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11bravo

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After being launched and "lost", my Estes Eliminator has returned home.
Farmer called just before supper and told me he found it.
Its time in the elements were not good to it, and its encounter with a combine was worse.
The cardboard parts are of course a complete loss as is, I'm afraid, the fin can.
Heavy agricultural equipment versus thin plastic fin left the obvious result of one snapping off; I may be able to epoxy it back on, but prognosis is not good. :(
Nose cone and motor hook should be good to go though. :D

Pics linked to:

***Disclaimer***
The photos contain images of a rocket corpse in advanced states of decomposition. They are not for those of weak constitutions. Viewer discretion is strongly advised.

https://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/gps_greg/detail?.dir=20fe&.dnm=640b.jpg&.src=ph

https://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/gps_greg/detail?.dir=20fe&.dnm=80a2.jpg&.src=ph

Greg
 
I hope you administered Last Rites as appropriate. It is good that a part of your old friend can live on as a "donor." :D
 
What did you launch it on to loose it? Was it just an E9 or D12, or was it a composite E or F?
 
It went up on an Estes E9-6.
The problem was that I used a 24" chute instead of the 12" that came with it; instructions said 24", figured it was a packing mistake.
Thanks all for your kind words. :rolleyes:
I may cremate the nonreusable parts and put the ashes in another rocket to be scattered in the wind upon parachute ejection.
Either that or I'll just throw the parts in the burn barrel with the rest of the trash.

Greg
 
Originally posted by 11Bravo
After being launched and "lost", my Estes Eliminator has returned home.

Greg

Hey, you got it back!!! Now it can come out of the "lost" column and go to the hmmm.....recycled column?;)
 
I've always felt that it's better to bring home pieces than to lose hope and always wonder. I have 2 particular camera pods that both ended up either high in a tree or at the bottom of a pond. If only I could have at least gotten the images back I would have been that much more satisfied if even it meant that the hardware would still be lost.
 
I still have a 24mm rocket that I lost on an E30 still out there. Maybe the military guys will find it and turn it into range control?

It would be cool to mount the rocket like a trophy fish and put it above the fireplace!!!
 
Originally posted by rstaff3
I feel your pain...photos and description of my PE Ultra Fatboy that was lost for almost 2 years can be found here https://home.comcast.net/~rstaff/level1/level1.htm Some new tubing, a fin, and it is back flying!

Congrats on your return.
The motor casing was missing?
Very interesting indeed; are the squirrels arming themselves?
I have a machine to stamp out military dog tags and am considering starting to attach one to shock cords with my name and contact info on it to facilitate return sometimes.

Greg
 
Yup the motor was gone and I don't see how it got out without help. Looked like a pair of pliers was involved to me.

The dog tag idea is interesting!
 
SQUIRRELS USE PLIERS?!
Man, I didn't even know they had thumbs!
We better start planning on some sort of defense.
I'll bet they're calling themselves Squirrel Queda.
I've got a cell of them living right outside the window in the room I'm sitting in right now. :eek:

A friend of mine and I used to go to gun shows and make dog tags and sell them. He got bored with it though so we quit.

You want a couple?

Greg
 
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