The Super Comanche flys again

[Loki]

I flew my "Super Comanche" three stage rocket at the last METRA launch. This rocket had been in mothballs since its last flight at LDRS 19. It's a 2.5X upscale of the Estes Comanche 3. The first two stages are tumble recovery (as the original), which makes it easier to prep. It flew using three Loki Research reloads H144->H144->H144. The third stage took its time coming up to pressure and I had almost given up on it when zoom! I used two of the Ozark ARTS flight computers, one to fire the stages, and one for deployment. It was a near perfect flgiht, marred only by some landing damage to the second stage.
The flight looked like this:
<img alt="" src="https://www.lokiresearch.com/pics/Super_Comanche.gif">

I haven't built a staged rocket in some time, but I really should do another one. High power staging is a lot of fun.

 

[daveyfire]

That's awesome, Jeff! Looks like you got about 3200 feet out of it... I love the three acceleration profiles that steadily grow as the rocket weight decreases (boosters dropping). I remember seeing the first flight (two blue thunders to H45W I think) on Earl Cagle's LDRS 19 video... I said something along the lines of "three stages? Wow, that guy's NUTS!" I didn't know how right I was

Any pictures? Or do we have to send Vinnie and Tony?

 

[brianc]

Nice!


What's that odd spike in the acceleration between 4 and 5 MET?

Got pics?

 

[rstaff3]

Nice report Jeff. If you don't post pics I'll have to dig thru old HPR mags.

 

[Ryan S.]

cool, I was browsing the Tripoli website and I saw you holding the thing, I thought "hey that is Jeff" and wondered if the rocket had flown, looks like it does.

 

[Loki]

Originally posted by daveyfire
That's awesome, Jeff! Looks like you got about 3200 feet out of it... I love the three acceleration profiles that steadily grow as the rocket weight decreases (boosters dropping). I remember seeing the first flight (two blue thunders to H45W I think) on Earl Cagle's LDRS 19 video... I said something along the lines of "three stages? Wow, that guy's NUTS!" I didn't know how right I was

Any pictures? Or do we have to send Vinnie and Tony?

I took only one photo at the last launch and I haven't developed that roll of film (gak) yet.

There's this photo from the TRA website, taken at LDRS 19

https://www.tripoli.org/photos/pages/bl0104.shtml

 

[Loki]

Originally posted by brianc
Nice!


What's that odd spike in the acceleration between 4 and 5 MET?

Got pics?

The spike is the staging event. Basically, the sustainer motor chuffed. It blew the second stage off as planned, but that depressurized the motor and it took a couple more seconds to come back up to pressure.

I have some old pics around somewhere, but I can't find them right now.

 

[rabidsheeep]

i dont know if the flight picture is yours because i taped over something with my friends, but i heard stages light in the air...

arent cha lucky i taped everything there lol