my ork file shows the CP at 34.139
Yeah, about those E12s. I have a few other rockets I could fly them in but I like those rockets too much to risk it.
-Bob
I've got 3 E12's I'm afraid to fly.
Yes, absolutely.Hey Neil, will the Estes red plastic adapter work with the 29mm retainer?
Uhm... Neil, the kit only comes with two fin decals (for each livery scheme). I suspect that the fins were painted yellow, masked, then painted black. Finally the masks were removed revealing the yellow.Looks good. I really like the fin decal design on this one (along with the rest of the paint scheme). Different from the usual and really sharp.
In the future you may want to leave less overhang for the motor in the adapter, to keep the weight more forward. In fact, because it's going inside the screw-on-retainer, you really don't need it to hang back much at all, maybe only 1/4" or so, enough to grab the motor out of the adapter. There are probably ways to fashion the adapter that would leave no overhang at all (the Estes red plastic adapters work this way).
My advice is buy a new one and start over. They are very inexpensive except Labor. Seperate the rocket mid point instead of popping the nose cone. This will greatly reduce the chance of another zipper. Also very long shock cord will help. Most of all have fun with it. No worries.The Vapor made it's first flight today. I loaded up the E12-6 and took it out to the launch rod. I noted the rod was only 3 feet instead of the 4 I thought it was. I filled thru my mental notes and I thought that would be ok so I loaded it up and got ready to launch. The wind was varied so we waited for a lull and thought we had the timing right but by the time we got to "ignition" it had picked back up. Whoosh it went in a nice arc to the southeast. It was still moving quite fast when the ejection charge blew the nose cone. We looked for the chute and I thought I saw it, but then nothing. The Vapor was just tumbling on down. It was quite a distance off but I took a bearing and started a nice walk. I walked straight up to it and from 10 feet it looked ok. It wasn't until I walked to the other side that I saw the zipper. As I picked it up I realized that the parachute had deployed but at such a high speed it ripped the shroud lines right off the chute.
View attachment 401399
I took it back to the staging area debating along the way what would I do with it? Fix it or toss it... Then I got it back and we reviewed what happened and came to the conclusion it wind cocked due to the gust of wind and possibly a low rod speed.
So I just opened the sim and with a 48 inch rod the rod speed was 49.8 and projected altitude of 824 feet. I changed the rod to 36 inches and the rod speed changed to 42 fps.
While we were discussing it, it was also noticed that there is tube damage as well.
View attachment 401401
I think if I do repair it I will cut off the zipper area (which is about 3 inches long) and the rear from (and including) the word "Vapor". SO basically I will be keeping the section that has the splatter paint pattern and the ejection baffle. Right now it is in the display cabinet while I think it over.
-Bob
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