After being "rocketless" for a year I decided to replace my LOC IV that "blowed up" (<<--remnant of a quote from the movie Stripes) early last year. The retaining hub on the motor failed :/ and my 5 grain case attempted to accelerate through the av bay and body of the rocket. The wtf moment didn't last long but it was spectacular.
Ironically I was going to fly a few more times with the LOC IV and start building a fiberglass L2 attempt rocket during that period. Less than a month after the failure work transferred me back to TX. Not a bad thing, I'm closer to my grandkids and don't have to make a 2,000 mile round trip journey for 6 birthdays scattered throughout the year. But, I haven't had time to think about HPR until now.
It typically flew to just under 5,000' which was lower than most of the other guys. They are all L2 and there's one L3 guy. Most launches there were only 3 or 4 of us on site. Sometimes there were students from the college in Durango flying but only a few times a year.
Back on topic, I decided to build... drum roll please... another LOC IV. Why? I decided to "run with the one that brung me" only this time I'll paint it. No really... I will... honest...
. I modified the he double toothpicks out of the original rocket. Some mods were good (redundant dual deploy and tracking). Some were ok (zipperless coupling that restricted the failed motor and case's movement to what you see in the photo). Some mods were why did you do that mods (also the zipperless coupling that left me very little room for the drogue. Lessons learned). The av bays survived and even recorded data, sort of. It couldn't keep up with the flippy spinny trajectory.
I'll build a new av bay. I have a good layout so that should go faster.
I may reuse the nose cone since I had installed a tracker in it and that wasn't harmed.
I don't know when I'll finish it. It's not a hard kit to build and I shouldn't have to wait on any tools or materials to get here. I plan to fly at the 4CRA site but will be looking for a place to fly closer to home.
Ironically I was going to fly a few more times with the LOC IV and start building a fiberglass L2 attempt rocket during that period. Less than a month after the failure work transferred me back to TX. Not a bad thing, I'm closer to my grandkids and don't have to make a 2,000 mile round trip journey for 6 birthdays scattered throughout the year. But, I haven't had time to think about HPR until now.
It typically flew to just under 5,000' which was lower than most of the other guys. They are all L2 and there's one L3 guy. Most launches there were only 3 or 4 of us on site. Sometimes there were students from the college in Durango flying but only a few times a year.
Back on topic, I decided to build... drum roll please... another LOC IV. Why? I decided to "run with the one that brung me" only this time I'll paint it. No really... I will... honest...
. I modified the he double toothpicks out of the original rocket. Some mods were good (redundant dual deploy and tracking). Some were ok (zipperless coupling that restricted the failed motor and case's movement to what you see in the photo). Some mods were why did you do that mods (also the zipperless coupling that left me very little room for the drogue. Lessons learned). The av bays survived and even recorded data, sort of. It couldn't keep up with the flippy spinny trajectory.I'll build a new av bay. I have a good layout so that should go faster.
I may reuse the nose cone since I had installed a tracker in it and that wasn't harmed.
I don't know when I'll finish it. It's not a hard kit to build and I shouldn't have to wait on any tools or materials to get here. I plan to fly at the 4CRA site but will be looking for a place to fly closer to home.
