My wife and I went to our first launch as rocketeers this weekend. We had seen model rockets on the Discovery Channel before, and attended the Kloudbusters Air Fest in September, but never launched anything. However, after Air Fest we were hooked, and embarked on a month-long construction project, with the goal to launch something at the next Kloudbusters meet on October 9th. As it happened, a month was enough to build and paint five Estes rocket kits.
On launch day, we hung around and watched some launches before getting ready to fly. First up was a Fat Boy, painted bright orange with black fins, powered by a C6-5. To say I was nervous was an understatement. Would the rocket explode on the pad or fly sideways mowing down spectators? I had no need to worry... it was a perfect flight. Straight up from the launch rod, the nosecone popped just after apogee and the parachute deployed properly, then we had a trek across the freshly plowed field to retrieve the rocket. Not a scratch or ding on it... ready to fly again.
Next up was a Blue Ninja, flying on a D12-5, one of the rockets my wife built. Again, a great flight only spoiled when the blue tube wrap came undone just before apogee which slowed the flight. Again it recovered perfectly, and we trekked back to almost the same place in the field. We decided that we liked the body tube better in the silver finish, so peeled the rest of the blue off, so now it's a Silver Ninja.
Third to go was a Patriot, on a B6-4. I was keen to see how much difference there was in the B and C motors. The flight was straight up, but not that far, and landed within 30 feet of the launch pad. Next launch it's getting a C motor, to see what it can do. Recovery wasn't great, as the 12" PVC chute tangled in the shock cord a little and didn't fully open, although the rocket landed safe and was ready to fly again after a wipe down to remove the dust.
Time for one more... this time a Gnome. This tiny little thing got a surprising amount of attention as we took it to the pad. Launched on a 1/2A3-4 motor, it scooted off the pad and went surprisingly high. Deployment wasn't perfect, as the shock cord seperated and the nose cone came down on the streamer while the body tumbled down. No damage, apart from the shock cord, and will be ready to fly again when we replace the Estes elastic with some kevlar cord, and maybe try an A10...
The final flight of the day was a Bull Pup 12D on another C6-5. The rocket pitched over quite a bit, but still made a respectable height before deployment. However, the 12" PVC 'chute again tangled on the way down and it ended up in a patch of brambles over six feet tall. Two spectators helped us look for the Pup, and found it despite the overgrown area of landing. The 'chute was torn around two of the shroud lines and it was twisted with the shock cord, but despite it's fall the rocket had only minor scratches, and will be back to fly another day. I may try the Bull Pup on a streamer instead of replacing the parachute, as it has quite a narrow tube.
Flush with our sucess, we have sprung for three more Estes kits... a Stormcaster and Executioner, which will be built stock, and another Fat Boy that's getting a 24mm MMT for either a D or E motor. One launch and the Frankenstein ideas are already starting to form.
Seeing rockets fly is cool. Watching something you built rising from the pad is such a rush. We're hooked.
On launch day, we hung around and watched some launches before getting ready to fly. First up was a Fat Boy, painted bright orange with black fins, powered by a C6-5. To say I was nervous was an understatement. Would the rocket explode on the pad or fly sideways mowing down spectators? I had no need to worry... it was a perfect flight. Straight up from the launch rod, the nosecone popped just after apogee and the parachute deployed properly, then we had a trek across the freshly plowed field to retrieve the rocket. Not a scratch or ding on it... ready to fly again.
Next up was a Blue Ninja, flying on a D12-5, one of the rockets my wife built. Again, a great flight only spoiled when the blue tube wrap came undone just before apogee which slowed the flight. Again it recovered perfectly, and we trekked back to almost the same place in the field. We decided that we liked the body tube better in the silver finish, so peeled the rest of the blue off, so now it's a Silver Ninja.
Third to go was a Patriot, on a B6-4. I was keen to see how much difference there was in the B and C motors. The flight was straight up, but not that far, and landed within 30 feet of the launch pad. Next launch it's getting a C motor, to see what it can do. Recovery wasn't great, as the 12" PVC chute tangled in the shock cord a little and didn't fully open, although the rocket landed safe and was ready to fly again after a wipe down to remove the dust.
Time for one more... this time a Gnome. This tiny little thing got a surprising amount of attention as we took it to the pad. Launched on a 1/2A3-4 motor, it scooted off the pad and went surprisingly high. Deployment wasn't perfect, as the shock cord seperated and the nose cone came down on the streamer while the body tumbled down. No damage, apart from the shock cord, and will be ready to fly again when we replace the Estes elastic with some kevlar cord, and maybe try an A10...
The final flight of the day was a Bull Pup 12D on another C6-5. The rocket pitched over quite a bit, but still made a respectable height before deployment. However, the 12" PVC 'chute again tangled on the way down and it ended up in a patch of brambles over six feet tall. Two spectators helped us look for the Pup, and found it despite the overgrown area of landing. The 'chute was torn around two of the shroud lines and it was twisted with the shock cord, but despite it's fall the rocket had only minor scratches, and will be back to fly another day. I may try the Bull Pup on a streamer instead of replacing the parachute, as it has quite a narrow tube.
Flush with our sucess, we have sprung for three more Estes kits... a Stormcaster and Executioner, which will be built stock, and another Fat Boy that's getting a 24mm MMT for either a D or E motor. One launch and the Frankenstein ideas are already starting to form.
Seeing rockets fly is cool. Watching something you built rising from the pad is such a rush. We're hooked.
