The Mighty Thumper — First Flight Video

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ThirstyBarbarian

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@Mr G and I obtained a built Polecat Thumper from @AHansom. 2 years ago, and we were finally able to fly it for our first time on March 5, 2022.

What a flight! This was the biggest rocket and biggest motor I’ve ever had a direct hand in flying. There was some heart-stopping drama with the recovery gear during the flight, but it turned out great.

The flight was at a LUNAR club launch at their Snow Ranch site, which is a really beautiful location.

Details:
  • Polecat Thumper
  • 35 pounds on the pad
  • CTI K635 Redline
  • 1,600 feet
  • Apogee single deploy with motor backup
  • 12-foot Spherachute
  • Rocket carried a “skydiver”
Other details and credits are in the video.

Thanks @AHansom! It’s a fun rocket!

 
@Mr G and I obtained a built Polecat Thumper from @AHansom. 2 years ago, and we were finally able to fly it for our first time on March 5, 2022.

What a flight! This was the biggest rocket and biggest motor I’ve ever had a direct hand in flying. There was some heart-stopping drama with the recovery gear during the flight, but it turned out great.

The flight was at a LUNAR club launch at their Snow Ranch site, which is a really beautiful location.

Details:
  • Polecat Thumper
  • 35 pounds on the pad
  • CTI K635 Redline
  • 1,600 feet
  • Apogee single deploy with motor backup
  • 12-foot Spherachute
  • Rocket carried a “skydiver”
Other details and credits are in the video.

Thanks @AHansom! It’s a fun rocket!


Very nice, good to see you guys got it up in the air
 
Very nice, good to see you guys got it up in the air

Yeah, it took awhile. We got the rocket just as COVID was starting in March, 2020, and then launches shut down around here for the most part. The first few launches this year we spent sorting out the motor, motor retention, recovery gear, and electronics. And we finally got it up almost exactly 2 years after receiving it.
 
Very enjoyable video. Thanks, Eric.

Thanks. I enjoyed editing this together. The guy who shot the video footage did a great job with just his cell phone camera keeping the rocket in the frame the whole time. The still shots were taken by a rocket buddy who always captures TONS of high-quality images at every launch. And I think the LCO did a really nice play-by-play announcement of the flight in real time that added a lot. So I had some good material to work with. Those guys are all in the credits.
 
That was awesome!!! Great launch and video. First time I have ever seen a skydiver. I think you have started something.
Glad your enjoying the rocket!!!

Pictures are my 2008 Level III launch. Still flies good for almost 15 year old.
 

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That was awesome!!! Great launch and video. First time I have ever seen a skydiver. I think you have started something.
Glad your enjoying the rocket!!!

Pictures are my 2008 Level III launch. Still flies good for almost 15 year old.

Thanks! And thank you for the rocket.

This flight was a lot of fun. And hopefully we can fly it again soon. The skydiver thing is something I’ve done before with fat diameter rockets like my Warlock. But the 10” diameter really has a HUGE payload capacity, and we might try packing a whole zoo of critters in there eventually.
 
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