Remember This?

[gary7]

I taped off freshly painted white anyway even tho I try not to do that. Got the blue airframe section done. That was the easiest part. All the external centering rings and fins will have to wait the full 48 hours. I use Rustoleum most often. Have to wait 48 hours to repaint if not done within an hour. The external rings and fins got white on them since I was too lazy to tape them off twice hence the wait.



Bottom is still taped off/covered to keep the gold off while I do the external rings.

This pic shows only the top. Again, the rings and fins etc. will have to wait till Thursday for paint.

After a very drawn out thought process about how to paint this thing, I decided on what you see here and with black fins. Now, I'm not so sure what I will do with the fins. I suppose another very drawn out thought process about that for the next two days will begin.

And finally, the state of Illinois has moved to "phase 4" which means we can do more. Our group has been given clearance by the park district here in Champaign to fly now. We have scheduled this Saturday. Hopefully, the painting will be done and 48 hours dry so that I can fly this thing.

Haven't decided yet, I have to weigh it once more but for now planning one of the following: H180, H220 or H238. All depends on the wind speed and direction. We have a small field of about 29 acres.

 

[gary7]

One more time, here is the side by side of the partially painted original and the upscaled Fliskits, Tesla.



Other than some minor touch up where the paint got under the tape, all that is left is to shove something into this thing and get her moving off the pad.

Thanks to all for your comments and watching the progress.

Go fly some rockets!

 

[gary7]

 

[neil_w]

Flight report? Video?

 

[gary7]

Flight went very well, but... When I did the ground test, it went very well as seen in my video previously posted here. The problem yesterday at the launch field was a simple one. I could not get the parachute in the tube with a chute release. I did not have the chute release on the chute when I did the ground test. So after struggling to get it in for over an hour, folding and refolding etc., I finally gave up and used a different chute. It worked but the rocket landed a bit harder than I wanted it to. You can see it in the video. It has a very slight ding in the airframe just above the forward centering ring. But it will fly again. I just have try something else. The chute I was trying yesterday has big seams and any way I tried to fold it, those seams just made it too bulky.

See video here:

This up close high quality video was shot with in 15 feet of launch pad. Looks really good view full screen!

 

[mbeels]

Nice, was that the H180?

 

[markjos]

Nice, was that the H180?

I'm pretty sure Gary said it was an H135W DMS.

 

[gary7]

Nice, was that the H180?

yes

 

[gary7]

I'm pretty sure Gary said it was an H135W DMS.

I flew an H135 that day But in a different rocket

 

[markjos]

I flew an H135 that day But in a different rocket

Ah, sorry - I should have kept my nose out of it - my apologies.

 

[gary7]

Nope! I always appreciate any input from you, Mark

 

[gary7]

Got more flight pics from last week. I am very pleased with them.

 

[gary7]

Look at that last pic and you can see exhaust from the ejection charge close to the nose.
Cool!