Waycos Dark Star Extreme
- Thread starter Wayco
- Start date
Help Support The Rocketry Forum:
o1d_dude
'I battle gravity'
Straight boost like it was on rails.
Nice!
Nice!
Nice,
Looks like is was swallowed up in that millet field. GPS tracker made recovery easy didn't it. Kurt
Looks like is was swallowed up in that millet field. GPS tracker made recovery easy didn't it. Kurt
I'm really liking the new Mobius HD video camera. Sharon did a great job editing it too. Thanks for all the compliments, I will take credit for the straight boost, but Kansas provided the perfect day for flying rockets and the Kloudbusters put on a great launch. It's one launch that is on our calendar forever.
Occasionally, I like to go back to an old thread and update it with current information. My "Red-tailed Extreme" is one of my favorite rockets, and has been keeping busy since it's L3 flight back on 8-24-14. I did some data mining today, getting ready for a rocket launching trip through the Southwest this summer, trying to get an idea what I might be able to fly at different launches with different waivers and different altitudes.
I have made 17 flights with this rocket, 12 "M" motors and 5 "L" motors:
8-24-14 M1297 to 13,124 ft. Airfest Argonia, Kansas
10-25-14 M1780 to 13,625 ft. Octoberfest Jean, NV
8-1-15 M1550 to 14,587 ft. Hellfire Bonneville Salt flats, Utah
10-17-15 M1550 to 13,833 ft. Superstition Spacemodeling Society G. Harry Stein Memorial AZ.
6-10-16 M1550 to 14,554 ft. LDRS ROC Lucerne, CA.
8-6-16 M1550 to 14,005 ft. Hellfire on the Bonneville Salt flats, Utah
3-4-17 M1550 to 13,188 ft. Holtville Havoc, CA. TRASD
9-3-17 L1250 to 11,671 ft. Airfest Argonia, Kansas
3-3-18 M1550 to 14,500 ft. Holtville Havoc, CA. TRASD
5-17-18 M1550 to 14,559 ft. LDRS Tripoli Central Calif.
9-1-18 M1805 to 14,323 ft. Airfest Argonia, KS. 76/6000 casing with "Not Your Wimpy Red" propellant.
3-1-19 L1720 to 10,075 ft. Holtville, Calif. TRASD
3-22-19 M2239 to 14,662 ft. TRA/PHX 76/6000 "NYWR" beat my best M1550 flight.
4-6-19 L900 to 10,492 ft. SSS Springblast AZ.
5-17-20 L900 to 10,108 ft. SSS
10-17-20 L1365 to 12,080 ft. SSS G. Harry Stein Memorial AZ.
2-27-21 M1944 to 15,140 ft. 76/8000 with "Sharon's Sparkler" propellant TRA/PHX.
I have made 17 flights with this rocket, 12 "M" motors and 5 "L" motors:
8-24-14 M1297 to 13,124 ft. Airfest Argonia, Kansas
10-25-14 M1780 to 13,625 ft. Octoberfest Jean, NV
8-1-15 M1550 to 14,587 ft. Hellfire Bonneville Salt flats, Utah
10-17-15 M1550 to 13,833 ft. Superstition Spacemodeling Society G. Harry Stein Memorial AZ.
6-10-16 M1550 to 14,554 ft. LDRS ROC Lucerne, CA.
8-6-16 M1550 to 14,005 ft. Hellfire on the Bonneville Salt flats, Utah
3-4-17 M1550 to 13,188 ft. Holtville Havoc, CA. TRASD
9-3-17 L1250 to 11,671 ft. Airfest Argonia, Kansas
3-3-18 M1550 to 14,500 ft. Holtville Havoc, CA. TRASD
5-17-18 M1550 to 14,559 ft. LDRS Tripoli Central Calif.
9-1-18 M1805 to 14,323 ft. Airfest Argonia, KS. 76/6000 casing with "Not Your Wimpy Red" propellant.
3-1-19 L1720 to 10,075 ft. Holtville, Calif. TRASD
3-22-19 M2239 to 14,662 ft. TRA/PHX 76/6000 "NYWR" beat my best M1550 flight.
4-6-19 L900 to 10,492 ft. SSS Springblast AZ.
5-17-20 L900 to 10,108 ft. SSS
10-17-20 L1365 to 12,080 ft. SSS G. Harry Stein Memorial AZ.
2-27-21 M1944 to 15,140 ft. 76/8000 with "Sharon's Sparkler" propellant TRA/PHX.
Last edited:
This has been a amazingly educational, and interesting thread. Thank you Sir!
- Joined
- May 19, 2022
- Messages
- 25
- Reaction score
- 8
Wayco, I'm about 65% done with my build and your guide and responses here have been crucial! Thanks so much for posting this and being super responsive to related questions. Awesome contribution!!!
Since we are coming up on the tenth year anniversary of this thread, and I'm still getting comments on it, I went back and re-read it from the start.
Other than the small print and a couple of lost links, it still holds up pretty well with all the other build threads I have done over the years.
One thing I flinched on was the overhand loop which was displayed prominently in post #42 and #45. WuShuGui commented on it in post #51 and I responded in post #52. My link shows the Alpine butterfly loop (https://www.animatedknots.com/alpine-butterfly-loop-knot ) which I use exclusively since my 5" Wildman Jart came down in two parts, after the overhand loop broke on the drogue shock cord. The overhand loop is a SERIOUS weak point when there is a load at both ends of a line and your parachute/drogue is attached at the loop.
Since my last update on 2-27-2021, my Red-tailed Extreme continues to perform flawlessly. I have made eight flights in the last three years. Five of them have been on the M1550 Redline, Starting at the National Sport launch in Alamosa, Colorado:
5-29-21 M1550 13,408 ft. NSL Alamosa, Co. Ground elevation 7600 ft.
6-4-21 M2017 NYWR 76/6000 research load 15,203 ft. NCR Pawnee National Grassland, Northern Colorado. Ground Elevation 5500 ft.
5-21-22 M1550 13,483 ft. UROC Green River, Utah Ground Elevation 4500 ft.
5-29-22 M1550 13,408 ft. SLVR Alamosa, Co. Ground Elevation 7600 ft.
9-4-22 M1978 NYWR 76/6000 research load 12,688 ft. Airfest Argonia, Kansas Ground Elevation 1249 ft.
11-5-22 M1550 14,384 ft. TRASD Holtville, Ca. Ground Elevation 59 ft.
5-29-23 M1550 15,713 ft. NSL Alamosa, Co. Ground Elevation 7600 ft. Highest flight to date.
9-2-23 M2096 NYWR 76/6000 research load 13,914 ft. Airfest Argonia, Ks. Ground Elevation 1249 ft.
Total altitude gained to date is 337,424 ft.
Last week I prepped this rocket for it's next flight, which will be at NSL West, in Alamosa, Co. Shouldn't be hard to guess what I'm flying there.
The M1550 Redline is by far the most popular motor for this rocket, twelve of the last 25 flights were on this motor, including its highest flight, last year at NSL.
I just went out and took a current picture:
Considering the leading edge damage to the fins, it's amazing to me that it recently made its highest flight. I know it helps tremendously to start at SLVR's field, with a ground elevation of 7600 ft., but I just gotta think this rocket is getting better with age. Every flight its made was over 10,000 ft.
If you plan to attend this years NSL, please stop by and say hi. We are on the back row on the West (left) side as you enter, flying an Arizona flag and a tie-dyed streamer.
Re-reading this thread made me realize how many people have made comments, and continue to make comments here. I want to thank everyone that has done that, and hope that others will continue to benefit from this ten year old thread.
Other than the small print and a couple of lost links, it still holds up pretty well with all the other build threads I have done over the years.
One thing I flinched on was the overhand loop which was displayed prominently in post #42 and #45. WuShuGui commented on it in post #51 and I responded in post #52. My link shows the Alpine butterfly loop (https://www.animatedknots.com/alpine-butterfly-loop-knot ) which I use exclusively since my 5" Wildman Jart came down in two parts, after the overhand loop broke on the drogue shock cord. The overhand loop is a SERIOUS weak point when there is a load at both ends of a line and your parachute/drogue is attached at the loop.
Since my last update on 2-27-2021, my Red-tailed Extreme continues to perform flawlessly. I have made eight flights in the last three years. Five of them have been on the M1550 Redline, Starting at the National Sport launch in Alamosa, Colorado:
5-29-21 M1550 13,408 ft. NSL Alamosa, Co. Ground elevation 7600 ft.
6-4-21 M2017 NYWR 76/6000 research load 15,203 ft. NCR Pawnee National Grassland, Northern Colorado. Ground Elevation 5500 ft.
5-21-22 M1550 13,483 ft. UROC Green River, Utah Ground Elevation 4500 ft.
5-29-22 M1550 13,408 ft. SLVR Alamosa, Co. Ground Elevation 7600 ft.
9-4-22 M1978 NYWR 76/6000 research load 12,688 ft. Airfest Argonia, Kansas Ground Elevation 1249 ft.
11-5-22 M1550 14,384 ft. TRASD Holtville, Ca. Ground Elevation 59 ft.
5-29-23 M1550 15,713 ft. NSL Alamosa, Co. Ground Elevation 7600 ft. Highest flight to date.
9-2-23 M2096 NYWR 76/6000 research load 13,914 ft. Airfest Argonia, Ks. Ground Elevation 1249 ft.
Total altitude gained to date is 337,424 ft.
Last week I prepped this rocket for it's next flight, which will be at NSL West, in Alamosa, Co. Shouldn't be hard to guess what I'm flying there.
The M1550 Redline is by far the most popular motor for this rocket, twelve of the last 25 flights were on this motor, including its highest flight, last year at NSL.
I just went out and took a current picture:
Considering the leading edge damage to the fins, it's amazing to me that it recently made its highest flight. I know it helps tremendously to start at SLVR's field, with a ground elevation of 7600 ft., but I just gotta think this rocket is getting better with age. Every flight its made was over 10,000 ft.
If you plan to attend this years NSL, please stop by and say hi. We are on the back row on the West (left) side as you enter, flying an Arizona flag and a tie-dyed streamer.
Re-reading this thread made me realize how many people have made comments, and continue to make comments here. I want to thank everyone that has done that, and hope that others will continue to benefit from this ten year old thread.
Last edited:
