The UPS Fairy Visited! (Ultimate Wildman)

rocket sok
Shop deals on ebay
The Rocketry Forum

Help Support The Rocketry Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Again Kevin, sorry about the luck on this one. All of KRASH was rooting for you. I hope I am there to see your next attempt.
 
That's a rather impressive spack. How much were you able to dig out?
 
rfjustin said:
On a positive note, I did get a video of the your L3 attempt as well as Smemo's Folly.

I can post the video of you L3 shot if, and only if, you would like.
Click to expand...

Let's skip the carnage, but I'd love it if you could post the video of Smemo's Folly!

-Kevin
 
Katie, my 11 year old daughter, is still talking about how bad she felt for you Kevin. I explained to her that all the friendly teasing was all in fun and that EVERYONE there was pulling for you.

Yes, definitely post Smemo's Folly video. We couldn't stay for Sunday or Monday and missed it.
 
Mindcrime said:
Katie, my 11 year old daughter, is still talking about how bad she felt for you Kevin. I explained to her that all the friendly teasing was all in fun and that EVERYONE there was pulling for you.
Click to expand...

Tell Katie "Thank You," and that yes, it was all in fun -- Bob and Terry (I can't believe I'm admitting this in public) are friends of mine. We give each other endless amounts of grief, and have a great time doing it.

Yes, definitely post Smemo's Folly video. We couldn't stay for Sunday or Monday and missed it.
Click to expand...

I'm working on getting my hands on pictures of it, too!

-Kevin
 
THarrison said:
Wow bummer... What were the primary and backup charge sizes?
Click to expand...

~2.5 - 3g. I had ground-tested with two, with more void space than was present with the packed recovery, and upped it a little bit when I packed it for flight.

-Kevin
 
troj said:
~2.5 - 3g. I had ground-tested with two, with more void space than was present with the packed recovery, and upped it a little bit when I packed it for flight.

-Kevin
Click to expand...

How many/size shear pins?
 
I hate Monday (Tuesday) morning/afternoon quarterbacking... But... One suggestion which you may have already implemented is to up the secondary charge. Something of the 6" or so realm I make a gram greater.

But jeez, really there is a lot of variability, and we've all had mishaps. I tend to experience it mostly on smaller diameter rockets where there is less surface area that you are pushing against (plus I use Triple 7 which adds risk in, and of itself).

Kevin, you seem to have a great attitude. I have played the same thing through in my mind as I get closer to my L3 flight coming up the end of October. My rewind, if it should occur, will like involve a lot of concrete form tubing and foam to keep the cost down. But hey, who knows... In the mean time... :cheers:
 
dixontj93060 said:
One suggestion which you may have already implemented is to up the secondary charge. Something of the 6" or so realm I make a gram greater.
Click to expand...

Next time, charges will be bigger. The frustrating, thing, though, is that since we couldn't dig far enough, I have zero clue whether or not the charges even fired.

We know the altimeters were happy -- others heard them beeping, too.

Kevin, you seem to have a great attitude. I have played the same thing through in my mind as I get closer to my L3 flight coming up the end of October. My rewind, if it should occur, will like involve a lot of concrete form tubing and foam to keep the cost down. But hey, who knows... In the mean time... :cheers:
Click to expand...

Like I just said to someone in another thread, once it's on the pad, it either works or it doesn't.

When another guy was getting really nervous before they pushed the button, I told him that, and told him that hopefully it works (Clay is a great guy, and his wife is fantastic, too). I also told him that once you decide to put it on the pad, if it fails, you have two choices -- 1) get pissed and quit, or 2) take it in stride, and press on.

-Kevin (who will be back, trying again next year)
 
For those that haven't heard, Kevin ACTUALLY did get his L-3........

...........Unfortunately it was in China the hard way....and they don't have a prefecture there ;););););).

All kidding aside, I really am sorry you had a bad day.

Jim
 
Let's skip the carnage, but I'd love it if you could post the video of Smemo's Folly!
Click to expand...

Sure!

What motor was in Smemo's Folly? I don't think I caught that bit of info.

Let me know, I'll post the video later this week. I have a surprising amount to sort through.



Justin
 
troj said:
Next time, charges will be bigger. The frustrating, thing, though, is that since we couldn't dig far enough, I have zero clue whether or not the charges even fired.

We know the altimeters were happy -- others heard them beeping, too.



Like I just said to someone in another thread, once it's on the pad, it either works or it doesn't.

When another guy was getting really nervous before they pushed the button, I told him that, and told him that hopefully it works (Clay is a great guy, and his wife is fantastic, too). I also told him that once you decide to put it on the pad, if it fails, you have two choices -- 1) get pissed and quit, or 2) take it in stride, and press on.

-Kevin (who will be back, trying again next year)
Click to expand...

Your altimeters were definitely happy, and I'd have a hard time believing that both of them failed to fire. I think that your charges were probably just too small.

Oh, and given those shear pins, and the volume being pressurized, I'd personally go for around 5-6g if you use a similar rocket next time. I'm surprised that it didn't work though, since it ground tested successfully.
 
You've been unluckly, but it happens.

A friend had an ejection charge failure and planted a 6' Wildman CF rocket on a sod farm. After some looking he noticed a small 1" high black disk from 150 yards and when he walked up to it, realized it was his motor retainer sticking out of the ground. He pulled out the after section with the motors, and had to dig a bit, but recovered the entire rocket and amazingly the airframe and electronics was undamage. It has flown over a dozen times since the lawn dart without incident.

Bob
 
Mindcrime said:
Any special not-so-hidden meaning behind using a Blue Baboon?? :)
Click to expand...

Yep. It was cheaper than a K975WW... :p

Seriously, I originally planned on the K975, then a friend offered the K800, and it was enough motor for stable flight, so I took him up on it.

-Kevin
 
bobkrech said:
A friend had an ejection charge failure and planted a 6' Wildman CF rocket on a sod farm. After some looking he noticed a small 1" high black disk from 150 yards and when he walked up to it, realized it was his motor retainer sticking out of the ground. He pulled out the after section with the motors, and had to dig a bit, but recovered the entire rocket and amazingly the airframe and electronics was undamage. It has flown over a dozen times since the lawn dart without incident.
Click to expand...

Excellent!

Argonia's roc...er...pav...er..."soil" is a bit hard for any such luck.

-Kevin
 
Not trying to be a dork, but I talked to Crazy Jim and Wildman before I flew mine. They use 6 grams...worked for me, too! Hope you have success next time!
 
Sorry about your L3 attempt. I was hoping you were going to get it this time.
 
I too have to say how sorry this did not have the intended outcome. I do have to say that Kevin took this, like a real trooper, and with a better attitude, than I know I would have. In fact the "smack" had already started for the next attempt, before we even left the launch field! This bunch of rocketeers are an amazing group, with there knowlege, camaraderie, and willing to share anything learned. I have full confidence Kevin will get his Level 3.

Mike D.
 
Last edited:
Thought I would dig this out of the basement.:duck: Missed! :neener:

Anyways, Kevin, when do you think you will be making another go at L3?
 

Similar threads

Rob Campbell
Ultimate Darkstar Kit Just Arrived!
Replies
2
Views
408
Rob Campbell
Rob Campbell
FlyBy01
Level 3 Build Thread
Replies
29
Views
2K
FlyBy01
FlyBy01
Bobrogg
Wildman Blackhawk 98
Replies
11
Views
751
Hobie1dog
Hobie1dog
S
Bad Ematch?
Replies
22
Views
1K
rharshberger
rharshberger
DMehalko
For Sale Wildman 6" Ultimate Darkstar Kit *NEW*
Replies
8
Views
1K
cwbullet
cwbullet

Latest posts

Back
Top