Another one bites the dust.

[n3tjm]

Guess what! My first airstart attempt worked. My Magnum roared off the launch pad, and after 1.5 seconds after take off, both G64-10W motors ROARED to life ...

oh, I forgot to mention one small fact....

The rocket self distructed a second after takeoff...

The external thrust ring on the adapter failed. The resulting power prang resulted in a totaled booster, all etectronics lost. The payload section crashed nearby, minor damage to the electronics bay, but the altimeter seems fine.

Picture of the Totaled Booster.

After a breif Tunderstorm, where it poured like cats and dogs, Ryan and I went to look for the J500 case. He searched the inner field, I searched the outer field. I found the case withinn 10 minutes. Minor damage to the case, but still usable.

The fincam and payload section look salvagable, you guys may see a project-in-progress soon

Video

 

[sandman]

Sorry about that, man.

Build another!

Get back up on that horse!

sandman

 

[rstaff3]

Ouch! RIP Doug's magnum

 

[eugenefl]

I think this calls for a new rule to help cope with the loss of a rocket at the end of a flying day - the club leader must bring out a trumpet and play "Taps" for all those lost on the field.

Really though, that's a tough loss on many fronts - time spent building, money spent crashing, and the probability of not starting over.

It happens to the best of them. Thanks for sharing. It doesn't make me feel quite as bad to lose one now.

 

[daveyfire]

Doug -- I'm saddened to hear about the loss of your Magnum. I'm glad the airstarts went And it was because of a stinkin adapter too... hey, now you can build another, this time with 2x 38mm outboards!


As Kosdon once told me... "Use more epoxy" :kill:

 

[marvSRG]

Ouch, man. I know how it feels...happened to my favorite cluster rocket, too...oddly enough on it's first airstart flight (THOY Night Hawk....G64W airstarting (2)D12's with Quickmatch). The G had a major forward closure blowby, and it not only deployed the 'chute early, but it blew through the delay and was burning out both ends...and the airstarts did work, too. Nasty burning on the inside of the rocket and the motor mount. When I got to the rocket, the fiberglass was bubbling up on the tube, which was dented. Fin crack as well. Once again salvageable, but I haven't done anything with it since (other projects). So, I do feel your pain, Doug. But I must admit....it killed itself in fine fashion. That was a really sweet power prang. But, I'm glad parts are salvageable...especially the fins, nose, casings, and electronics, which are the most expensive components. I hear a rebuild coming on...may I also suggest more motor mounts on the new one?

 

[daveyfire]

Oh yeah... one more thing... I agree with Marv on the power prang thing! That was COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL

 

[Zak Orion]

sorry to hear about the rocket. hope you can rebuild it, it is a very sweet rocket.

 

[Elbmod]

Ouch - that's gotta smart just a little - but at least it was captured on film!

 

[Ryan S.]

yeah, I thought I got a good video. Doug says otherwise but, once it went horizontal I dropped the camera and got ready to run. Luckily it went the other way.

It was a cool flight though.

Maybe Doug can rebuild it to be bigger

 

[KenParker]

As we used to say in the drag racing world when someone would blow an engine: "Fix it faster."

 

[Rocketmaniac]

Originally posted by n3tjm
The rocket self distructed a second after takeoff...

Ouch is right, sorry to hear the news. A guy at Orangeburg SC last year had a magnum with close to the same results. The main difference I remember was one of the outboards separated from the rocket after it fired!!!!!!

I like the what eugenefl said about "taps" LOL. Another guy in our club has started a rocket graveyard from all the wrecked rockets. He set it up at the last launch right in front of his tent.

I had to make myself laugh so I wouldn't cry when I totalled my phoenix last year............

 

[n3tjm]

Thanks guys, that really helps. I already have ideas running throught my head on how to rebuild the booster. Here is the Play by Play of the flight. The AMW motor had some dents on the forward end of the motor, this was caused by the motor hitting the screw eye on the payload section. The payload sectioned buckled a little understress, but I think it is still usable.

 

[gerbs4me]

sorry to hear that Doug
build another and fly again, don't give up

 

[ibeblip]

What kind of external 'thrust ring' was used?

 

[n3tjm]

The adapter was a LOC 38/54mm adapter. It had a 1" long piece of 54mm tubing to act as a thrust ring.

 

[ibeblip]

What's that "thing" on the aft-end of the magnum?

 

[n3tjm]

You mean the masking tape used to friction fit the motors?

 

[ibeblip]

J500 motor obviously went through Magnum's motor mount and booster.
Friction-fitting with masking tape is one thing, but using same as thrust ring on a motor that size is . . . well it's a bad idea.
Making that mistake once provides more than a harsh dose of reality.
Doing the same thing again . . . Heck I don't even want to go there.

 

[n3tjm]

The masking tape was not used to prevent the motor from shooting up the rocket (The thrust ring was supposed to do that), it was to prevent the motor from ejecting when the ejection charges go off. The glue used to attach the thrust ring did not hold. I still have the ring, still taped to the motor mount. Next time I will make sure I sand the tubes, and I am thinking about adding some set screws for extra insurance.

 

[daveyfire]

Nah... masking tape works for thrust rings... Kosdon used it once on an O10,000... I've used it on up to a K700F with no problems... Erik Gates even used it on a K250W with no problems...

 

[n3tjm]

Masking tape works great as long as the motor does not burn to long. If the motor burns over 4 to 5 seconds... the tape may jellyfy. but under 4 seconds, the casing stays realivily cool. It takes a while for the heat to transefer from the inside of the motor, to the outside of the motor. In case of the J500, its propellant burns out long before significant heat transfers to the outside.... and there is the 20 second delay in the motor... good thing the case is 1/8" thick T6 Aluminum

Come to think of it, I did use masking tape to hold the J500 into the 38mm motor tube..., the thrust ring was for the 54mm motor tube. The Kosdon 38/640 case does have a thrust ring groove, but I don't have the thrust ring for that sized case. This is the only reloadable motor I have that does not have a thrust ring...