12/29/04 launch

[JSvolfan]

After all the fun of christmas my sons and I decided to go out and launch some rockets. I asked my dad to come along and see if he could get some photos with his digital camera. After a couple tries he got the timing down perfect. He was using a fuji camera and he has a lot of experience as a amatuer photographer. Next time we are going to try a 35 mm so we can take a series of shots of one liftoff. The first shot is a quest triton x that belongs to my 5 year old. I like these quest quick kits because they are easy to assemble and they are durable.

 

[JSvolfan]

Next was cosmic cobra. The launch was perfect and the chute and copter nose cone worked exactly right. I packed the parachute between the copter blades like others had advised on the post. It was so good both ends floated into a tree about two feet from each other.

 

[JSvolfan]

Third rockets was my quest icarus that I modified with one shock cord between the lower and upper body tubes and used a Jflis
chute. It went up great but on the way down the upper payload section just helicoptered around the bottom part and twisted the chute into a mess. When I picked it up it had zippered the body tube and it looked like the ejection charge had popped and the two parts smashed together and scarred the paint. I will be going back to two chutes on this one.

 

[JSvolfan]

Last rocket was estes fireflash. This one was put together with testors cement because my 9 year old wanted to assemble it and I was afraid to let him use the cya. It fell apart on the way down and when we got home I made repairs with cya so it should stay together now.

 

[JSvolfan]

This last photo is my sons holding some of our rockets. You can see the stormcaster on the right painted Orange and White.
It has a 18 inch mylar chute and I was afraid to launch it due to the fact that the wind was blowing 7-10 mph. Oh yeah one more thing GO VOLS!!!

 

[jflis]

man, watching a sport rocket video earlier today then seeing all the launch reports! I wanna go flying!!!!!!

 

[kelltym88]

Ain't nothin' better than having your kids there to enjoy the fun. Thanx for sharing.

 

[slim_t]

Good call on the Stormcaster. I lost my first one on its first launch.
I did launch it on an E instead of a D though. It really gets up there, and drifts badly on an 18 inch chute. You might want to go with a 16 inch or even 12 inch when you launch that one.
Some people even use a streamer, but that might be risky with those big swept back fins.

Great report and pics by the way.
Roll Tide.

Tim

 

[TheRadiator]

Make a few 18/24 adapters. That Stormcaster will still fly on a B6! I hate bringing out a high flying 'D' rocket and then not flying it due to wind! Since I'm addicted to BP, I like the 18/24 adapter. It can still fly, just not as high as you'd like, but it'll still fly!

I noticed the part about a Zipper on the Icarus. I also kept my Icarus together with a single shock cord. Despite your bad luck with the zipper, I think I'll stick with it. I really hate chasing after two parts of a rocket. One more thing, think of paint scars as "battle scars"

Sounds like a great time flying and thanks for the photos!