RedWhiteBlue Cluster Air Start Build Thread

[Lucas]

We launched it! Here is the data from the MAWD, pictures and story to come!

 

[mach66]

Nice guys!!! can't wait for a photo. How was the weather? Now I'm pissed I didn't go. Oh well, at least I got a lot of sanding done today on the Talon.

Brent

 

[Lucas]

Nice guys!!! can't wait for a photo. How was the weather? Now I'm pissed I didn't go. Oh well, at least I got a lot of sanding done today on the Talon.

Brent

Hey Brent, The weather was allright in the beginning but got worse as the day went on, we got there and the rain showers were right over the mountains but it was just cloudy over the desert. The wind was very light and the conditions were nearly perfect. As we started building the fifth motor the wind picked up a lot, around 15 mph or so. The rocket was completely ready though so we loaded it onto the pad waited for a little lull and launched it. We were contemplating putting a tracker in it but we did not, that was a really bad idea. After about two hours we found the rocket. We made the decision to come home tonight because the rain had moved closer and the wind was jut to high.

 

[Lucas]

The Weather:

Motors:

Master Danny building 4 of the 5 motors!

Loaded into the rocket!

Arming Electronics:

Ready to go:

 

[Lucas]

Liftoff on two H238T:

Finally the H268R comes up to pressure:

Burnout:

1 H128W airstart :surprised:

 

[mach66]

WOW! totally cool, it was almost like getting 2 airstarts! It also looks like only having 1 H128 light didn't throw the trajectory off too much if at all.

It looks like it had quite an angled flight though. Was that due to wind?
With big fins and wind, a tracker isn't a bad idea..

Great photos!!!! Awesome photos!!!! I think I finally found me a photographer to shoot my rockets at Plaster City!

Brent

 

[Lucas]

The rocket was loaded with an H268R, 2 x H238T, and airstarting 2 x H128W. At launch the wind was probably around 10 - 15 mph, the two H238T lit well before the H268R, which came up to pressure shortly after leaving the rail. After that the rocket coasted for about a second before the airstarts light. Unfortunately only one of the two H128W airstarted. At this point the wind picked up even more obscuring our view the rocket, the parachute seemed to deploy well and it drifted out of sight rapidly. After a two hour search we found rocket VERY far away. The rocket sustained some damage (Mainly the upper section) after being dragged across the desert and ripping through a few bushes.

Overally we are both very happy with the outcome of the flight and we will repair the damage and fly it again!

 

[mach66]

yeah, to be honest, I was a little shocked when I saw you had the main set for 1300ft. That is really high for such a small rocket. I always do 700ft.
but did 1700ft. for The Predator.

Brent

 

[Lucas]

WOW! totally cool, it was almost like getting 2 airstarts! It also looks like only having 1 H128 light didn't throw the trajectory off too much if at all.

It looks like it had quite an angled flight though. Was that due to wind?
With big fins and wind, a tracker isn't a bad idea..

Great photos!!!! Awesome photos!!!! I think I finally found me a photographer to shoot my rockets at Plaster City!

Brent

Yes, I believe it was 100% due to wind, I am sure it would have gone very straight on a calm day. I guess we will have to try it again All 5 of those motors are so close to the center of the rocket that I don't think one single motor failure can effect the trajectory significantly. If you have a rocket you want me to take pictures of just let me know, thanks!

 

[Lucas]

 

[ghost]

Did you lose 2 casings or did you just remove them?
And how the heck did that happen to the upper portion of the BT? I've had a rocket or two get dragged across the desert, but I've never had my BT chip away!

 

[Lucas]

Did you lose 2 casings or did you just remove them?
And how the heck did that happen to the upper portion of the BT? I've had a rocket or two get dragged across the desert, but I've never had my BT chip away!

No, the motor retention worked perfectly. We took out the unburned motor and the borrowed casing. I think the damage is from a collision with a bush. We found the rocket laying there with broken branches all around it. They were definitely thick enough to cause that type of damage, unglassed phenolic also tends to crack easily.

 

[dpoceta]

And one thing *I* liked about our flight was that the H128 that didn't light was the one in my casing! So now I have an unburned H128 waiting to be used.

Like Lucas said, we are both happy with the outcome even though it was not perfect.

Brent:
This rocket was apogee deployment only, not dual deployment. I guess the MAWD was set for 1300', but there was no e-match installed.

Our altitude average from both altimeters is 3,073'. We're sure it would have gotten much higher if not for the wind.

 

[mach66]

ah gotcha... I naturally assumed with all them electronics in there, there was DD...

Brent

 

[dpoceta]

Did you lose 2 casings or did you just remove them?
And how the heck did that happen to the upper portion of the BT? I've had a rocket or two get dragged across the desert, but I've never had my BT chip away!

Also keep in mind that the rocket was out there for a good 2 hours before we found it. We had quite a search and I was starting to get very worried. Thoughts started going through our heads....
5 complete motors...
1 HiAlt 45...
1 MAWD...
and so on with almost all the parts. Also we used a chute that was much too big, but it was all we had so it caught a lot of wind on the ground hence the intense dragging.

 

[Gym_Class_Hero]

Cool. What launch was this?

 

[Lucas]

After the first semi successful flight we attempted to launch it again. This time it was a 100% success. We ground started an I200W and 4 H128W.

 

[mach66]

Nice guys!!!! Great job, awesome launch and photos to boot.

Brent

 

[dpoceta]

Hi All

Our altitudes were:

HiAlt: 4433'
MAWD: 4523'
Average: 4478'

1405' higher than the first launch!

I took some HD video of the flight, so Lucas can post that if he gets around to it.

 

[jj94]

Wow! That looked like a great flight. And from what I can see, you guys did a great job with the repairs.