A spectacular, but sad, CATO

[DirkTheDaring]

Edit: motor was an Estes E16-6.

Most of the time a CATO is a CATO. A drag, but that’s that. But today’s was a serious bummer. While it was certainly spectacular, it destroyed my favorite rocket, my long suffering NewWay Quadzilla. These are no longer made and are pretty much irreplaceable, as NewWay can’t get the high quality square tubes they need.

On the other hand, it was a stunning CATO! The video doesn’t really capture the intensity of the noise. The metal clip I was using as a stand-off was destroyed, a clothes pin was yeeted to unknown territory. There were pieces of tube and fins scattered around the field, but I did recover a couple of pieces of the nozzle.

In the end I was left with a steaming (literally) pile of rubble. You bet I’ll be reporting it to Estes and the MESS database.
And if anyone has a Quadzilla kit for sale, please let me know! (I know, I know, this isn’t the right place for buy/sell/trade, just let me mourn for a bit.)

 

[fyrwrxz]

Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today...
Requiem for a rocket.
Know you have our sympathy and wishes for peace in your head, heart, and hearth. Get back on the pad and send it! Go forth and launch some more.

 

[Tractionengines]

Sorry for your loss..

What motor and what was the date code on the motor? There are a number of Estes recalls for various mitosis with date codes E22.... I hope it wasn't a motor from the known list of suspect ones.

 

[lakeroadster]

Bummer, dude.

 

[Back_at_it]

I have never seen a CATO blow apart the body tubes like that. Was there a baffle in the rocket?

 

[DirkTheDaring]

I have never seen a CATO blow apart the body tubes like that. Was there a baffle in the rocket?

Nope. No baffle.

 

[DirkTheDaring]

Sorry for your loss..

What motor and what was the date code on the motor? There are a number of Estes recalls for various mitosis with date codes E22.... I hope it wasn't a motor from the known list of suspect ones.

Edited it to note it was an E16-6.

 

[Back_at_it]

Nope. No baffle.

Wow. In that case, that was one heck of an explosion. Nice job getting it on video.

 

[Supadave3]

Sorry for your loss..

What motor and what was the date code on the motor? There are a number of Estes recalls for various mitosis with date codes E22.... I hope it wasn't a motor from the known list of suspect ones.

I have a pack of E22- 0523.

I probably shouldn't use these, eh?

 

[Tractionengines]

Your call. If you have non-sentimental rockets, or spools, pyramids, spinners [turbo-vortico type] etc. MAYBE Fly-em.... they may work fine then. I wouldn't use them in anything special, or in clusters.

Limited people around, extra standoff distance, and a charged fire extinguisher are good things too. (ie, absolutely don't fly at a cub scout attended, club launch, on a cut hay field.)

Also note, if there's any incident, insurance probably would deny the claim since you know they were recalled. (Since Estes keeps changing what models, and lot #'s, are affected; you may be able to argue your case....) BUT is it worth it...