MaxQ
Tripoli 2747
Some of you may have seen this really nice upscale 3 stage Commanche fly 16 years ago at the July 1 2000 at Orangeburg SC.
Appeared on Earl Cagle Jr's Point 39 productions video "Blast From the Grass - LDRS XIX"
Andy Shecter did the voice over as pad/launch director...and was on the mike during that outrageously long burn sustainer with the famous "Look at that baby cruise!"
I got hooked on doing staging after seeing that video.
The builder and flyer was Jeff Taylor, well known for the motors and motor systems he created for his company Loki.
The Super Commache was 11 feet tall, 2.6 inch dia. flew on a H242 to an H242 to a long burn H45.
Yes, there have been many bigger staged flights and rockets since then, but this one made a huge impression on me.
I acquired this from Jeff at a Red Glare launch many years ago.
I'd love to know more about it, how many flights, and in particular how the staging worked.
Jeff - if you are out there we'd love to know more about this project.
It apparently was set up for an ALTAAC...(see the decal in post #2) but when I bought it only had some wiring from a mysterious looking set of circuit boards on a sled/platform attached to the nose cone.
I think Jeff said it had a horizon detector of some type.
May have been a fail safe for third stage ignition ?
Sometimes I wonder where some of these cool projects in model rocket history end up.
I think some of these really nice projects should be restored, maybe even flown again.
I'll post some pictures of the design features.
The picture on the right is next to my garden shed...you can't hardly see the Estes Commanche 3 next to it on the left.
Appeared on Earl Cagle Jr's Point 39 productions video "Blast From the Grass - LDRS XIX"
Andy Shecter did the voice over as pad/launch director...and was on the mike during that outrageously long burn sustainer with the famous "Look at that baby cruise!"
I got hooked on doing staging after seeing that video.
The builder and flyer was Jeff Taylor, well known for the motors and motor systems he created for his company Loki.
The Super Commache was 11 feet tall, 2.6 inch dia. flew on a H242 to an H242 to a long burn H45.
Yes, there have been many bigger staged flights and rockets since then, but this one made a huge impression on me.
I acquired this from Jeff at a Red Glare launch many years ago.
I'd love to know more about it, how many flights, and in particular how the staging worked.
Jeff - if you are out there we'd love to know more about this project.
It apparently was set up for an ALTAAC...(see the decal in post #2) but when I bought it only had some wiring from a mysterious looking set of circuit boards on a sled/platform attached to the nose cone.
I think Jeff said it had a horizon detector of some type.
May have been a fail safe for third stage ignition ?
Sometimes I wonder where some of these cool projects in model rocket history end up.
I think some of these really nice projects should be restored, maybe even flown again.
I'll post some pictures of the design features.
The picture on the right is next to my garden shed...you can't hardly see the Estes Commanche 3 next to it on the left.
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