*That is IF you aren't still whizzed at me for the "Manhood Joke"....thingy*:p

Nah, it's all good (and true :blush:) :eyepop: I still have my Endeavour prepped for launch from a while ago. So just gotta git me a load from Tim and put it up.
Ya think he has any? I think I'll go 5 or 6 grainish...

Adrian
 
The statements above do not imply endorsement by David Reese, or any of his affiliated agents or subsidiaries. (Also, my flight logs from back then are sparse but I was definitely flying my IROC off a rod in '99 too :D :D :D)
Nah, it's all good (and true :blush:) :eyepop: I still have my Endeavour prepped for launch from a while ago. So just gotta git me a load from Tim and put it up.
Ya think he has any? I think I'll go 5 or 6 grainish...
Grimracer shredded his Endeavour on a J570W at Thunderstruck but IIRC yours did OK on a K, so yeah, go for it! Unless you mean 114mm, of which I only have two cases (30" and 45" of propellant... that's like a 4G and a 6G or so... take your pick!) ;)
 
The statements above do not imply endorsement by David Reese, or any of his affiliated agents or subsidiaries. (Also, my flight logs from back then are sparse but I was definitely flying my IROC off a rod in '99 too :D :D :D)

Grimracer shredded his Endeavour on a J570W at Thunderstruck but IIRC yours did OK on a K, so yeah, go for it! Unless you mean 114mm, of which I only have two cases (30" and 45" of propellant... that's like a 4G and a 6G or so... take your pick!) ;)

I have flown my old battle axe Endeavor on a J570W before...but it is the old Phenolic version...not the Quantum version I suspect Grim's was. That .062" G-10 is a bit wiggly in the swept configuration.
 
The statements above do not imply endorsement by David Reese, or any of his affiliated agents or subsidiaries. (Also, my flight logs from back then are sparse but I was definitely flying my IROC off a rod in '99 too :D :D :D)

Grimracer shredded his Endeavour on a J570W at Thunderstruck but IIRC yours did OK on a K, so yeah, go for it! Unless you mean 114mm, of which I only have two cases (30" and 45" of propellant... that's like a 4G and a 6G or so... take your pick!) ;)

I just checked, and my CTI 6 grain case won't fit :mad::mad: So, I either try to break out the old PML quick switch or try to pull out the coupler of my Iris and refit it for my Endeavour AV bay.
How about J570's in the IROCs? My 38/1080 case is still a virgin, unlike Gusser :neener:

Adrian
 
I have flown my old battle axe Endeavor on a J570W before...but it is the old Phenolic version...not the Quantum version I suspect Grim's was. That .062" G-10 is a bit wiggly in the swept configuration.

The K I flew mine on had less kick than the J570. I flew it on a ATK456 or CTI K454, don't remember which :blush:

Adrian
 
I have flown my old battle axe Endeavor on a J570W before...but it is the old Phenolic version...not the Quantum version I suspect Grim's was. That .062" G-10 is a bit wiggly in the swept configuration.

Grim's was indeed Phenolic - but I should let him defend...I mean explain himself. (J570? Really Mike?)
 
Another fine event by QCRS. I didn't take many pictures. Here's two from the Missouri guys. This was an M to M two stager.

03.jpg


04.jpg

-->MCS

.
 
lol... the J570 was a stinker in my Endeavor.. David Reese stated as it darted 30deg at burn out.. looks like it lost a fin.... lol.. more like the complet aft of the rocket...lol CRISP!

Grim
 
Do you know when the May launch is? I definitely wanna try to make it out!
 
Do you know when the May launch is? I definitely wanna try to make it out!

Gerbmeister, It will be the weekend of May 24/25th. The FREE BBQ Party is always after the Saturday *day* of flying at Tim's house in Van Orin. Plan for a great Steak dinner with all the free trimmings, alot of general mayhem afterward including pyrotechnics....motorized bar stools etc...etc...etc...

I probably can only make the Sunday launch but, i will bring my Two Stager Scooter and, Red-dog on an M-L combination.
Maybe i will see you there?

View attachment 170288

The Public Enemy Aerospace Traveling Acceleration Show Thingy Abov'e.:point:
 
I will more than likely be there. I'm gonna go for my TRA L1 and possibly L2.
 
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