Mini Rotaroc

[JAL3]

The shims were then trimmed with files and sanding sticks to achieve the desired dihedral.

 

[JAL3]

With the shims in place, only a small bit of additional sanding was needed to achieve the desired dihedral.

 

[JAL3]

The last thing I did before leaving for Dallas was to apply a decal with my NAR number. Gordon Agnello of Excelsior had printed up a large sheet of them for me.

I suppose I should mention that at some point I re-attached the fin I had knocked off but I seem not to have taken a picture.

 

[JAL3]

When I finally made it to Dallas for the DARS Bloomin’ Open, I decided not to waste any time and to first try the event I was most excited about trying. That was the A Helicopter Duration. I carefully prepped my rocket with an A3-4, tied the burn string and got clearance to set up on the rack dedicated for contest flights.

 

[JAL3]

After setting up, I had to wait for someone else to go first. It was almost like being back at home!

 

[JAL3]

When my turn came, the liftoff was once again too swift for me to follow.

 

[JAL3]

When my eyes caught up with it, it seemed to be doing well…all except for that part where the ejection charge is supposed to burn through the string and deploy the rotor blades.

 

[JAL3]

I watched in horror as it arced over and came down ballistic to spear the ground.:surprised:

The blades deployed nicely on impact.:dark:

 

[JAL3]

Looking at the damage at the crumpled nose, I was sure I was done for the day. There was no way to fix this with what I had on hand.

 

[JAL3]

After sulking for a while and wondering why the Dallas club did not provide a soft, padded field, I decided to do the best I could with “make it up as you go along” repairs. I cut away the BT just forward of the rotor hub.

 

[JAL3]

I slit a piece of BT 5 somebody was kind enough to give me and removed enough material to roll the remnant within the BT of the surviving body. This has fixed in place with some CA.

 

[JAL3]

The base of the nc was then whittled down to fit my new “forward BT” and glued into place. A vent was then cut into it as I hoped for the best. It was decidedly ugly but I had nothing to lose.

 

[JAL3]

I prepped the rocket with another A3-4 and tied another burn string. After presenting it for inspection to a dubious RSO I was allowed to take it back out to the contest pads.

 

[JAL3]

Being excessively ugly did not to diminish the takeoff speed and I again missed it.

 

[JAL3]

This time it flew better than before and, even more important, the blades deployed on schedule. I thought that even if it was not a winning flight, it was at least respectable.

 

[JAL3]

When I went to retrieve the rocket, I was glad to find no damage. When I returned it, I was amazed to find that I was in first place. Even more amazing, I held onto first all day. A few stayed in the air longer but the high winds kept them from being returned. At the end of the day, I took 2nd place of the event and 2nd overall. My loss of first for the event was because I had only the single qualified flight. The winner had two flights, both shorter than mine.

 

[hcmbanjo]

Congrats John!

That second place was well earned!

 

[georgegassaway]

Congratulations, John.

I have an update on the Magenta Magic Marker....

I have recently found out that Sharpie makes a chisel-point one that is functionally equal to the old ones Marks-A-Lot used to have.

I've posted a new thread about it here:

https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?p=187724

- George Gassaway