I waited until it cooled down some before I headed out tonight, but some was not enough. That, coupled with the piles of goose gifts and the biting flies that come as bonus gifts, led me to leave the field after only four flights, all first timers.
Anyway, first off was the Centuri Alien Scoutship Flying Saucer that I seem to have been working on since the company still existed. It's not painted yet, but of the rockets I flew tonight two were nekkid, and one still needed decals. (But will never get them.) The Saucer flew on a C6-0, one of those rare occasions where I can fly a C at B6-4 Field.



Believe it or not, this was all I got. The flight pics came back just smoke. I never expected it to get off the pad anywhere that quick. It could also be that my camera is slowing down, but it seemed pretty fast. The flight was about 150' and I was expecting it to land on the legs, but it did the whole flight in the same orientation. Butt end was the last to leave the pad and the first to hit.

Second flight was the Estes Fusion X25, also nekkid.



I finished this last night after starting it a couple of months back. It's a nice little A8-3 bird here.



The flight was arrow straight, which surprised me because I wasn't sure the fins were on that straight. Topped out at 250-300' level, then began drifting toward the trees at ejection. Luckily the parachute didn't completely unfurl at first. (Shroud line caught on one of the forward fins.) That 30 feet or so made the difference in landing up the hill or landing on top of the hill.





I'll take up the hill every time.

__________________
Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Centuri Mini Dactyl Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion Estes F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II Semroc Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark, Groonie Der V 1/2

Flight #3 was the Estes GeoSat LV that I picked up via Ebay last week. It came with a broken fin, which I reglued last night. Pretty hefty bird, and I'm tempted to rebuild it with a 24mm mount.





I lowered the spring on the pad to get it as low as possible. C6-3 flight and it looked to be in trouble from the start when it arced toward US 27 with the trees and wires. It actually did make it out over traffic, which cinched me up badly. Then at ejection the Mylar chute that came with the rocket only partially unfurled. (IS this a trend?) It caught the breeze back toward the field and missed the wires and trees by 10' before landing in the 1969 batter's box. MAN! Did I live lucky on that one!

That used up my luck for the night. The last flight was an Estes Monarch that I was almost finished painting. A real pain to paint, but I liked the way it was coming out.



The Monarch is a tweener rocket at the field. It can go either A8-3 or B6-4, but the A flights are low enough that I'm usually disappointed. I went with the B6-4 tonight, figuring on a flight path somewhere between the Fusion and the GeoSat. Turns out the Fusion was the mid point.



The Monarch left the pad leaning right, headed out toward the school. Perfect flight and ejection at around 400', and for a while it looked like it would be okay and land up the hill.



Nope. Landed on top of the hill about 30' up in one of the trees. Guess I'll have to hope for another Estes sale this weekend.

__________________
Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Centuri Mini Dactyl Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion Estes F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II Semroc Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark, Groonie Der V 1/2

I did clean out my range box of all the engine casings and spent "starters", so there's that.



And, of course, there's the poo shot for Scott.

__________________
Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Centuri Mini Dactyl Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion Estes F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II Semroc Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark, Groonie Der V 1/2

Nice...

Got a quick question for you...

What tube size is the clear payload section on the Geo Sat LV?? Is that nosecone BT-60??

Just curious...

Later! OL JR

__________________
The X-87B Cruise Basselope-- THE Ultimate Weapon in the arsenal of Homeland Security and only $52 million per round!

Not sure. I would think BT-60 because the base of the "satellite" is a BT-55 reducer. I think this is the old Titan kit, so you could find out by checking out what nose cone that used.

__________________
Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Centuri Mini Dactyl Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion Estes F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II Semroc Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark, Groonie Der V 1/2

Too bad you are so far away. I have a couple of poles which can rescue that one...


Bill

__________________
It is well past time to Drill, Baby, Drill!

If your June, July, August and September was like this, you might just hate summer too...

Please unload your question before you ask it unless you have a concealed harry permit.

: countdown begin cr dup . 1- ?dup 0= until cr ." Launch!" cr ;

Give a man a rocket and he will fly for a day; teach him to build and he will spend the rest of his days sanding...

I'm not giving up on it just yet. If it can hold out until Wednesday I'm going to bust out the Wrist Rocket.
And maybe a window or two.

__________________
Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Centuri Mini Dactyl Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion Estes F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II Semroc Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark, Groonie Der V 1/2

The clear tube is BT-60. The nose cone is an unusual one; it may be used only with that kit. It is not the Titan nose cone as that one is BT-70 and can be bought today in the large TARC parts assortment from Estes.

The "satellite" is attached to the reducer and is also used in the SDI Satellite kit.


Bill

__________________
It is well past time to Drill, Baby, Drill!

If your June, July, August and September was like this, you might just hate summer too...

Please unload your question before you ask it unless you have a concealed harry permit.

: countdown begin cr dup . 1- ?dup 0= until cr ." Launch!" cr ;

Give a man a rocket and he will fly for a day; teach him to build and he will spend the rest of his days sanding...

Apparently also the MX Missile and Mini Mars Lander. Wow. The Titan must be a monster.
I was trying to think of the name of the SDI Satellite. I have that nose cone from my first ever Designer's Special. MAN, was I p'd off. Now I have the tubes for the clone.

__________________
Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Centuri Mini Dactyl Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion Estes F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II Semroc Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark, Groonie Der V 1/2

I remember the Geo Sat LV being a heavy rocket that really needed a C motor and always broke a fin on landing. That or I just kept launching it till it would break a fin. Seems like I always ran out of rockets before I ran out of motors.

If I ever got my hands on another (and I'd like to) I would seriously consider a cluster with whatever motor would fit in the side boosters and still use the plastic nozzels for display.

Sorry about the Monarch, it was looking real good. Figures, right?

Dig your launch threads.

__________________
Retro-grouch