flight4
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- Jan 21, 2009
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My first post! Actually my first launch was with my dad over 30 years ago. My kids have launched some at camp the last few years and out of that is how we are getting back into it. Over the last couple of months I picked up a few E2X and RTF kits, ie Star Wars rockets, you know, to keep up their interest.
Our first launch day finally came (a nice day w/ little wind and no other activities planned) so we packed up the rockets, two home made pads, and the rest of the goodies.
First up were the Alpha III on an A8 and the Gnome on a 1/2A3. These were the rockets my two boys picked for themselves out of the Estes catalog. They (mostly) built them by themselves. Alpha lit up first.
Click the image to open a larger, closer up version.
<a href=https://www.pbase.com/flight4/image/68546388/large.jpg target=_blank><image src=https://www.pbase.com/flight4/image/68534617/medium.jpg height=267 width=400></a>
Followed immediately by the Gnome.
<a href=https://www.pbase.com/flight4/image/68546395/large.jpg target=_blank><image src=https://www.pbase.com/flight4/image/68534630/medium.jpg height=267 width=400></a>
Alpha went up about 400', Gnome 200' or so. Both recovered nicely close to the pads. First flight!! Total success!! The kids were jumping up and down.
Next up were the RTF X-Wing on a C6, and R2D2 on an A10. Picked these guys up on Ebay.
R2D2 was first to light off pad #2.
<a href=https://www.pbase.com/flight4/image/68569721/large.jpg target=_blank><image src=https://www.pbase.com/flight4/image/68534656/medium.jpg height=267 width=400></a>
Then the x-wing.
<a href=https://www.pbase.com/flight4/image/68570126/large.jpg target=_blank><image src=https://www.pbase.com/flight4/image/68534659/medium.jpg height=267 width=400></a>
The X-Wing sure roared a bit with that bigger motor. Made us jump. But perfect flights. R2D2 went to about 100', X-Wing about 400' or so. Being heavy plastic models both recovered quickly within feet of the pads.
Next were Darth Vader's Tie fighter on a C6 and a Fliskits Midnight Express on an A8. I actually built the ME one Sunday afternoon early on when I was waiting for the other rockets to come in the mail. Found it while browsing fliskits online. What, download a free rocket? Very cool. Printed it on 90lb photo paper and got to work. Went mostly well. I had no spent 18mm motor casings though (or unspent for that matter). Rolling the tube was a challenge. Luckily a spare body tube was readily available on a second sheet I printed
These are great shots. Vader moving out first with the ME just starting to light.
<a href=https://www.pbase.com/flight4/image/68570371/large.jpg target=_blank><image src=https://www.pbase.com/flight4/image/68534678/medium.jpg height=267 width=400></a>
Then the ME going up like a bat outta hell.
<a href=https://www.pbase.com/flight4/image/68570375/large.jpg target=_blank><image src=https://www.pbase.com/flight4/image/68534680/medium.jpg height=267 width=400></a>
I think the ME shot was the best of the lot. Here's a close up. Click on it for super large version.
<a href=https://www.pbase.com/flight4/image/68570375/original.jpg target=_blank><image src=https://www.pbase.com/flight4/image/68570375/medium.jpg></a>
Vader's recovery was exciting. Went up 160' or so, nosed over at apogee, and then... I was on my back on the grass enjoying the flights when I notice Darth just overhead coming in hot with just the nose cone out. Oh frak. Yelled a warning to the ground crew, and then about 25' up, "pop", and out comes the 18" chute. Recovered very gently about 10' away. Very cool. Instructions recommended C6-5. Maybe C6-3 next time.
The ME went up about 450', a little off vertical toward the side of the range, but came down very nicely on a 2' streamer.
Finally we have two Custom Razors on C6 motors with #2 kicking off first. These are actually refurbished camp models. Totally built (and abused) by my boys. The night before I cut away the ripped up parachutes and such best I could, and put in some kevlar thread and streamers.
<a href=https://www.pbase.com/flight4/image/68571626/original.jpg target=_blank><image src=https://www.pbase.com/flight4/image/68534691/medium.jpg height=267 width=400></a><
Razor #1 actually didn't light, but my son said after that he thinks the key fell out (wasn't fully inserted). Had him try again after I checked the igniter (yes, key was in my pocket while I did this) and up it went.
<a href=https://www.pbase.com/flight4/image/68571627/original.jpg target=_blank><image src=https://www.pbase.com/flight4/image/68534708/medium.jpg height=267 width=400></a>
Both of these Razor's were lost unfortunately. My fault. Too much motor. Neither camp model was built quite "straight". The first flew on an arc to about 600' or so. Saw the tracking smoke and then... Well that was it. Recovery system might have hung up on the old shock cord mount. But I have no idea. Second one flew in the same direction more or less. Long 3' streamer deployed nicely and it came down picture perfect but way past the trees.
I also had a Blue Ninja but elected not to fly it as the breeze was picking up and I didn't want it to end its maiden voyage as a tree ornament. And I had just lost two. But in all a decent day.
Here's the recovery team a little while later. Ryan & Sean are still looking up and around waiting for their Razors to come down. Sean, who is 6, on the way home, "I wish we didn't lose my Razor". Bummer.
<a href=https://www.pbase.com/flight4/image/68572886/original.jpg target=_blank><image src=https://www.pbase.com/flight4/image/68572886/medium.jpg height=267 width=400></a>
There's a few more pix in my web album below. It's cool if you can slideshow through them quickly. Otherwise maybe a little boring in spots. The camera was on a tripod shooting 1/2000sec and 5fps. These rockets really scoot. Caught more smoke than flight generally, but still pretty cool. Next time I'll try to get some recovery pix also. Now let me see if I can do this link right.
<a href="https://www.pbase.com/flight4/launch20061009" target=_blank><img src="https://www.pbase.com/flight4/image/68536081/small.jpg" style="border:none;padding:0px;margin-top:16px;"></a>
<a href="https://www.pbase.com/flight4/launch20061009" target=_blank>Click to launch album</a>
Need to work a little on photo technique. Vertical orientation, further back, faster shutter, try to get two or three frames of flight, well, two anyway. By third frame the rocket is probably 100' up or more. Remote control I have covered. Maybe change the blast deflectors so there isn't so much smoke swirling back and obscuring liftoff. Wanna see the flame!
I've enjoyed reading TRF these last few months, hearing about other's experiences, learning what to do and what not to do, how to build some pads, etc. Amazing what you can learn by reading other folks building and flying stories. Hope to start giving some back. I have a few projects on the bench being built, some in the box, and a few ideas in my head that I will be asking some questions about. TRF seems to be a great collection of flyers, gurus, mentors, and even a few trolls for entertainment and to keep things lively. Great stuff.
Our first launch day finally came (a nice day w/ little wind and no other activities planned) so we packed up the rockets, two home made pads, and the rest of the goodies.
First up were the Alpha III on an A8 and the Gnome on a 1/2A3. These were the rockets my two boys picked for themselves out of the Estes catalog. They (mostly) built them by themselves. Alpha lit up first.
Click the image to open a larger, closer up version.
<a href=https://www.pbase.com/flight4/image/68546388/large.jpg target=_blank><image src=https://www.pbase.com/flight4/image/68534617/medium.jpg height=267 width=400></a>
Followed immediately by the Gnome.
<a href=https://www.pbase.com/flight4/image/68546395/large.jpg target=_blank><image src=https://www.pbase.com/flight4/image/68534630/medium.jpg height=267 width=400></a>
Alpha went up about 400', Gnome 200' or so. Both recovered nicely close to the pads. First flight!! Total success!! The kids were jumping up and down.
Next up were the RTF X-Wing on a C6, and R2D2 on an A10. Picked these guys up on Ebay.
R2D2 was first to light off pad #2.
<a href=https://www.pbase.com/flight4/image/68569721/large.jpg target=_blank><image src=https://www.pbase.com/flight4/image/68534656/medium.jpg height=267 width=400></a>
Then the x-wing.
<a href=https://www.pbase.com/flight4/image/68570126/large.jpg target=_blank><image src=https://www.pbase.com/flight4/image/68534659/medium.jpg height=267 width=400></a>
The X-Wing sure roared a bit with that bigger motor. Made us jump. But perfect flights. R2D2 went to about 100', X-Wing about 400' or so. Being heavy plastic models both recovered quickly within feet of the pads.
Next were Darth Vader's Tie fighter on a C6 and a Fliskits Midnight Express on an A8. I actually built the ME one Sunday afternoon early on when I was waiting for the other rockets to come in the mail. Found it while browsing fliskits online. What, download a free rocket? Very cool. Printed it on 90lb photo paper and got to work. Went mostly well. I had no spent 18mm motor casings though (or unspent for that matter). Rolling the tube was a challenge. Luckily a spare body tube was readily available on a second sheet I printed
These are great shots. Vader moving out first with the ME just starting to light.
<a href=https://www.pbase.com/flight4/image/68570371/large.jpg target=_blank><image src=https://www.pbase.com/flight4/image/68534678/medium.jpg height=267 width=400></a>
Then the ME going up like a bat outta hell.
<a href=https://www.pbase.com/flight4/image/68570375/large.jpg target=_blank><image src=https://www.pbase.com/flight4/image/68534680/medium.jpg height=267 width=400></a>
I think the ME shot was the best of the lot. Here's a close up. Click on it for super large version.
<a href=https://www.pbase.com/flight4/image/68570375/original.jpg target=_blank><image src=https://www.pbase.com/flight4/image/68570375/medium.jpg></a>
Vader's recovery was exciting. Went up 160' or so, nosed over at apogee, and then... I was on my back on the grass enjoying the flights when I notice Darth just overhead coming in hot with just the nose cone out. Oh frak. Yelled a warning to the ground crew, and then about 25' up, "pop", and out comes the 18" chute. Recovered very gently about 10' away. Very cool. Instructions recommended C6-5. Maybe C6-3 next time.
The ME went up about 450', a little off vertical toward the side of the range, but came down very nicely on a 2' streamer.
Finally we have two Custom Razors on C6 motors with #2 kicking off first. These are actually refurbished camp models. Totally built (and abused) by my boys. The night before I cut away the ripped up parachutes and such best I could, and put in some kevlar thread and streamers.
<a href=https://www.pbase.com/flight4/image/68571626/original.jpg target=_blank><image src=https://www.pbase.com/flight4/image/68534691/medium.jpg height=267 width=400></a><
Razor #1 actually didn't light, but my son said after that he thinks the key fell out (wasn't fully inserted). Had him try again after I checked the igniter (yes, key was in my pocket while I did this) and up it went.
<a href=https://www.pbase.com/flight4/image/68571627/original.jpg target=_blank><image src=https://www.pbase.com/flight4/image/68534708/medium.jpg height=267 width=400></a>
Both of these Razor's were lost unfortunately. My fault. Too much motor. Neither camp model was built quite "straight". The first flew on an arc to about 600' or so. Saw the tracking smoke and then... Well that was it. Recovery system might have hung up on the old shock cord mount. But I have no idea. Second one flew in the same direction more or less. Long 3' streamer deployed nicely and it came down picture perfect but way past the trees.
I also had a Blue Ninja but elected not to fly it as the breeze was picking up and I didn't want it to end its maiden voyage as a tree ornament. And I had just lost two. But in all a decent day.
Here's the recovery team a little while later. Ryan & Sean are still looking up and around waiting for their Razors to come down. Sean, who is 6, on the way home, "I wish we didn't lose my Razor". Bummer.
<a href=https://www.pbase.com/flight4/image/68572886/original.jpg target=_blank><image src=https://www.pbase.com/flight4/image/68572886/medium.jpg height=267 width=400></a>
There's a few more pix in my web album below. It's cool if you can slideshow through them quickly. Otherwise maybe a little boring in spots. The camera was on a tripod shooting 1/2000sec and 5fps. These rockets really scoot. Caught more smoke than flight generally, but still pretty cool. Next time I'll try to get some recovery pix also. Now let me see if I can do this link right.
<a href="https://www.pbase.com/flight4/launch20061009" target=_blank><img src="https://www.pbase.com/flight4/image/68536081/small.jpg" style="border:none;padding:0px;margin-top:16px;"></a>
<a href="https://www.pbase.com/flight4/launch20061009" target=_blank>Click to launch album</a>
Need to work a little on photo technique. Vertical orientation, further back, faster shutter, try to get two or three frames of flight, well, two anyway. By third frame the rocket is probably 100' up or more. Remote control I have covered. Maybe change the blast deflectors so there isn't so much smoke swirling back and obscuring liftoff. Wanna see the flame!
I've enjoyed reading TRF these last few months, hearing about other's experiences, learning what to do and what not to do, how to build some pads, etc. Amazing what you can learn by reading other folks building and flying stories. Hope to start giving some back. I have a few projects on the bench being built, some in the box, and a few ideas in my head that I will be asking some questions about. TRF seems to be a great collection of flyers, gurus, mentors, and even a few trolls for entertainment and to keep things lively. Great stuff.