rstaff3
Oddroc-eteer
- Joined
- Jan 17, 2009
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Aside from the flight of my Upscale Big Brute, which you can read about in its own thread, I want to relate 2 interesting flights I saw today. One was mine, and it goes first.
I flew my Negative Camoflage today, after it was returned, finally, after being lost on an F10 in Feb. It was actually found the next day and was in perfect shape. It consisted of an Estes BT60 and a Big-Bertha style cone, and was painted with day-glo paints in a camouflage scheme. I decided to try it on an E9. Well, it appeared to hang slightly on the rod and headed downrange until it met a large HPR rail at the away cells. At that point it appeared to literally explode (due to the impact, not a CATO). When I recovered its remains, I gained a new respect for the kinetic energy even a small rocket has. I found 2 -3 pieces of the cone, the biggest was about 1/2" x 1/2". The rest was MIA. The first several inches of the rocket was all over the field. The next several up to the fins was totally crunched. Cool flight!
Next involves an interesting landing. A several pound rocket (5?) drifted into the parking area. There was a pickup with a shell, which had its back gate down. Well, this rocket landed on the gate and due to the angle of drift completely disappeared into the back of the truck. Cone and chute landed on the gate too. I've heard jokes about rockets that pack themselves for the trip home, but lever so literally as this one! I joked with the owner that the rule is: if your rocket completely enters another's vehicle, the rocket then belongs to that person. For some reason he didn't find my statement amusing.
I flew my Negative Camoflage today, after it was returned, finally, after being lost on an F10 in Feb. It was actually found the next day and was in perfect shape. It consisted of an Estes BT60 and a Big-Bertha style cone, and was painted with day-glo paints in a camouflage scheme. I decided to try it on an E9. Well, it appeared to hang slightly on the rod and headed downrange until it met a large HPR rail at the away cells. At that point it appeared to literally explode (due to the impact, not a CATO). When I recovered its remains, I gained a new respect for the kinetic energy even a small rocket has. I found 2 -3 pieces of the cone, the biggest was about 1/2" x 1/2". The rest was MIA. The first several inches of the rocket was all over the field. The next several up to the fins was totally crunched. Cool flight!
Next involves an interesting landing. A several pound rocket (5?) drifted into the parking area. There was a pickup with a shell, which had its back gate down. Well, this rocket landed on the gate and due to the angle of drift completely disappeared into the back of the truck. Cone and chute landed on the gate too. I've heard jokes about rockets that pack themselves for the trip home, but lever so literally as this one! I joked with the owner that the rule is: if your rocket completely enters another's vehicle, the rocket then belongs to that person. For some reason he didn't find my statement amusing.
