Best launch day evar

[BeerorKid]

It had been weeks and finally a great day appeared. I brought along 4 rockets and my first AT RMS engine.

Finally got to launch the Xarconian Cruiser

[video=youtube;7xLW6wvzV-8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xLW6wvzV-8&feature=player_detailpage#t=29s[/video]

The late deploy cut into the body tube and folded it a bit. She will be for display only until I can fix it.

I got a bunch of launches in, but the interlock was being a huge PITA to the point where I just cut the wires and ended up just touching the wires together to get it to launch. I will put a better button in it or build a new box, prob from arcade buttons. Will make it so two buttons have to be pressed to make it launch.

While launching a guy came up with a fancy camera and asked if he could take some pics.
CL Mitchell Photography

How often do you drive by and see a guy in the middle of a field shooting rockets??? I did today and it was sweet! Thanks Steve for letting me take pictures.

Dude got some great shots and sent them to me saying I could use them.


QCC Launch by beerorkid, on Flickr


QCC Explorer recovery by beerorkid, on Flickr

The QCC Explorer got 4 launches yesterday. All were beautiful.


A stubby Big Bertha on a C6-5 rail launch by beerorkid, on Flickr

Stubby Bertha got 3 great launches in


Flat Daddy on a D12-3 by beerorkid, on Flickr

D12-3

Flat Daddy got the most love. It flew great on a E9-4. What a great burning engine. It did great on D12-3 engines too, but the E9-4 was nifty.


IMG_8436 by beerorkid, on Flickr
My first AT RMS E18-4W


FlatDaddyRMS1 by beerorkid, on Flickr


FlatDaddyRMS2 by beerorkid, on Flickr


FlatDaddyRMS3 by beerorkid, on Flickr

[video=youtube;mTo7-BvQ38s]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTo7-BvQ38s[/video]

WARNING: very annoying laugh.

HOLY COW that was awesome. The first 2 copperheads failed on me, but the 3rd took. It just tore through the sky.


IMG_8463 by beerorkid, on Flickr


IMG_8467 by beerorkid, on Flickr


IMG_8469 by beerorkid, on Flickr

But Flat Daddy met her end a bit later that day. I think I might of goofed and grabbed a D12-5 instead of a D12-3 because it darted so hard and then popped after impact.


IMAG3195 by beerorkid, on Flickr

Got home and the wife had these waiting. Good use of bags of cereal marshmallows.

 

[sodmeister]

That was pretty funny hearing you all excited and all......good times buddy !!!!!

I thought it was going to land on those cars :y:

Very nice pictures by the way ,I like those !

Too bad about the D12-5 fiasco ,but hey...it happens to us all.

Cheers


Paul T

 

[soxfan121]

nice flights, that flat daddy flew straight as an arrow in what sounded like a lot of wind!

 

[gdjsky01]

Well done. Glad you enjoyed the RMS.

 

[jd2cylman]

I feel for ya buddy on both accounts. My first E18 got me hooked on AP. The smoke and noise for such a small motor is awesome.
On the other problem; I launch my Terry Kosel Little Joe II on what I thought was a AT F12-3J. Turn out it was a F12-5. It ejected the capsule (with a painstakingly built tower) about three feet off the ground. The tower didn't survive. But it was rebuilt and is ready to fly again.

Adrian

 

[BeerorKid]

The sound of the RMS going off fssssstttt WHOOOOOSH RWARRRRRR was so great. The black smoke. Loved it all. I have 5 more of the E18-4T engines left. Going to pick up another 24MM case and some F reloads.

I am completely sold on RMS, just need to find a replacement for the copperheads. I think I might of pushed them too far in....? 3rd one I backed up a 1/4 inch or so and it worked.

Just a great day where I got to shoot off so many rockets over and over. The photography guy got great shots.


photo (3) by beerorkid, on Flickr

[video=youtube;082is1mFzl8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=082is1mFzl8[/video]

I got to launch the Wedgie, but it launched on accident and I only got the last bit of its flight. Thing rules though. Picked up 3 more E6-3 engines and will get a proper launch vid soon.

 

[ckreef]

Awesome flights and pictures.

 

[Zeus-cat]

The RMS motors pack a lot more punch in the same size package than an Estes motor. For people who have never seen them before they are very impressive.

How close did your rocket come to landing on the road?

 

[BeerorKid]

The RMS motors pack a lot more punch in the same size package than an Estes motor. For people who have never seen them before they are very impressive.

How close did your rocket come to landing on the road?

It was pretty far back from the road. 200 hundred feet or so. Wind was pretty light, but the camera makes it sound much worse. It is a decent sized field. I have a better field, but it was still a bit wet and I drive into the bigger field so I opted for this launch site where I use my wagon to get there.

I forgot baby wipes and also forgot my altimeter, but was still a great day of launching. I would guess I broke 1000 feet on that E18-4t

 

[Rex R]

did you remember to use tape on the forward end of the propellant? big berthas like the F12 -5....
rex

 

[gdjsky01]

did you remember to use tape on the forward end of the propellant? big berthas like the F12 -5....
rex

Exactly Rex.

If you did tape the front of the grain, well.. I feel your pain...
However if you did not, that is why you misfired until you pulled it back some.

 

[BeerorKid]

did you remember to use tape on the forward end of the propellant? big berthas like the F12 -5....
rex

I did have the tape on the forward part of the grain. Saw somewhere that you lightly sand the BP on the copperhead. first two just fizzled. I trimmed the tape so it did not overlap the grain tube... so it is possible I poked through it.

Can't wait for a F12

Already putting together a new order and another 24/40 case is on the list. might 24/60 as well.

 

[eggplant]

Copperheads have been discontinued, according to Aerotech's Facebook page. I had better save my last couple, might be worth something some day :eyeroll:. Nice first RMS flight! Mine was on a 29/40-120 F40. Ah, the memories!

 

[gdjsky01]

Some people lightly sand the propellent. Some, like me, make little cuts (but you need to make sure they don't block the slot).
I saw Fred Schecter yesterday use a Quest Q2G2 dipped in magnelite pryogen. Worked great on a RMS 29mm... not sure if it would fit an RMS 24. Probably would.

In the past, my 'Goto' ignitor was Magnelite Pyrogen on Firestar FS-12 leads. However Rockitflite now as there own thin leads. FS-12LA (hmmm... FS... Firestar???)

https://www.rocketflite.com/
https://www.firestarelectricmatch.com/

 

[samb]

Well sounds like an interesting day for sure. Nice launch pics and video. I'd still be hesitant to fly my Big Daddy on an E9 based on what I've seen but that's just another example of YMMV I guess . I'm surprised the D12-5 didn't deploy before impact. What was the flight profile like on that one ? Any change in wind velocity at lift-off ?

 

[thobin]

Humm that's a good Idea to flip the the blast plate around on your Jaw stand get the rocket weight centered better over the pad. Humm.


TA

 

[Davidtmp]

my first E18 in my Maxi Alpha III got about the same reaction.....only there were woods accross the road, so the sound echoed off those....Really awesome. You'll never be the same again.

 

[Nathan]

. . . I am completely sold on RMS, just need to find a replacement for the copperheads . . .

That Big Daddy launch was great! I would have been snickering like Beavis and Butthead too. Sorry to see that it got destroyed but that's part of the game. Now you have an excuse to build another one.

After reading about all the problems people have had with copperhead igniters, I bought some Aerotech First Fire Jr. igniters and used those instead when I started launching with composite motors. No problems, and I still have never tried using the copperheads.

I almost bought one of those Aerotech launch controllers like yours but decided to build one instead. I got all the parts at Radio Shack and ended up spending as much as if I had just bought the Aerotech controller, but it was fun to build. Here is a pic. Yeah I know, somebody is going to complain because the safety switch isn't a momentary button.

 

[samb]

...
I almost bought one of those Aerotech launch controllers like yours but decided to build one instead. I got all the parts at Radio Shack and ended up spending as much as if I had just bought the Aerotech controller, but it was fun to build. Here is a pic. Yeah I know, somebody is going to complain because the safety switch isn't a momentary button.

Sorry Nathan, but since you busted yourself I couldn't resist. That is a sharp little box you built for yourself. But I wouldn't call that toggle/power switch a safety switch. The "safety interlock" requirement of the model rocket safety code has always meant a removable piece of the firing circuit, at least on every commercially available controller I can think of. Keys, phono plugs, short steel wires are some examples. Easy enough to make yours NAR legal, just remove the plug for the micro clips and carry it out to the pad when you go to hook up an igniter.

Sorry for the digression, BeerorKid.

 

[MG13]

Your Explorer looks sweet. I definitely like your stand, too. Too bad your Bertha went boom, but at least it gives a good excuse to build another!

I am going to take a shot at replicating that controller. My old one is just not cutting it.