NAR Quark First HPR Launch...Day 2

[Austin]

Well, it was nothing less than a perfect day!!! The winds were either low or non-existent and not a cloud in the sky. I showed up around 11:30 after spending several hours in the office to find Dave and Mark already set up and launching HPR! Man it was great.

We had some Kite fliers to the south of us, but we were all careful to keep an eye on eachother...funny how a kite gets pulled down REALLY fast when a H round goes off! Several people started to show up around 1pm and trickled through during the day. HPR was intermixed with LPR and sport and made for one fantastic launch.

The only big disaster had was my Harpoon...let's just say she is hanging out at the VOA right now. The maiden flight was on an I211W and was AWESOME! perfect launch, VERY loud and ejection right on the money. I was even lucky enough to miss the asphalt access road by about 3 feet, although the nosecone didn't but faired with only a few scratches. The second launch...yes I said SECOND launch on a I211W was every bit as AWSOME, but in the end didn't fair as well.

I had an early ejection; enough to send the 2 lb nosecone off sailing by itself. The pre-mature ejection was too much stress for the molded in U-Bolt and it sheared at the base of the nosecone. I saw it leave the Harpoon and notified a "Heads Up" even though it was quite a way off. Never hurts to be safe. It litterally CRASHED through the only tree area in the field and sounded like it was taking half of them down with it! LOUD crashes. The Harpoon though was on parachute and floated down just fine, right into the top of the forest! The walk was on...

It's up about 40 feet and I can tell the pre-mature ejection zippered it down to the top of the coupler inside, which is about 7" above the upper fins...easily repairable IF I can get it back. So, I have a bow, some arrows, I need some string (and recommendations from Kent, the "Retrieval King" on how to get it down. I may even be able to tie the string to a baseball, as it is not out of reach of a throw. Nosecone was found buried in the ground and faired with only a few scratches!!!

Well, that wraps it up; I headed home with a hung head, then realized it was a great day, so I am celebrating a bit right now! Gotta get that 4 grain 38mm RMS out of the tree though...which will be another story, I am sure!

I forgot to mention, almost everything landed very close to the pad...what a great day for everyone!

Here are the pics:

<a href="reviews/quark1/1.jpg">Dave setting up a rocket<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/2.jpg">Dave's Launch<br></a><a href="reviews/quark1/3.jpg"><br>Harpoon on stand<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/4.jpg">Harpoon, 7.8lbs loaded<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/5.jpg">LCO Table<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/6.jpg">Another time for Dave<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/7.jpg">He can't get enough! Great Launch<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/8.jpg">Marks Level 1 Certed Bird<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/9.jpg">Another small launch<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/10.jpg">Launch trail<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/11.jpg">My Small Endeavour on a H123W<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/12.jpg">Endeavour on Chute<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/13.jpg">Getting Ready<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/14.jpg">More on the pad<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/15.jpg">Nice Launch!<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/16.jpg">Carl and Harpoon<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/17.jpg">Carl and Harpoon 2<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/18.jpg">Harpoon on the Pad<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/19.jpg">Ready to Launch<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/20.jpg">Harpoon on a I211W<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/21.jpg">Harppon Smoke Trail<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/22.jpg">Harpoon on Chute<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/23.jpg">Harpoon on Chute 2<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/24.jpg">Home Safe<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/25.jpg">Happy Boy<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/26.jpg">Interceptor<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/27.jpg">Interceptor Launch<br></a><a href="reviews/quark1/28.jpg"><br>Interceptor on Chute<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/29.jpg">Interceptor on Chute 2<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/30.jpg">Leaving the Pad<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/31.jpg">Carl's (me) Harm on Pad<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/32.jpg">Harm Launch on a F24W<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/33.jpg">Harm Launch Close-up<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/34.jpg">Harm on Chute<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/35.jpg">Harm on Chute 2<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/36.jpg">Happy and Ready for the Bigg'un<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/37.jpg">LONG launch<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/38.jpg">Upper section floating in without Chute<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/39.jpg">More Launch'in<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/40.jpg">Dave's Ship on a H97J<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/41.jpg">Still going<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/42.jpg">On Chute<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/43.jpg">On chute 2<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/44.jpg">Closeup under chute<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/45.jpg">My RAAM ready and on the Pad<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/46.jpg">RAAM Launch on a H128W<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/47.jpg">RAAM on chute<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/48.jpg">Raam on chute close-up<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/49.jpg">My Mustang Ready<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/50.jpg">Mustang countdown<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/51.jpg">Mustang on a F22J<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/52.jpg">Mustang on chute<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/53.jpg">Another Interceptor on Chute<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/54.jpg">Dave's on a I154J<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/55.jpg">Dave's Recovery<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/56.jpg">Dave's Recovery 2<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/57.jpg">Dave's Recovery 3<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/58.jpg">Launch'in Again<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/59.jpg">A new home for my Harpoon<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/60.jpg">Just hang'in out<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/61.jpg">Harpoon Nosecone<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/62.jpg">Nosecone Buried<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/63.jpg">Mike's Level 1 Attempt<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/64.jpg">My favorite pic...Mirage Launch<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/65.jpg">Quaker Oats Rocket!!! Awesome<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/65a.jpg">REALLY, it's Quaker Oats Tubes!<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/66.jpg">Oats Seperating everywhere<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/67.jpg">Perfect recovery! I can have breakfast now<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/68.jpg">Rocket Eating trees<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/69.jpg">One specific tree in particular<br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/70.jpg">I REALLY HATE that tree! <br></a>
<a href="reviews/quark1/71.jpg">Farewell until another day<br></a>

 

[PGerringer]

Oh man... another great set of pictures. Hate to hear about the Harpoon. It is a beauuuuuutiful rocket!!! You must share your recovery experience.