#21
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The dang thing flies just fine. Looks like a rocket going up and changes into a skinny blimp as it comes down. It needs plenty of room however cause it goes wherever it wants to on the way down, just like most blimps do in the wind. Did it gets it name because someone at Estes saw it for the first time and asked the designer " DUDE, are you really going to fly that" LOL
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Geoffrey NAR 85416 L3 as of 4/2010 "There is never enough rope to do the job but it is always long enough to hang yourself up with problems" |
#22
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One thing to remember, you have to fly it when there is hardly any wind at all. Not so much for how the wind will carry it away (which it will), but even sitting on the launch pad any breeze will want to dump the launch pad over onto it's side.
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#23
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Thanks! PM sent. Jeff Last edited by jeff_in_AZ : 01-05-2009 at 01:48 PM. |
#24
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It turns out that I videotaped the 2 flights we have made with our Dude, here is a link to the video of the flights: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5S8k8ONtgQ The first flight was on a D12-3 with air in the balloon, the 2nd flight was on a D12-5 using Helium in the balloon. You can judge for yourself, but I think that Bob is right, the Helium didn't seem to make much difference. The altitude was about the same, maybe a little gentler on the landing with Helium. We had a lot of trouble trying to use the launch pad that comes with the kit due to the hardness of the desert ground, so we just used a standard launch pad with 1/4" launch rod both times. Jeff |
#25
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I love the backslide before deployment.
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#26
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When it first came out we did a fast calculation on the mass difference between air and He and it was like an ounce or two for that volume (actual numbers are in the r.m.r archives...).
I flew one on an Aerotech E15-4 and it did start to flex aerodynamically. D12 is best. The only reason it would get burn holes at ignition, is if you did not read the instructions and support it well above the flat blast deflector. My only burn holes are from post ejection minute embers that managed to impact the bag. The name comes from the Big Lebowski. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118715/
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-Fred Shecter NAR 20117 (L2) Southern California Rocket Association, NAR Section 430 |
#27
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Knowing that, now I wish it was still in production! Love the vids, Jeff! Mark \\.
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Mark S. Kulka NAR #86134 L1,_ASTRE #471_Adirondack Mountains, NY
Opinions Unfettered by Logic • Advice Unsullied by Erudition • Rocketry Without Pity
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#28
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I have a couple of Ellis G20 motors ... and I have two "Dudes" still in their boxes. Hmmm .... -- Roger |
#29
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Darn ... that probably rules out using a G20. -- Roger |
#30
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Chad staging works great with these things...
Mario |
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