- Joined
- Mar 27, 2011
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I was able to launch 3 mid powers today 
No pics I was by my self.
I went out to the local gun range for this one the aviation park was out of the question Fs and Gs.
The range is in a deep dry lake bed far outside of town and far enough away from the base.
I set up on the north side of the range out by the 365 yard targets.
The wind was out of the north west at about 7 mph with occasional gusts to 15.
For the Wichita Falls area this is calm.
First on the pad was my Estes Colossus clone made as per the original instruction, using a Maxi Alpha III as the base.
Used a Dyna Star 32" plastic chute foe recovery.
Motor was an Estes E9-4.
Liftoff was SLOWWWW, she started arcing just above the rim of the lake bed did not get very high chute deployed ballistic at about 50 feet.
The chute survived with no damage despite the high speed the rocket has a 2 inch zipper as the only damage.
This is repairable but I won't be doing that because just after I painted it all of the tube joints stated to shrink it is rather unsightly.
So I will just build a new one using two longer tubes and ply fins and a 29 mm motor mount and a 24 mm adapter.
Next was my Aerotech Initiator of an Estes F 50-6T with one of my own 32 inch 12 panel orange and white chutes.
I loaded it on to my trusty Mantis launch pad using an Aerotech igniter (first fire type).
She bolted off the pad and had to have gone well over 1000 ft.
She deployed right at apogee and slowly drifted in to an adjacent cow pasture.
She was easily retrieved and was undamaged.
Last was my Mercury engineering Integrator every thing stock on an Estes G 80-7
Set up same as the Initiator, pad igniter etc.
She took off quick for a 4 inch bird on a single G and according to Rocsim posted about 1200 ft arced over and deployed just after apogee.
The stock chute brought it down gently with in 20 yards of the pad.
Only some cosmetic damage to the paint on the fin tips because of the rough terrain.
If you haven't considered one of these kits I urge you to do so.
They are fun to build and uncomplicated to fly and make a great first mid power rocket.
To see this kind of performance out of a 4 inch rocket of this length on a single G is fantastic.
And speaking of Gs that one was LOUD!!!!!!
The igniter stayed attached to the nozzle and was sticking straight out even after landing.
It just looked funny to my I had to laugh.
Maybe next time I will be able to get some one to go with me so I can get some pics or video.
I use an old Estes Pro Series launch controller for all my rockets, and it takes two hands to use.
I love the power of the two 7.4 volt R/C batteries, especially for clusters.
No pics I was by my self.
I went out to the local gun range for this one the aviation park was out of the question Fs and Gs.
The range is in a deep dry lake bed far outside of town and far enough away from the base.
I set up on the north side of the range out by the 365 yard targets.
The wind was out of the north west at about 7 mph with occasional gusts to 15.
For the Wichita Falls area this is calm.
First on the pad was my Estes Colossus clone made as per the original instruction, using a Maxi Alpha III as the base.
Used a Dyna Star 32" plastic chute foe recovery.
Motor was an Estes E9-4.
Liftoff was SLOWWWW, she started arcing just above the rim of the lake bed did not get very high chute deployed ballistic at about 50 feet.
The chute survived with no damage despite the high speed the rocket has a 2 inch zipper as the only damage.
This is repairable but I won't be doing that because just after I painted it all of the tube joints stated to shrink it is rather unsightly.
So I will just build a new one using two longer tubes and ply fins and a 29 mm motor mount and a 24 mm adapter.
Next was my Aerotech Initiator of an Estes F 50-6T with one of my own 32 inch 12 panel orange and white chutes.
I loaded it on to my trusty Mantis launch pad using an Aerotech igniter (first fire type).
She bolted off the pad and had to have gone well over 1000 ft.
She deployed right at apogee and slowly drifted in to an adjacent cow pasture.
She was easily retrieved and was undamaged.
Last was my Mercury engineering Integrator every thing stock on an Estes G 80-7
Set up same as the Initiator, pad igniter etc.
She took off quick for a 4 inch bird on a single G and according to Rocsim posted about 1200 ft arced over and deployed just after apogee.
The stock chute brought it down gently with in 20 yards of the pad.
Only some cosmetic damage to the paint on the fin tips because of the rough terrain.
If you haven't considered one of these kits I urge you to do so.
They are fun to build and uncomplicated to fly and make a great first mid power rocket.
To see this kind of performance out of a 4 inch rocket of this length on a single G is fantastic.
And speaking of Gs that one was LOUD!!!!!!
The igniter stayed attached to the nozzle and was sticking straight out even after landing.
It just looked funny to my I had to laugh.
Maybe next time I will be able to get some one to go with me so I can get some pics or video.
I use an old Estes Pro Series launch controller for all my rockets, and it takes two hands to use.
I love the power of the two 7.4 volt R/C batteries, especially for clusters.
