Flight of DER RED MAX TRES and LAUNCH PAD PHOENIX

[billeblurzz]

Yesterday I launched TRES MAX and a LAUNCH PAD PHOENIX that I have had for quite a while. Here is the TRES MAX ready for launch with my cobbled up clip whip!

 

[billeblurzz]

Having to wait so late for the winds to die down...and since it takes so long to prep this cluster, the shadows just about took over! Here is liftoff on 3 B6-4s for its first flight: looks like only two lit from this angle...or maybe one was delayed!

 

[billeblurzz]

It sounded like all three motors were burning....nice straight test flight...just not very high from the B6-4s. It took a while for all my recovery "laundry" to open up fully so it was low to the ground when the 24" nylon chute fully deployed. There was no damage but the point on the sharp balsa cone snapped off. Greater height with C motors will help, but this long payload section might be prone to come to the ground pretty hard. I may substitute the balsa cone for an extra plastic cone from a CC-Express that has the same profile as the balsa one. Balsa cones seem to add that "extra" quality to kits....but I seem to break or dent a lot of them lately....maybe I might prefer the plastic? Kinda like putting aluminum siding on a house....ugh! Anyway, another GREAT KIT, JIM!!!

 

[billeblurzz]

The TRES signature left on the blast plate!!!

 

[billeblurzz]

This LAUNCH PAD PHOENIX I built quite a while ago....put extra details into it....3D rivet details....conduits etc....just never got any composite motors to launch on. I decided to try the lowest suggested Estes D12-3....knew it would be iffy since the ESTES PHOENIX is close with a D in it.

 

[billeblurzz]

Lifoff on a D12-3....flight was low...needs MORE power....an E30 would be awesome...and would probably whistle through the air! There is no recovery picture....it just got too dark by this time. The PHOENIX is okay....low power caused a LONG DIVE till ejection and though the chute deployed fully it still hit a patch of hard ground on one of the lower fins....notorious for snapping off on my Estes PHOENIX. My epoxy fillets held on this one and the fin shows no sign of stress....just two places near the fillet where the body tube absorbed the stress and popped of some paint! I have SEVERAL unflown LAUNCH PAD kits in need of some E30s!

 

[powderburner]

Originally posted by billEblurzz
There was no damage but the point on the sharp balsa cone snapped off. Greater height with C motors will help, but this long payload section might be prone to come to the ground pretty hard. I may substitute the balsa cone for an extra plastic cone from a CC-Express that has the same profile as the balsa one. Balsa cones seem to add that "extra" quality to kits

You could look into using alternate attach points for your tethers. Let the payload section hang sideways, or slanted with the shoulder hanging low, or go all the way and use an attachment near the front of the payload section BT? Let the metal screw-eye (on the base of the payload) take all the abuse

Also, what is the overall configuration of your tether and shock cord? Does the main airframe land first, and the payload section last? With enough tether in between to let the 'chute slow down the payload, the landing sequence can make a difference

 

[Stymye]

nice rocket!

(a simple adjustment with contrast sure helps)

 

[Fore Check]

I have yet to build it - but when I *do* build my Tres, I've had a 1" hole drilled through the center of the 6055 transition for the ejection charges to pass through (I'll slather the inside of the hole with epoxy for longevity) so that the nose will separate rather than the transition.

I planned this from the start - worried about the upper half and those fins banging around under chute. I very well might do the same thing on my Praetor just because.....

 

[jflis]

Great pix! I just love what you've done with the Tres

Also, both ideas (setting it up to come down sideways or adapter down and carving a port hole through the adapter and ejecting the nose cone) have merit and should do wonders to help protect the nose cone.

jim