[Launch Report] Lost a rocket for the first time today...

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Spacepirate R

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... and of course it was a Mosquito!

Calm day, day-glow orange paint, 1/4 A3-3T motor, it didn't matter. The Mosquito zipped straight up high, then the "ejection" pop, and that was that. It should have stuck out against the short grass but no go. I have never lost a rocket like that, a few "killed" by core sample or CATO, but this one was just gone! Oh well.

Next launch was my reliable Estes Mini Max on an A3-4T. Beautiful flight as usual.

I then sent up my cloned Cloudhopper Goonie that I built for my Wife. It has a longer BT and an 18mm motor mount. She launched it herself and the B6-4 sent it soaring up into the sky! What a beautiful flight! Very stable with no roll.

My cloned Estes Scamp was next for its first flight on an A8-3. Straight up, zero roll and a good altitude on the "A". A wonderful little rocket!

Last was my Estes Big Bertha "D" on a D12-5. It roared up very high but I could still see the whole flight. Long drift even with a 12" chute. Safe landing but a bit of a walk. I might put a spill hole in the chute. The Bertha flies great on D Power!
 
The kids tell me all the time, "There are 2 kinds of rockets, those that are lost and those that are about to be lost."
They get a good laugh at consoling me whenever one does not make it back. Got to love 11-13 year olds.

Anthony
 
Nice report! Thanks!
Sorry about the skeeter... I wonder where they all go?
:)

Good question.... hmmm... they must have a lot of company... I know as a kid I sent a few to that other dimension! Of course like most kids, I teleported mine with A10 motors...

My little 9yo nephew wants one now.. I laugh.. but I guess he needs to experience the loss as part of his rocket training...


Jerome
 
That's odd... you'll never guess what came down in our yard today....
''...day-glow orange paint, 1/4 A3-3T motor...''
And here I thought all the cold weather had driven all the Mosquitoes away....:wink:
 
I refer to Mosquitos as "fire and forget" because once you fire it you can forget about it. Although I do see a fair number come back.
 
I launched a mosquito once, lost it, then while walking back with another rocket almost stepped on it. It was no more than 20 yards from the launch pad!

There just so fast you loose sight of them as soon as you hit the launch button POOF! Gone!
 
I think Estes Luna bug will be the new mosquito meaning their new tiny mini low-cost Mini Engine rocket. With those dragging foot pads it should not get such great altitude and likely be a little easier to recover
 
Ok ... funny Mosquito story from this weekend.

My 10 Y.O. son built a mosquito all by himself. His first build that wasn't a plastic "Tab A, Slot A" assembly, and he was pretty proud of himself. The fins were even "mostly" straight ... certainly within spec for a skeeter.

We went to a local schoolyard with my son, 13 y.o. daughter, and another 10 y.o. boy from the neighborhood ... large enough for several soccer fields + playground and basketball. First launch was on a 1/4A, no problem tracking and recovering - maybe 400 - 500' or so. A nice sensible launch for this little bug. We launch a few larger models, then the boy wants to launch the skeeter again, and stuffs an A10-0T into the motor hole. I figure that'll be the end of it, but it's his model ...

The little thing goes stratospheric (as they do...), but we were able to follow the tracking smoke, and could see the puff as the motor ejected. But nobody could get eyes on the rocket. We listened carefully for what should have been long enough for re-entry, but never picked up a thud. Another vaporized skeeter we figured, my son was OK with it ... he's been launching rockets with me long enough to have adopted the "easy come, easy go" attitude that comes with launching smaller, cheap rockets in smallish fields. "Eh, we'll build another one ... can I build a Patriot, Dad?" Good boy.

We have a few more successful launches then it's time to pack up. I guess my boy had been getting on his sister's nerves a bit (as they do...) so she decides to try and punk him. She points "over yonder" in a random-ish direction in the field and says "Hey Kyle! I think I see your Mosquito over there!" ... the neighborhood boy who's a quick wit catches on ... "Oh yeah ... over by the soccer goal!"

He's not convinced at first. But I figure the boy's got a bit more steam to burn off and could use another 100 yd. run, so I back them up. Squinting into the distance, "Oh yeah ... that little white spot over there. Kyle, go check it out!" Finally convinced we're not just messing with him ... he takes off at a trot. We're watching him go, having a little laugh, when we notice his stride pick up pace a little bit. In the general area of where we were pointing he stops, bends over and picks something up. The kid found that damned Mosquito. He can't find his backpack when it's time to leave for school, but picks out a 3 1/2" piece of paper and balsa in the middle of a huge field ... the wonders of youth.

Maybe we'll actually paint it now ... the skeeter that came back earned some paint.
 
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Ok ... funny Mosquito story from this weekend.

My 10 Y.O. son built a mosquito all by himself. His first build that wasn't a plastic "Tab A, Slot A" assembly, and he was pretty proud of himself. The fins were even "mostly" straight ... certainly within spec for a skeeter.

We went to a local schoolyard with my son, 13 y.o. daughter, and another 10 y.o. boy from the neighborhood ... large enough for several soccer fields + playground and basketball. First launch was on a 1/4A, no problem tracking and recovering - maybe 400 - 500' or so. A nice sensible launch for this little bug. We launch a few larger models, then the boy wants to launch the skeeter again, and stuffs an A10-0T into the motor hole. I figure that'll be the end of it, but it's his model ...

The little thing goes stratospheric (as they do...), but we were able to follow the tracking smoke, and could see the puff as the motor ejected. But nobody could get eyes on the rocket. We listened carefully for what should have been long enough for re-entry, but never picked up a thud. Another vaporized skeeter we figured, my son was OK with it ... he's been launching rockets with me long enough to have adopted the "easy come, easy go" attitude that comes with launching smaller, cheap rockets in smallish fields. "Eh, we'll build another one ... can I build a Patriot, Dad?" Good boy.

We have a few more successful launches then it's time to pack up. I guess my boy had been getting on his sister's nerves a bit (as they do...) so she decides to try and punk him. She points "over yonder" in a random-ish direction in the field and says "Hey Kyle! I think I see your Mosquito over there!" ... the neighborhood boy who's a quick wit catches on ... "Oh yeah ... over by the soccer goal!"

He's not convinced at first. But I figure the boy's got a bit more steam to burn off and could use another 100 yd. run, so I back them up. Squinting into the distance, "Oh yeah ... that little white spot over there. Kyle, go check it out!" Finally convinced we're not just messing with him ... he takes off at a trot. We're watching him go, having a little laugh, when we notice his stride pick up pace a little bit. In the general area of where we were pointing he stops, bends over and picks something up. The kid found that damned Mosquito. He can't find his backpack when it's time to leave for school, but picks out a 3 1/2" piece of paper and balsa in the middle of a huge field ... the wonders of youth.

Maybe we'll actually paint it now ... the skeeter that came back earned some paint.

I made the mistake of launching an unpainted FlutterBye in fall. Landed amongst some balsa and cardboard tube colored leaves. Fortunately I found the nose cone section and could easily rebuild the rear section.
 
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