4-11-04 Local Farm
Mid afternoon after everyone was done with their Easter activities the wind was calm and it was a beautiful day for a launch. So we headed out to a friends farm and got some birds up in the air.
Plenty of kids to recover rockets so we were all set.
First up for a little bit of a wind test and to get things going was the Estes Stars and Stripes on a C6-5. Beautiful straight and high boost for a nice opening flight.
Next we went to the midpower pads where the AeroTech Mustang was prepped and ready with an AT F23-7fj black jack motor. Nice straight boost almost out of sight, typical mustang flight.
Next up was the AT Warthog for another mid power flight. This time on an F20-4W motor, for another nice straight boost, nice altitude to be able to keep it all in view.
With the winds as calm as they were I was ready to finally get my Estes Cherokee D clone up for a D powered flight. Everything was setup and it was launched on a D12-5 for a very nice straight boost, almost out of site flight. Very quick boost on that motor.
I decided if I was going to have any problem flights that I would facilitate my own so that I would know when to expect it. So next up was the Estes Executioner. This rocket has flown low power, and low impulse midpower motors. It's a typical Estes build with paper centering rings and minimal fillets but I felt it could handle an AT F21 and we were going to give it a try.
It was loaded up on the pad then everyone was gathered up and informed this was alot of motor for this particular bird so to keep a heads up on the flight and we'd see how it goes.
The motor took just a second to power up so we missed any good pictures, but when it did it was gone, a very quick boost, nice and straight without any problems, deployed right at apogee perfect and came down.
The recovery kids were driving around out in the farm field in they're dad's old pickup and they attempted to catch the rocket on the hood of the truck, unfortunately they succeeded. Everybody, myself included, applauded their catch. Later inspection however revealed to loosened up fins from landing on the hood of the truck.
Easily repaired so it will continue flying. Looking to get another though so that I can build with wood centering rings and a 29mm motor mount.
Next up was our scratch built Green Goblin on an AT G40-7W. I had two of these motors and wanted to save them for Whitakers later this month but I couldn't resist getting this bird up with some altitude so we let her rip.
Another nice quick boost and a great flight with no problems.
Now was time for one of my favorite birds, been tired of it only having a single flight on it so it was time to let it rip. The BSD 3" Horizon was next with an AT G64-7 motor.
Flight was very impressive and now I'm seriously considering a high power motor in this bird for the launch later this month. Nice straight and quick on a G64, considering an H128 or H180 later this month.
Next up was a little bigger bird for everyone to see. The BSD Sprint was loaded up next, after some trouble with the launch lug being too tight on the 1/4" rod we finally got it worked out and ready to go.
The prior flight of the Horizon was the nicest flight of the day, but after this flight the Sprint definately had the honors. Here's a nice pic of it coming up to pressure before a beautiful straight flight, just coming to a pause in mid air and then deploying the chute for a nice soft touch down.
Well Meesha was ready to show everyone that she could build and fly rockets so she was up next with ther Estes Stormcaster on a D12-7.
I thought she was a little long on the delay but she wanted it, as it turned out one of the quickest flights up off the pad, arrow straight and just perfect on the delay, a real nice flight.
We talked the wife into one more flight to end the day and prepped the Warthog for another flight. This time on the other G40, told the kids it wouldn't go very far so park the truck they could retrieve this one the old fashioned way.
Expecting it to rock nearly out of site and make them go for a hike, it didn't quite happen that way.
The motor came up to pressure fine, lifted up off the pad, then about 50ft up it started to cork screw in flight, at about 300 ft up the cone popped and it all came down in a smoldering pieces.
It appears that the motor burnt through the forward end and began thrusting at both ends causing the strang flight. Eventually it burnt through the baffle system at which point the rocket came apart in the air and came down.
It's hard to see in the picture as I had to shrink it some, but the body tube is completely warped, the paint is peeling and bubbling off, the decals are burnt and curled up. You can see the chute is torched, actually melted together, and the top end of the baffle system, or what's left of it is in the picture also.
On that note we ended the day, everyone had a good time and we had some great flights.
Pics to follow
Mid afternoon after everyone was done with their Easter activities the wind was calm and it was a beautiful day for a launch. So we headed out to a friends farm and got some birds up in the air.
Plenty of kids to recover rockets so we were all set.
First up for a little bit of a wind test and to get things going was the Estes Stars and Stripes on a C6-5. Beautiful straight and high boost for a nice opening flight.
Next we went to the midpower pads where the AeroTech Mustang was prepped and ready with an AT F23-7fj black jack motor. Nice straight boost almost out of sight, typical mustang flight.
Next up was the AT Warthog for another mid power flight. This time on an F20-4W motor, for another nice straight boost, nice altitude to be able to keep it all in view.
With the winds as calm as they were I was ready to finally get my Estes Cherokee D clone up for a D powered flight. Everything was setup and it was launched on a D12-5 for a very nice straight boost, almost out of site flight. Very quick boost on that motor.
I decided if I was going to have any problem flights that I would facilitate my own so that I would know when to expect it. So next up was the Estes Executioner. This rocket has flown low power, and low impulse midpower motors. It's a typical Estes build with paper centering rings and minimal fillets but I felt it could handle an AT F21 and we were going to give it a try.
It was loaded up on the pad then everyone was gathered up and informed this was alot of motor for this particular bird so to keep a heads up on the flight and we'd see how it goes.
The motor took just a second to power up so we missed any good pictures, but when it did it was gone, a very quick boost, nice and straight without any problems, deployed right at apogee perfect and came down.
The recovery kids were driving around out in the farm field in they're dad's old pickup and they attempted to catch the rocket on the hood of the truck, unfortunately they succeeded. Everybody, myself included, applauded their catch. Later inspection however revealed to loosened up fins from landing on the hood of the truck.
Easily repaired so it will continue flying. Looking to get another though so that I can build with wood centering rings and a 29mm motor mount.
Next up was our scratch built Green Goblin on an AT G40-7W. I had two of these motors and wanted to save them for Whitakers later this month but I couldn't resist getting this bird up with some altitude so we let her rip.
Another nice quick boost and a great flight with no problems.
Now was time for one of my favorite birds, been tired of it only having a single flight on it so it was time to let it rip. The BSD 3" Horizon was next with an AT G64-7 motor.
Flight was very impressive and now I'm seriously considering a high power motor in this bird for the launch later this month. Nice straight and quick on a G64, considering an H128 or H180 later this month.
Next up was a little bigger bird for everyone to see. The BSD Sprint was loaded up next, after some trouble with the launch lug being too tight on the 1/4" rod we finally got it worked out and ready to go.
The prior flight of the Horizon was the nicest flight of the day, but after this flight the Sprint definately had the honors. Here's a nice pic of it coming up to pressure before a beautiful straight flight, just coming to a pause in mid air and then deploying the chute for a nice soft touch down.
Well Meesha was ready to show everyone that she could build and fly rockets so she was up next with ther Estes Stormcaster on a D12-7.
I thought she was a little long on the delay but she wanted it, as it turned out one of the quickest flights up off the pad, arrow straight and just perfect on the delay, a real nice flight.
We talked the wife into one more flight to end the day and prepped the Warthog for another flight. This time on the other G40, told the kids it wouldn't go very far so park the truck they could retrieve this one the old fashioned way.
Expecting it to rock nearly out of site and make them go for a hike, it didn't quite happen that way.
The motor came up to pressure fine, lifted up off the pad, then about 50ft up it started to cork screw in flight, at about 300 ft up the cone popped and it all came down in a smoldering pieces.
It appears that the motor burnt through the forward end and began thrusting at both ends causing the strang flight. Eventually it burnt through the baffle system at which point the rocket came apart in the air and came down.
It's hard to see in the picture as I had to shrink it some, but the body tube is completely warped, the paint is peeling and bubbling off, the decals are burnt and curled up. You can see the chute is torched, actually melted together, and the top end of the baffle system, or what's left of it is in the picture also.
On that note we ended the day, everyone had a good time and we had some great flights.
Pics to follow
It's too bad the hood damaged the rocket. 
