Big Harpoon almost done

[THier]

Well,
An update on my big Harpoon.

My 90% 'poon is almost done, 11.5" PML tubes and NC, it is 12.5' tall, and looks like 85lbs dry with no motors or recovery gear. Should be about 150lbs on the pad. I need to try to paint it today weather permitting. I plan to try to fly it in two weeks at Price MD at our launch 11-13-04 or the 14th if something doesn't go smooth. I will be putting three 6,000ns fast sparkies in it which should give me a N6000+. There is more than two pounds of ti sponge in the three motors!!!!!! This beast should be LOUD.
I will post updates after the launch.

Tom

 

[Elapid]

sounds like a really cool project!
any photos?

 

[FredA]

Check out this Harpoon.
It is Ed Mirabella's L-3 attempt at our Rocketober launch.
Complete with tube-launch and folding fins.
Unfortuntely for Ed, one set of fins didn't unfold and the flight was unsuccessful.
It was one amazing project!

Good luck with your harpoon!

 

[gerbs4me]

sounds like a awesome project
its definately gonna be loud with them sparkies

 

[THier]

Originally posted by freda
Check out this Harpoon.
It is Ed Mirabella's L-3 attempt at our Rocketober launch.
Complete with tube-launch and folding fins.
Unfortuntely for Ed, one set of fins didn't unfold and the flight was unsuccessful.
It was one amazing project!

Good luck with your harpoon!

That is cool, but the tube launch and folding fins are alot to get to work, was he flying it two stage, or is the booster perm? I have left provisions for doing a two stage, but I don'tthink it will be possible with the weight I am at. I am going to talk to some of the more knowledgeable and see if a formula can be come up with for the booster. I don't have any pics yet, just got paint on yestarday.

Tom

 

[FredA]

It was a central M (M-1913 I think) aristarting two K-1100's.

It was tons of work - amazing detail.
Too bad it failed.
It shreded some fins, but the recovery system deployed and most of it looked salvagable. See the picture.

I think he will be back

 

[THier]

This sucks,,,, did some final balanceing, had to add 8lbs to the nose to balance the beast. This even with restricting a 15lb NB-8 chute to the front of the payload section. Oh well, make the N-6000 cluster earn its keep. Weather permitting looks like it should be a go for saturday.

Tom

 

[Chuck Rudy]

Originally posted by THier
This sucks,,,,
Tom

You allowed to say sucks here? Cool! One never knows here. All is looking well for saturday? We're looking forward to it.

 

[THier]

Someone took out lolipops and replaced it with ,,,,, just kidding, if that was over the line sorry.

Tom

 

[Chuck Rudy]

Originally posted by THier
if that was over the line sorry.

Tom

Nope.....I didn't know sucks made it past the software crapola. ;-)

 

[sean79]

Unfortunately I think that's all I'm gonna get to see of this one. Make sure you get some video too man.

All that lead up front must be from all the titanium out back.

 

[THier]

Originally posted by sean79

Unfortunately I think that's all I'm gonna get to see of this one. Make sure you get some video too man.

All that lead up front must be from all the titanium out back.

Sorry Sean,
But there should be good video, and hopefully Jerry O will host it. I will even try to get him to hookup his "good" mics, for good sound.

Tom

 

[THier]

Added bonus,,,,,,,, on-board video should be done.

Tom

 

[Chuck Rudy]

Tom

I trust all is still well for tomorrow morning. The only reason we'd be late is if the current is too swift as we swim out to the shed to retrieve our motors, providing the shed didn't float away.

Chuck

PS It looks like we'll have our heavy overcast for the morning.

 

[THier]

Originally posted by Chuck Rudy
Tom

I trust all is still well for tomorrow morning. The only reason we'd be late is if the current is too swift as we swim out to the shed to retrieve our motors, providing the shed didn't float away.

Chuck

PS It looks like we'll have our heavy overcast for the morning.

UUUUUHHHHHHHHH, we'll see, they are calling for pretty stiff wind sat,,,, 18mph +, as of 1:30 am she is ready to go, I still need to load her into trailer. Honestly, it may not go 'till sunday, as much as I hate to wait, winds look better, and hopefully we will all be able to get into and out of property. Nothing is in stone. Sorry to post so late.

Tom

 

[rstaff3]

Grrr I have other commitments today...hope it waits for Sunday! (of course Tom is at the field having a good ol' time)

 

[THier]

It WILL go on sunday, all is loaded up ready to go. Winds should be better, I plan to go early, before 11:00a.

Tom

 

[Chuck Rudy]

I'll let Tom do the blow by blow (a little windage humor) but it was cool. So cool.

 

[GL-P]

I'll let Tom do the blow by blow (a little windage humor) but it was cool. So cool.

Can't wait!!!

 

[rstaff3]

Originally posted by Chuck Rudy
I'll let Tom do the blow by blow (a little windage humor) but it was cool. So cool.

So so cool - awesome! But he never was at his car when I was passing by so I didn't inroduce myself.

 

[THier]

OK,

Had a little problem with the onboard camera mount,,,,,but worked it out and was glad I did, the onboard video is WILD.

Two motors came up to pressure right away, so I knew it should be a good enough flight right away, third motor came up late.
Rocket cleared the tower, and went down range, altitude was only 2500ft, but down range was about a mile. A pretty scale like flight. Thank god for big launch sites. The RRC2 deployed drouge first, at 400fps, and shook the 28ft main out, main charges fired on time, so everything else worked right. It was recovered with no airframe damage, the only damage was to the eye where the drouge, and 1.5" TN was attached, it was not a forged eye, I used what I had here at the house, you all know what go fever feels like. Luckily the quick link didn't come off untill touchdown.
I will never again use anything other than u-bolts, that was too close.

There were too many to thank for help,,,, but I have to mention Augie and Drew Gray, who helped lug the beast a half mile back to the truck, the ground was too soft to drive on even if we were allowed, and to the localland owners who let us fly there, and don't shoot when we go to recover our rockets.

Vids should be posted on Chucks and Jerry Os' sites soon.
Thanks guys for hosting vids.

I can't seem to get pics to post.

Tom

 

[THier]

Lets try this

 

[Chuck Rudy]

Hey Tom

How about if I mess with the speed a little so you can enjoy the sparks.

https://homepage.mac.com/wesrudy/ESL78SparkySlo.mov

That was a cool flight, of course you don't get back much for what MDRA calls a REALLY cool flight, sometimes it fits in a trash bag.....so cool describes it. Well done lad.

Chuck

 

[rstaff3]

This flight was so cool, glad you got a video. Sounded great too! All in all there were quite a few cool flights Sunday, and even some of them really cool ones

Great job Tom!

 

[Chuck Rudy]

Originally posted by rstaff3
This flight was so cool, glad you got a video. Sounded great too!

Great job Tom!

Well since the sound real time was impressive, here tis

https://homepage.mac.com/wesrudy/HarpoonESL78.mov

 

[THier]

Thanks everyone, I knew immediatly that one didn't come up right away, I have a great still of it clear of the tower, it shows two working, and one yet to come up to pressure, although it is burning, it came up later, you can see the plume get bigger. Chucks video show the thermite working, the size of the fireball is scary. Hopefully someone puts the on board up soon,,,,,,, wink wink Chuck. That shows the thermite even better if you watch it frame by frame.

Tom

 

[Chuck Rudy]

Originally posted by THier
Hopefully someone puts the on board up soon,,,,,,, wink wink Chuck. That shows the thermite even better if you watch it frame by frame.

Tom

Oh all right....here ya go..... ;-)

https://homepage.mac.com/wesrudy/ESL78HarpoonOnboard.mov

I'm tight on space here at the moment, I'll leave it here till it goes on the MDRA site.....so come quick!!

Chuck

 

[Chuck Rudy]

Aw man, Tom......you'll notice right away. I tell everyone how bad I am with names. :-(

 

[THier]

Originally posted by Chuck Rudy
Aw man, Tom......you'll notice right away. I tell everyone how bad I am with names. :-(

???????????????? what am I missing?

Tom

 

[Chuck Rudy]

Fixed it......I should have kept quiet ;-)