CMASS Launch, July 17th!

[jflis]

a lot of folks have asked me if FlisKits will be at the next CMASS launch and I wanted to let everyone know that we *will* be there

We will be showing off the FarScape (slated for announcement at NARAM) along with some other kits that are coming out in the fall. Looks like it's going to be a lot of fun!

We can use this thread to discuss the launch, pre and post

jim

NOTE: This is a redo of my earlier post wherein I gave the wrong date for the CMASS launch.

Just to be clear...

The CMASS launch is on the 17th!

my bad...

 

[Ryan S.]

I will be there, hope to have at least one flight....but we will see

 

[Papa Elf]

I plan to be there too . Maybe get some flights in too

 

[BobH48]

I plan on going if I can find it!

I want to try and get a few flights in:

 

[Ryan S.]

haha It isnt too hard to find actually, off on exit 54 on 495 and then right off the exit ramp, through the first set of lights, when you come upon a 3 way stop with an island take a left then at the end of that road take a left. You will come up to the farmhouse right there.

look for me, I will probably be carrying a 5 gallon bucked around and have a big unpainted rocket that hopefully will fly on an AMW 1050 load.

 

[jflis]

UPDATE!

It looks like FlisKits will have some demo examples of our soon to be announced baffle kits for show and tell

Also, some other new kits slated for release in September and maybe some of the ones slated for October. Check us out if you come to this launch. SOme exciting things are happening at FlisKits!

jim

 

[DJ Delorie]

We're planning on being there with whichever rockets fit in the car, but at least the Solar Sailer 3 (D12, E9, and F21W) and Rickter Recker (E9), and it looks like the Maximum Overdrive (2x OD upscale on D12 and E9) will be flying too.

Oh, and Freedom Forge Missile #12 will be flying too, in spec red, white, and blue colors.

 

[Papa Elf]

Originally posted by jflis
UPDATE!
It looks like FlisKits will have some demo examples of our soon to be announced baffle kits for show and tell

baffle kits? Are those like rocket kits with poorly written instructions, with poor illustrations, and the measurements are all wrong . Just Kidding . :kill:

Originally posted by jflis
UPDATE!

Check us out if you come to this launch. SOme exciting things are happening at FlisKits!

Are you going to Tap Dance for us? . Opps. Once again I am jokeing. Sorry Jim

Man... I really need to fly some rockets

Oh... I hear rummors that rocketeers should come early to the Sept 18th CMASS launch...

 

[jflis]

Alright folks, the next witakers TRF launch in 2005 we're going to be doing "Doug Loft Streamer Duration", so get them big rockets ready!

 

[Papa Elf]

Originally posted by jflis
Alright folks, the next witakers TRF launch in 2005 we're going to be doing "Doug Loft Streamer Duration", so get them big rockets ready!

I am going to smuggle a parachute on board . Just think... 5:1 thrust to weight ratio... we need a motor that produces 1,500 pounds of thrust just to safely lift me . But then again... I don't safety here is a concern .

Maybe you can get aerotech to sponser this... or AMW. Lord knows how much I bug them

 

[Neil]

Im comin! I plan to get a few flights off, and make a buck or two selling chutes...

See yall tomorrow!

 

[Ryan S.]

good launch today, weather was pretty close to perfect. It did get breezy occasionally but not too bad at all. I got to the launch at around 10 and started prepping my Terrier booster. After solving some last minute problems the rocket lifted off around 12 on an AMW J480 Blue Baboon, cool motor too about 1500 feet, my altimeter pulled out and I didnt get an exact reading. I didnt get any pictures although I should have ebcause the boost was pretty slow.

After that I talked to Neil for a while and helped Doug dig one of his rockets out of the ground.

 

[Neil]

You wanna tell the story about Doug's rocket or should I?

In short, it went down faster than it went up... I heard a whistling from behind me at the truck, and then a big THUMP. And Doug's Target rocket was no more... We went running to the rocket with a dozen or so others... the whole thing was shortened considerably, one fin was off, and teh whole MMT was thrown a considerable distance away from the crash site. We eventually got the rocket out, but the nose was stuck in the ground. Doug gave it up for lost, but said if we dug it out, to return it to him. We decided that since we had nothing better to do, we would go dig out the cone and see if it was any shape... We eventually got it out... the two-foot cone was reduced by about 8"... Crumpled. Destroyed. We brought the toataled cone back to Doug... Cant say we did that much good digging it out of the ground, but it was fun...

After that, I went after another (smaller, thank goodness!) lawn-darted cone... Dug it out within 5 minutes, and teh cone was in pretty good shape. With a bit of sanding and filler, itll be as good as new. The small scrapes came from the shovel I was using to dig it out, regrettably... But a nose cone with a few scratches on it is a lot better than a rocket buried a foot in the half in the ground...

I also flew my Spitfire IV, that untill-recently un named future-kit with the 8 side-pods on the oversize fins.... Two perfect flights on D12s, and an almost-perfect flight on an E18W. The chute didnt open on the last flight, but the rockets fine. I think ill retire it and save it. The origional version of the first kit I will make (the fiberglassed kit will be a while yet) deserves a spot of honor hanging from my ceiling.

And then I flew my 3" IQSY Tomahawk on an H242T. Perfect flight, perfect liftoff pic, almost-perfect landing. Small problem in the landing... It drifted a little far... Way past the barbed-wire fence, and right in the middle of two stands of trees! Lucky me!

So all in all it was a perfect launch. Ill let everyone else fill you in on thier flights, but there were a lot of good ones today!

 

[jflis]

Well, i'm too tired for a full report (i'll do that tomorrow), but regarding Dougs rocket... ... He may *claim* that he dug this outta the ground, but I know better...

...Here is Doug's first attempt at turning a nose cone. Now, I **tried** to explain to Doug that once you get the stock up to speed on the lathe that you use chisels and then sand paper and NOT chainsaws and a cheese grater, but would HE listen???

sheesh! (pix attached)

 

[bobkrech]

This was certainly a great launch day. 545 flights in 6 hours!

Sunny, low 80's, winds averaging 5 mph, and not exceeding 10 mph. 75 cars at peak. 140 hot dogs consumed, along with many cases of soda and water.

Even during the peak hours from 11 to 2 the safety check line wait rarely exceeded 10 minutes, and most launches within 5 minutes after that.

Only bummer was the ~ 10 CATO's, and a few bad recoveries.

Couldn't ask for more.

Bob Krech

 

[Ryan S.]

there were a ton of launched today, and alot of CATOS too, seemed like more than 10 though.


Jim - Doug cant claim he dug that out, Lamar did all the work. Then I went back with Neil to dig out the nosecone only because I wanted it for a rocket

 

[Neil]

I thought you wernt going to tell him about your plans to re-shape that sucker... You might be good, Ryan, but NO ONE is good enough to fix that nose cone...

We think it hit some slate or something in the ground... what else could cause it to crumple like that? The ground was very soft....

 

[Neil]

These **** ticks....... I picked a half dozen of the little ($&(^*@&$(s off of me today... Half had bitten me... Annoying little buggers...

Anyone else have the misfortune of stepping on a nest of the things?

 

[lamart72]

Here is a shot of Dougs Target Rocket on its last flight.


Lamar

 

[lamart72]

I got this shot of someones large rocket off of Pad C. Ryan or Doug, Do you know who this one belongs to?


Lamar

Doug says it belongs to Al Buck of CMASS

 

[Neil]

Dunno whose it is... Didnt your Terrier have a black cone, Ryan? Cant have been yours, then... cool pic, though.


OK... I would like to put in a request for pictures of one of my rockets.... I had a BT55-BT60 rocket called "Spitfire IV", with 8 red tubes on the outside of the rocket, for as standoffs for the fins, four on the tips of the fins... It flew on D12-5s twice, and then an E18-7W. I missed the rocket on the third flight, so if someone got that, or any other flight of that rocket, PLEASE email me with the picture...

 

[lamart72]

Here is a Fliskits Duece.

 

[lamart72]

This is the Target Rocket. It came in whistling loudly!

 

[lamart72]

I managed to get this shot just as my Mercury Redstone landed.

 

[lamart72]

John Harland had some of his really cool looking kits too!

 

[lamart72]

Another shot of Johns rockets.

 

[Ryan S.]

Originally posted by lamart72
This is the Target Rocket. It came in whistling loudly!

LOL great pics Lamar its too bad you missed my terrier.

here is a pic neil took and I cropped, it is one ugly rocket, but nice flight. Once it gets a finish on it I hope to put it up on a baby L

 

[DJ Delorie]

Freedom Forge Missile, serial number 12, successful launch

The last launch count I heard was 547, and a few more went off after that, 550 is possible.

The Maximum Overdrive went WAY up on a C11, I didn't dare launch on D, E, or F like I planned. The Solar Sailer went up twice (D12 and F21W), the Rickter Recker went WAY up on the E9s, and the front half was never found Now I get to add a nosecone and have a mini-recker

 

[DJ Delorie]

Rickter Recker on E9-8s. Last flight for this configuration

OTOH, my name and phone number are on each rocket part. Maybe someone will find it and call me.

 

[jflis]

Great shot of the Freedom Forge Missile! I hope to have my pix up later today and have the LDRS pix updated and linked from the photo albums page...