12” Mega Punisher Build Thread

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UPscaler said:
As Kevin noted, everything but the motors went how we planned! The rocket is perfectly intact with only some paint blemishes to show for the flight.

Despite seemingly lighting all of our igniters, only two K1000s and two L1520s lit. Despite this still being in the baby N impulse range, the rocket still weighed around 190 pounds on the pad. So, we only got 2,400 feet out of it.

Gave us a great opportunity to watch the parachute gracefully roll out of the deployment bag, though!

We also switched the center motor to an N3300 redline at the last minute thanks to Kevin graciously offering to loan us his 15360 case. So, we've got an N, a K, and an L ready for the next attempt.

We're planning on giving this motor combination another go at Kloudburst in Argonia this coming spring!

As for video, both the onboard and pad cameras overheated and shut off just moments before liftoff. Yes, seriously. Other than that, I've got over 3 hours of Airfest footage to sort through so I'll roll it out as soon as I can!

Braden
Click to expand...
Our onboard video overheated and shutdown as well on the N Challenger flight… was a bit disheartening.
 
Unfortunately it wasn't the flight we wanted. BUT, we still successfully flew and recovered a monster of a rocket.

I got cold feet once we were at the launch and decided that maybe I should let someone with more experience handle the igniters. There was obviously an issue of some sort that caused only 4 of the 7 motors to light. I place no blame - these things happen. We are still a bit baffled as to what the exact cause was. Unfortunately the pad cam overheated so we don't have a shot of ignition. We do know that all of the igniters fired. When we recovered the rocket, one of the dowels was still inside one of the outboards. The igniter had fired, but there appeared to be incomplete combustion of the composition. There is soot inside the cores of the unburned motors as well.

Like Braden said, we plan to try again with the same motor configuration next April at the Argonia Cup/Kloudburst launch.

The best part of the launch was definitely seeing the 28' chute being pulled out of the custom fruity chutes deployment bag and gracefully open! (Watch Jason's video above to see the action) The boys were relying on my experience with deployment bags, so I was happy I didn't let them down. I think I have Braden sold on deployment bags now too :)

Carrying the booster through the field with 50lbs of unburned motors in the rear was NOT fun, I'll tell you that! haha
 
tjsnakez said:
Unfortunately it wasn't the flight we wanted. BUT, we still successfully flew and recovered a monster of a rocket.

I got cold feet once we were at the launch and decided that maybe I should let someone with more experience handle the igniters. There was obviously an issue of some sort that caused only 4 of the 7 motors to light. I place no blame - these things happen. We are still a bit baffled as to what the exact cause was. Unfortunately the pad cam overheated so we don't have a shot of ignition. We do know that all of the igniters fired. When we recovered the rocket, one of the dowels was still inside one of the outboards. The igniter had fired, but there appeared to be incomplete combustion of the composition. There is soot inside the cores of the unburned motors as well.

Like Braden said, we plan to try again with the same motor configuration next April at the Argonia Cup/Kloudburst launch.

The best part of the launch was definitely seeing the 28' chute being pulled out of the custom fruity chutes deployment bag and gracefully open! (Watch Jason's video above to see the action) The boys were relying on my experience with deployment bags, so I was happy I didn't let them down. I think I have Braden sold on deployment bags now too :)

Carrying the booster through the field with 50lbs of unburned motors in the rear was NOT fun, I'll tell you that! haha
Click to expand...

The biggest bummer is the loss of the cameras that would add more data. At this point, you've identified the next thing to look at - igniting all the motors reliably - so you can work on a plan with the team to figure out what needs to be tested and resulting changes implemented before the next launch.

Everybody is healthy, happy and well, so next step is to figure out how to achieve the flight result you want on the next flight. Sounds like a good day to me!

Well done!

Sandy.
 
UPscaler said:
As Kevin noted, everything but the motors went how we planned! The rocket is perfectly intact with only some paint blemishes to show for the flight.

Despite seemingly lighting all of our igniters, only two K1000s and two L1520s lit. Despite this still being in the baby N impulse range, the rocket still weighed around 190 pounds on the pad. So, we only got 2,400 feet out of it.

Gave us a great opportunity to watch the parachute gracefully roll out of the deployment bag, though!

We also switched the center motor to an N3300 redline at the last minute thanks to Kevin graciously offering to loan us his 15360 case. So, we've got an N, a K, and an L ready for the next attempt.

We're planning on giving this motor combination another go at Kloudburst in Argonia this coming spring!

As for video, both the onboard and pad cameras overheated and shut off just moments before liftoff. Yes, seriously. Other than that, I've got over 3 hours of Airfest footage to sort through so I'll roll it out as soon as I can!

Braden
Click to expand...
Thanks for posting - looks like it was a good trial run for further (and higher) flights in the future, and still pretty cool despite the ignition failures. Recovery worked - that's the main thing 😊
 
tjsnakez said:
I got cold feet once we were at the launch and decided that maybe I should let someone with more experience handle the igniters. There was obviously an issue of some sort that caused only 4 of the 7 motors to light. I place no blame - these things happen. We are still a bit baffled as to what the exact cause was. Unfortunately the pad cam overheated so we don't have a shot of ignition. We do know that all of the igniters fired. When we recovered the rocket, one of the dowels was still inside one of the outboards. The igniter had fired, but there appeared to be incomplete combustion of the composition. There is soot inside the cores of the unburned motors as well.
Click to expand...

Lighting clusters is hard.


tjsnakez said:
The best part of the launch was definitely seeing the 28' chute being pulled out of the custom fruity chutes deployment bag and gracefully open! (Watch Jason's video above to see the action) The boys were relying on my experience with deployment bags, so I was happy I didn't let them down. I think I have Braden sold on deployment bags now too
Click to expand...
Hey, Braden? Listen to Taylor! Especially on really big parachutes, you want a deployment bag. All of our flights with C-9s and T-10s have used deployment bags.
 
troj said:
Lighting clusters is hard.



Hey, Braden? Listen to Taylor! Especially on really big parachutes, you want a deployment bag. All of our flights with C-9s and T-10s have used deployment bags.
Click to expand...
Oh, I was onboard with the deployment bag for this chute for sure, but now I kind of want one on everything just because it's cool. Haha.

Braden
 
I can’t even imagine trying to put a C-9 in a rocket without a deployment bag and expect it to open. I’ve seen plenty of large projects with parachutes that looked a lot like huge streamers on descent haha
 
Congrats guys this is still a bunch of impulse in the air. Been waiting to see some more video, hopefully the ol’ youtubes will have some good ground footage. 4 out of 7 and a landing you walk away from is a success in my book!
 
Nice technique on packing that 28 foot chute, Taylor. Also, good to see some nice line stows on the outside of the bag.

I'd be curious to see that bag, fully packed, with all the lines stowed.
 
rfjustin said:
Great video! Too bad that M-3700 bought the farm... :( That would have been a heck of a snap in a Punisher 4.
Click to expand...
The booster is essentially undamaged. A new nosecone and it’s more or less good to go. (Mostly bummed about losing two perfect flight altimeters lol)
 
troj said:
Nice technique on packing that 28 foot chute, Taylor. Also, good to see some nice line stows on the outside of the bag.

I'd be curious to see that bag, fully packed, with all the lines stowed.
Click to expand...
Thanks! I think Braden called it “the trash can” when it was packed and sitting outside the rocket because it’s basically a 12”x12” stump 😂

I’m a big fan of fruity chutes bags off the shelf compared to other companies, so I was willing to spend the money on a custom bag for a 11.5” tube.
 
tjsnakez said:
I think Braden called it “the trash can” when it was packed and sitting outside the rocket because it’s basically a 12”x12” stump 😂
Click to expand...

Our deployment bags for C-9s fit in a 30" long piece of 7.5" tube.

-Kevin
 
UPscaler said:
As Kevin noted, everything but the motors went how we planned! The rocket is perfectly intact with only some paint blemishes to show for the flight.

Despite seemingly lighting all of our igniters, only two K1000s and two L1520s lit. Despite this still being in the baby N impulse range, the rocket still weighed around 190 pounds on the pad. So, we only got 2,400 feet out of it.

Gave us a great opportunity to watch the parachute gracefully roll out of the deployment bag, though!

We also switched the center motor to an N3300 redline at the last minute thanks to Kevin graciously offering to loan us his 15360 case. So, we've got an N, a K, and an L ready for the next attempt.

We're planning on giving this motor combination another go at Kloudburst in Argonia this coming spring!

As for video, both the onboard and pad cameras overheated and shut off just moments before liftoff. Yes, seriously. Other than that, I've got over 3 hours of Airfest footage to sort through so I'll roll it out as soon as I can!

Braden
Click to expand...
Wouldnt be a rocket launch with out having to put your cameras in the cooler.
 
We are planning on flying the Mega Punisher once again at Argonia Cup/Kloudburst launch March 25-26.
Same motor configuration as the first launch - three of the motors will get their second flight 😉
N3300R
(3) L1520T
(3) K1000T

We will hopefully have updates on the reprep of the rocket as we get closer to the launch!

If you are on Facebook, you can follow our “Anti Gravity Group” page for updates on our big projects as well! https://www.facebook.com/antigravitygroup?mibextid=LQQJ4d

0F69E90A-8AD8-41C9-941F-166917B820FE.jpeg
E0844C9B-2671-4870-A26C-FC8C6C3234BA.jpeg
1CCCA399-1885-4BDF-A635-D4FD95BB0677.jpeg
 
Looks like you better fly it Saturday or you'll be surfing the fields with that 'chute of yours!
 
Nice job, guys!

Wish I hadn't been in Chris' trailer when it launched - missed most of the flight.

-Kevin
 

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