FlisKits Borealis build thread
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EchoVictor
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Flew this on her maiden voyage at NSL this weekend.
On the pad;
Nice, straight boost on a C6-5. She's absolutely gorgeous in the air! Unfortunately, the ejection charge popped the glue joint just above the BT-5 section. The upper body came down under an unfurled 'chute, but the bottom half/ring-fin assembly, with spent motor casing still attached, came down hard.
SPLAT! All three rings bounced in different directions.
Right after the flight, none other than Jim Flis himself walked up and asked how it went. I pointed to the carnage laying out near the pads and told him what happened. After the range was clear, we walked out to where the bottom landed. All three ring-fin units had popped off of the lower body, but were relatively still intact (just a couple of crinkles). With Jim's help, we actually found all of the pieces (toothpicks and all!), and went over to the upper half. Thankfully, that part was intact.
In fact, if I didn't have to watch over my kids the rest of the day, I probably could have had time to super-glue it all back together and take another shot at flying. As it is, I'll try and make the repair as nice as I can.
Photos of the pieces left over to come.....
Later,
EV
On the pad;
Nice, straight boost on a C6-5. She's absolutely gorgeous in the air! Unfortunately, the ejection charge popped the glue joint just above the BT-5 section. The upper body came down under an unfurled 'chute, but the bottom half/ring-fin assembly, with spent motor casing still attached, came down hard.
SPLAT! All three rings bounced in different directions.
Right after the flight, none other than Jim Flis himself walked up and asked how it went. I pointed to the carnage laying out near the pads and told him what happened. After the range was clear, we walked out to where the bottom landed. All three ring-fin units had popped off of the lower body, but were relatively still intact (just a couple of crinkles). With Jim's help, we actually found all of the pieces (toothpicks and all!), and went over to the upper half. Thankfully, that part was intact.
In fact, if I didn't have to watch over my kids the rest of the day, I probably could have had time to super-glue it all back together and take another shot at flying. As it is, I'll try and make the repair as nice as I can.
Photos of the pieces left over to come.....
Later,
EV
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Yeah, I watched the launch... ouch...
The day earlier Chan Stevens launched his without incident.
When we inspected the parts it looked as though the glue didn't get down between the body tube and the centering ring making for a very weak glue joint and this is what came apart. It was so clean that there was no visible damage to the tube or the ring at the connection point.
Other than a couple of small bends in the fins (which could be easily strengthened by CA), she looks like she could be completely assembled without any notice that she had come apart!
She does look good in the air, don't she?
jim
The day earlier Chan Stevens launched his without incident.
When we inspected the parts it looked as though the glue didn't get down between the body tube and the centering ring making for a very weak glue joint and this is what came apart. It was so clean that there was no visible damage to the tube or the ring at the connection point.
Other than a couple of small bends in the fins (which could be easily strengthened by CA), she looks like she could be completely assembled without any notice that she had come apart!
She does look good in the air, don't she?
jim
EchoVictor
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IT'S ALIVE!!!
After getting separating amidships at apogee during her maiden flight at NSL2007, my FlisKits Borealis came crashing down to earth and shattered into many pieces. After collecting the carnage (with help from Mr. Flis himself no less!), I put it in my range box and brought her home. I then, promptly, forgot about her.
Fast forward several months later, and I finally got the gumption to work on a design using some extra Borealis fins I had (https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?t=43523). Since I was already playing with these fins, I decided to dig out the remains of my Borealis and assess the damage.
Except for a few glue joints that popped and a little creasing of the ring supports, everything was fine. So, a tube of super-glue, and a whole lotta patience later....
SHE LIVES!
Hopefully, I put everything back together nice and straight. Proof will be in the pudding tomorrow, as our local club (https://www.wooshrocketry.org/) is having its "FlisKits" theme launch tomorrow.
Flight report to follow......
Later,
EV
After getting separating amidships at apogee during her maiden flight at NSL2007, my FlisKits Borealis came crashing down to earth and shattered into many pieces. After collecting the carnage (with help from Mr. Flis himself no less!), I put it in my range box and brought her home. I then, promptly, forgot about her.
Fast forward several months later, and I finally got the gumption to work on a design using some extra Borealis fins I had (https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?t=43523). Since I was already playing with these fins, I decided to dig out the remains of my Borealis and assess the damage.
Except for a few glue joints that popped and a little creasing of the ring supports, everything was fine. So, a tube of super-glue, and a whole lotta patience later....
SHE LIVES!
Hopefully, I put everything back together nice and straight. Proof will be in the pudding tomorrow, as our local club (https://www.wooshrocketry.org/) is having its "FlisKits" theme launch tomorrow.
Flight report to follow......
Later,
EV
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Oh man, I remember *that* one Keep us posted on the flight.
As a pre-flight check, be sure that you can blow off the nose cone from the back end...
Good luck!
Keep us posted on the flight. As a pre-flight check, be sure that you can blow off the nose cone from the back end...
Good luck!
EchoVictor
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SUCCESS!!!
Nice flight on a B6-4 in some stiff breeze, but not much weather-cocking. Best of all, perfect chute deployment, and no damage at landing! Not even one of the toothpicks broke off....
Later,
EV
Nice flight on a B6-4 in some stiff breeze, but not much weather-cocking. Best of all, perfect chute deployment, and no damage at landing! Not even one of the toothpicks broke off....
Later,
EV
Pantherjon
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Congrats on the 'resurrection' flight!
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Fantastic news!
EV I think you're the first to so totally wreck their Borealis on the first flight and then rebuild it for a successful voyage
Congrats (congrats too on the Australis sister ship )
EV I think you're the first to so totally wreck their Borealis on the first flight and then rebuild it for a successful voyage
Congrats (congrats too on the Australis sister ship
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Well,
it was one heck of a great NARCON! I got to meet many great folks that make up this hobby, see some really cool new stuff, and get in a few launches to boot. Ultimately, one of the highlights of the weekend was being able to get first crack at the new FlisKits Borealis.
I was lucky enough to catch Jim at the iHobby show in Chicago last year and snag the US TOG production #16, so I was hoping I might be able to grab a comparable low number Borealis. Hand over my $29 and.........score! Production # 7!!!
Now, I had some spare time last night, so it was time to get down to business. In what has become a fun little way for me to torment all of you collectors out there, here's the cutting of the bag;
As you can see, there's a bunch of parts, and those ring fins are huuuuuuuge....
The first couple of steps have you construct the lower half of the ship, called the "2nd Gen Ram-Flush Engine Module".
Next up are the ring fins and their supports. These have to be the most elegant looking rocket sub-assemblies I've ever had the pleasure of working on. I can't even begin to imagine the nightmare that hand-cutting the prototypes must have been!
Here's a view of all three rings drying...
.......continued............
The FlisKits ae awesome and I hope the new owners bring back this kit. It is really very creative!
