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ThunderRoc Launch Report!
Single launch today. First really beautiful day here in NW Ohio for a LONG time. Winds were about 3-6 MPH, temp 75 degrees. Launch was with an Estes D12-5 , rod angled about 10 degrees windward to be sure of a close recovery. Tracked very straight with no discernable rolling or spiraling. Estimate peak altitude at about 450 to 500 feet. Deployment of both 18" chutes was perfect for a nice, gentle descent. Touched down about 50 yds upwind. (I could have reduced the angle to 5 or 0 degrees as I had plenty of room downwind also, but better safe than sorry.) This is one awsome flyer; even better than I remember!
I really want to thank Semroc for the laser cut fins and JimZ for the pdf decal sheet, and last but not least the "Fish" for tipping me off in his EMRR review that this could be built from a stock Mean Machine kit. |
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Man! Am I glad I decided to go with the dual 18" chutes instead of the single 24" that came with the Mean Machine kit that I bashed. I had one launch this afternoon, my third for the 'Roc, and somehow one of the 'chute canopies got draped over the fins while the shock cord was stretched. When it contracted, it tightened the entire canopy over the aft end. The rocket came down with the body horizontal dangling from the remaining 'chute which was attached by pure coincidence at what was very near the CG point on the body. I think some of the onlookers thought the horizontal recovery was nominal. I shudder to think what would have happened if a single parachute had hung up like that. The only damage was a little deformation of the chute that contacted the still hot engine nozzle.
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John Lance Ladd Yoyodyne Propulsion Systems Grovers Mill, NJ Established 1938 lladd.netau.net |
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