ECayemberg
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Jan 21, 2009
- Messages
- 2,877
- Reaction score
- 850
Saturday started at 6 something in anticipation of launching the new Tarantula before the winds arrived. After some AmericInn waffles, to the field we go to burn some AP & BP.
Tarantula leaves the pad at 9:30 (see Mr. Reese photo) and makes it way to just over 20,000'. We lose sight after the smoke grain burns out, but see the rocket to the Southeast after main deployment (thank you tracker(s)). Drive off only to see it standing straight up in the middle of a field! Healthy walk, but easy visual recovery! Stuck landing
While I'm out in the field, buddy Ed's Crazy Train scoots into the sky on four 7600 Wayside White loads...bummer I wasn't closer, but it was sweet from a mile away! Back at camp, it's time to final prep the big V-2. Once it's in the ready state, Sather Ranum and I work on determining how to turn a V-2 into a Jayhawk variation.
We shove the V-2 onto the pad and it departs on time at 11:30am. The Red M gracefully pushed the 100+lb beast to 'bout 3600' (see Mr. Reese "pictars"/Mr. Fox photos). Nice ol' recovery to the South of the pads (and hey those #8-32 shear pins held the uber heavy nose in place until main deploy!).
LCO duty from 12-3 with buddy Dan Byra. Brian and Dad Smith attempt to kill me in the process. I snap this photo of the Wildmen from the LCO zone.
Range duty complete, time to put up another rocket. This time my Pa's "Wisconsinite"; 5" Intimidator on a Research Experimental M2230 White. You know it's serious when it's both Research & Experimental! Tried out RX propellant in Aerotech style hardware...turned out just fine. Thanks to TonyA (TFish) for the inspiration to try it out.
Pizza in the evening, then off to the night launch. I'll post a night recap a bit later!
-Eric-
Tarantula leaves the pad at 9:30 (see Mr. Reese photo) and makes it way to just over 20,000'. We lose sight after the smoke grain burns out, but see the rocket to the Southeast after main deployment (thank you tracker(s)). Drive off only to see it standing straight up in the middle of a field! Healthy walk, but easy visual recovery! Stuck landing
While I'm out in the field, buddy Ed's Crazy Train scoots into the sky on four 7600 Wayside White loads...bummer I wasn't closer, but it was sweet from a mile away! Back at camp, it's time to final prep the big V-2. Once it's in the ready state, Sather Ranum and I work on determining how to turn a V-2 into a Jayhawk variation.
We shove the V-2 onto the pad and it departs on time at 11:30am. The Red M gracefully pushed the 100+lb beast to 'bout 3600' (see Mr. Reese "pictars"/Mr. Fox photos). Nice ol' recovery to the South of the pads (and hey those #8-32 shear pins held the uber heavy nose in place until main deploy!).
LCO duty from 12-3 with buddy Dan Byra. Brian and Dad Smith attempt to kill me in the process. I snap this photo of the Wildmen from the LCO zone.
Range duty complete, time to put up another rocket. This time my Pa's "Wisconsinite"; 5" Intimidator on a Research Experimental M2230 White. You know it's serious when it's both Research & Experimental! Tried out RX propellant in Aerotech style hardware...turned out just fine. Thanks to TonyA (TFish) for the inspiration to try it out.
Pizza in the evening, then off to the night launch. I'll post a night recap a bit later!
-Eric-