Kirk G
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- Joined
- Jan 9, 2012
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After repairing a cracked fin that came loose at the first of the year (due to a lack of fillets attaching the fin to the engine mount...construction error) I launched my favorite rocket with a square of nomex wrapping up the plastic chute and some dog barf as well. (a handful or so)
The nose cone deployed, and the nomex square (which was not attached to the rubber shock cord) sailed away when the chute deployed. We had a nice recovery. The nomex square was found, dirty and soiled but intact and usable.
While carrying the rocket back to pad, I spotted a ding in the front leading edge of one of the fins (not the one repaired recently). While it spoiled the airflow, it was not a crack and I assume that it was the nosecone impacting the fin.
A second repack also didn't attach the same nomex square (which was recovered) and again, a launch on a second D12-3 was successful, except the rubber shock cord wrapped around a fin in a half hitch, and the chute did NOT deploy...the nomex and chute just barely still in the body tube, but no forward pull to remove and inflate it.
The Mega Mosquito came straight down, nose first, but trailing the nosecone behind it. A hollow thud as it hit indicated a direct impact.
Inspection revealed the tube nose dived into the ground and began to crumple, the nomex and chute almost but not quite pulled out when the shock cord wrapped around the fin. How to keep this from happening again?
It appears that I will either flying this one into the ground next month, or else rethink that nomex square to be wraped tighter and the nose cone not wedged in as tightly (it was HUMID @ 90 F) for launch day!
Any suggestions on what to look for? Why is the nosecone suddenly impacting the rocket fin, and is there a better way to utilize the nomex square in packing? Any tips on when the nosecone no longer slides in and out easily?
(YES, I have another Mega Mosquito kit new in the package, so I could and will eventually build another one, but first wanted to learn my lessons with this "damaged" one before risking another. I have a 3 pack of D12-5 for launch.)
Comments?
The nose cone deployed, and the nomex square (which was not attached to the rubber shock cord) sailed away when the chute deployed. We had a nice recovery. The nomex square was found, dirty and soiled but intact and usable.
While carrying the rocket back to pad, I spotted a ding in the front leading edge of one of the fins (not the one repaired recently). While it spoiled the airflow, it was not a crack and I assume that it was the nosecone impacting the fin.
A second repack also didn't attach the same nomex square (which was recovered) and again, a launch on a second D12-3 was successful, except the rubber shock cord wrapped around a fin in a half hitch, and the chute did NOT deploy...the nomex and chute just barely still in the body tube, but no forward pull to remove and inflate it.
The Mega Mosquito came straight down, nose first, but trailing the nosecone behind it. A hollow thud as it hit indicated a direct impact.
Inspection revealed the tube nose dived into the ground and began to crumple, the nomex and chute almost but not quite pulled out when the shock cord wrapped around the fin. How to keep this from happening again?
It appears that I will either flying this one into the ground next month, or else rethink that nomex square to be wraped tighter and the nose cone not wedged in as tightly (it was HUMID @ 90 F) for launch day!
Any suggestions on what to look for? Why is the nosecone suddenly impacting the rocket fin, and is there a better way to utilize the nomex square in packing? Any tips on when the nosecone no longer slides in and out easily?
(YES, I have another Mega Mosquito kit new in the package, so I could and will eventually build another one, but first wanted to learn my lessons with this "damaged" one before risking another. I have a 3 pack of D12-5 for launch.)
Comments?