Once the days start getting longer and the weather warms up, I start to get something I call "Sport Rocketry withdrawal". It causes me to wake up early shortly after dawn, look outside, and if it is clear and calm, HEAD TO THE FIELD!:eyepop: That isn't what happened today, since I knew the weather was going to be good, but here's how it went:
I launched my Wizard first as the wind test flight, and it flew straight and true on a B6-4, with no weathercocking at all. I didn't want to press my luck with it by flying it on a C6 though, since this little gem can go higher than a Hi-Flier, and losing the first rocket launched can dampen the spirit. It came down on it's streamer fairly close to the launch site.
Next was the Red Max on a C6-5; the first launch for it since last July or so. A good flight, although it angled over some due to the light breeze hitting those huge fins. One of these days I need to get a photo of it coming down on it's skull parachute. Very cool.
Rocket #3 was the Crossfire ISX. This one had a rough time on the last launch due to weathercocking(almost all the launches were affected by the wind that day) but this time with the mostly calm conditions, the ISX went vertical on a C6-5 and recovered with no bumps or scrapes.
Next up were two rockets that I had intended to be E fliers; first was a scratcher that I sketched out on OpenRocket last September. I launched it on a D12-5, and it was a great high flight, but the engine kicked out, not enough masking tape to friction fit it I guess, and without the engine casing weight, it took a long time to come back down on it's 18" chute. Even with the calm weather, it drifted downwind a long ways, and I was lucky that the field held it.
My next rocket was the maiden flight of my new Semroc SLS Javelin, which I just finished painting last week. This is a robust rocket with a thick gauge BT, basswood fins, and a nylon chute. I also fitted it with an ejection baffle as I do with all my BT55/BT60 rockets. It is considerably heavier than my scratch built rocket, but I still went with a D12-5 for it's first flight, It surprised me with how high it still went on this engine. It recovered well, and I launched it again on an E9-6. It's a very stable flier and it was out of here on that engine. I was able to keep it in sight, and it drifted quite a ways - all the way to the parking lot.
The next two rockets were both two stage launches; my Arcon-Hi and Long Tom. Both were first flown on B6-0/B6-4 combos and then C6-0/C6-5s. Both of these rockets have flown before, but it was the Arcon's first with C engines. This produced a very high flight but it did stay in the park and it settled back in on it's 12" chute. I just love watching the Long Tom fly! This is becoming a fav of mine. My Long Tom flies very stable, but I have heard from others on the forum that it sometimes is unstable after clearing the rod. I can't say why mine flies so well; the only mod was the addition of a baffle and a snap swivel on the shroud lines. That was it for today. here's the pics.
I launched my Wizard first as the wind test flight, and it flew straight and true on a B6-4, with no weathercocking at all. I didn't want to press my luck with it by flying it on a C6 though, since this little gem can go higher than a Hi-Flier, and losing the first rocket launched can dampen the spirit. It came down on it's streamer fairly close to the launch site.
Next was the Red Max on a C6-5; the first launch for it since last July or so. A good flight, although it angled over some due to the light breeze hitting those huge fins. One of these days I need to get a photo of it coming down on it's skull parachute. Very cool.
Rocket #3 was the Crossfire ISX. This one had a rough time on the last launch due to weathercocking(almost all the launches were affected by the wind that day) but this time with the mostly calm conditions, the ISX went vertical on a C6-5 and recovered with no bumps or scrapes.
Next up were two rockets that I had intended to be E fliers; first was a scratcher that I sketched out on OpenRocket last September. I launched it on a D12-5, and it was a great high flight, but the engine kicked out, not enough masking tape to friction fit it I guess, and without the engine casing weight, it took a long time to come back down on it's 18" chute. Even with the calm weather, it drifted downwind a long ways, and I was lucky that the field held it.
My next rocket was the maiden flight of my new Semroc SLS Javelin, which I just finished painting last week. This is a robust rocket with a thick gauge BT, basswood fins, and a nylon chute. I also fitted it with an ejection baffle as I do with all my BT55/BT60 rockets. It is considerably heavier than my scratch built rocket, but I still went with a D12-5 for it's first flight, It surprised me with how high it still went on this engine. It recovered well, and I launched it again on an E9-6. It's a very stable flier and it was out of here on that engine. I was able to keep it in sight, and it drifted quite a ways - all the way to the parking lot.
The next two rockets were both two stage launches; my Arcon-Hi and Long Tom. Both were first flown on B6-0/B6-4 combos and then C6-0/C6-5s. Both of these rockets have flown before, but it was the Arcon's first with C engines. This produced a very high flight but it did stay in the park and it settled back in on it's 12" chute. I just love watching the Long Tom fly! This is becoming a fav of mine. My Long Tom flies very stable, but I have heard from others on the forum that it sometimes is unstable after clearing the rod. I can't say why mine flies so well; the only mod was the addition of a baffle and a snap swivel on the shroud lines. That was it for today. here's the pics.
