Well, it *finally* flew

[Fore Check]

My 227% USS Atlantis upscale made its maiden voyage today.

And it lived to tell the story!

(For those of you unfamiliar with the project, check out this previous thread: https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?threadid=8343&highlight=more+than+3fnc )

Here's the pics to prove it.

First, a glamour shot on the pad.

 

[Fore Check]

And finally, the moment of truth - with 3 x D12-5 engines all set to go, the countown reaches zero.

 

[Fore Check]

WOW WHAT A FLIGHT!!

Majestic, loud, and *high*!!! I was thinking somewhere in the neighborhood of 500ft. Folks, she ripped up to about 900' to 1000'. I was stunned.

And then - *pop* *pop* *pop*

Out came that AWESOME custom 30" T-cup parachute from STL rocketry (edwardw).

Came down with nary a scratch. Perfect!

 

[Fore Check]

With all the time and effort I put into that build, you might imagine how nervous I was finally launching it. Man, I was *not* diappointed. She will fly again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


We flew a bunch of other rockets today too....

Here's a sampling of some of the better launch pics.

First, here's my BT70 upscaled Goblin lifting off on two D12-5's of it's own...

 

[Fore Check]

Then I tried to get a launch pic of my modified Deuce to capture the helix smoke trails due to the canted fins.....

Well, I didn't get that, but it's still a cool pic.

 

[Fore Check]

And one last one - the squids at the controls launching my Teros clone on a C6-7. This rocket simply *rips* every time, as you can tell from the blurry launch photo.

We had a ball!

 

[JStarStar]

Looks like big fun!

On the "atlantis under chute" pic, I see the big tall light tower licking its lips as your rocket drifts near...

 

[Fore Check]

Nah... That one was 50yds in the foreground.

 

[JRThro]

Originally posted by Fore Check
Then I tried to get a launch pic of my modified Deuce to capture the helix smoke trails due to the canted fins.....

Well, I didn't get that, but it's still a cool pic.

What a bunch of great rockets, and great pics!

What park were you flying at, Fore Check? (I'm orignally from St. Charles, which is why I'm asking.)

 

[shockwaveriderz]

cool forecheck...somebody likes clusters......heh

 

[Fore Check]

Originally posted by JRThro
What a bunch of great rockets, and great pics!

What park were you flying at, Fore Check? (I'm orignally from St. Charles, which is why I'm asking.)

I live in North Texas now - that park is in Denton, TX.

 

[BobH48]

First, here's my BT70 upscaled Goblin lifting off on two D12-5's of it's own

I'm about to start on a BT-70 upscale Goblin myself. I was thinking of a long 24mm mount for "E" and "F" motors but that two engine cluster looks cool on lift off.

What kind of altitude did you get on the 2 D12's??

OBTW... Awsome pics of the USS Atlantis. I remember reading the thread when you built it. Beautiful flight!!

 

[carldoc]

Nice Pics.! I love the Goblin. great job on the others too!

 

[Fore Check]

The Goblin gets between 1000' and 1200' on 2 x D12-5's. It really is a great flyer.

I ran a bunch of sims on RockSim when I was putting it together, and the design requires a ton of nose weight on a true BT70 based upscale to go with a cluster of E engines or to increase the cluster to 3 engines. Granted, the 2 x E engines will take it up to somewhere around 1700' - 1900'' (I've got another one, slightly different, that's done it); but I'm pretty happy with what I've got there.

 

[OKTurbo]

ROCK AND ROLL!!!

You finally got the guts to fly that beauty....

She looks great and flies great. Congradulations!

(I was hoping to see this thing launch at NSL, but I'm glad all went well)

John

 

[JRThro]

Originally posted by Fore Check
Then I tried to get a launch pic of my modified Deuce to capture the helix smoke trails due to the canted fins.....

Well, I didn't get that, but it's still a cool pic.

How much did the "Canted A Deuce" spin? And were the trails helical?

Also... I've never seen an Atlantis before... your upscale is an awesome rocket!

 

[radiO]

dang, that atlantis is SWEEEEET!

 

[kelltym88]

Sweet!! Very nice. I hope my upscale flies just as well. Love that Goblin. Just finished my clone and am looking forward to flying one for the first time, ever. Yes, I never had a Goblin as a kid. I've got a 6" mail tube that I found and I'm trying to figure out what to make out of it. Hmmm.......a 6" Goblin.........perhaps.....

 

[Fore Check]

Originally posted by JRThro
How much did the "Canted A Deuce" spin? And were the trails helical?

Also... I've never seen an Atlantis before... your upscale is an awesome rocket!

My deuce spins quite a bit - and yes, the smoke trails appear helical. I canted the fins to induce the spin.

I guess it has to get going in order to start spinnning - probably about 100' or so. But once it starts spinning, it really gets after it. Makes a cool *thwap* *thwap* *thwap* sound on its way up as it spins.

 

[BobH48]

My deuce spins quite a bit - and yes, the smoke trails appear helical. I canted the fins to induce the spin.

I guess it has to get going in order to start spinnning - probably about 100' or so. But once it starts spinning, it really gets after it. Makes a cool *thwap* *thwap* *thwap* sound on its way up as it spins.

Sounds like a great idea! How much did you cant the fins? I'm guessing that you only need a little bit.

The smoke trail must be way cool

I just bought a Dueces Wild recently and maybe I'll just STEAL your idea

 

[Fore Check]

To cant the fins, attach the trailing point of the root edge to the airframe centered on your fin alignment line. Attach the leading point of the root edge to the airframe so the left side of the fin is flush with the right side of the alignment line (i.e. not centered on the alignment line like on the trailing point.) You should not need to sand the root edge of the fin any differently than normal for good attachment.

Here's a few pics of mine from the thread I posted when I finished it.

https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?threadid=6263&highlight=deuce+or+complete

 

[JRThro]

Hey, I didn't realize baseball teams, especially the best team in baseball by far, needed enforcers!

 

[Fore Check]

Originally posted by JRThro
Hey, I didn't realize baseball teams, especially the best team in baseball by far, needed enforcers!

You never know when an obnoxious group of Cubs fans is gonna show up and cause a ruckus....

 

[JRThro]

Originally posted by Fore Check
You never know when an obnoxious group of Cubs fans is gonna show up and cause a ruckus....

Pretty much at every game, right?

 

[WombatSoup]

DENTON?!? I'm a North Texas alum - what part of town is that in? I haven't been there since '93.

 

[kelltym88]

Go Angels!!!!!!!!

 

Fore Check,

Where did you get the nose cone for that awesome upscaled Goblin?

Brian

 

[Fore Check]

Originally posted by WombatSoup
DENTON?!? I'm a North Texas alum - what part of town is that in? I haven't been there since '93.

I think it's called North Lakes Park or something like that.

It's a few blocks north of University (hwy 380). There was a K-Mart (now out of business) at the corner of University and whatever road that is that leads up to the park.

 

[Fore Check]

Originally posted by bswan72
Fore Check,

Where did you get the nose cone for that awesome upscaled Goblin?

Brian

I got the nose cones for the Goblin, the Atlantis, and the Teros all from Sandman (and others too........)

 

[astronboy]

Those rockets... and their pics are SWEET!

Nice job!

Phred