Next came the regular Goonybird Zoom Broom.



No chute. Nose blow recovery. This bird has been given some nose weight since the last time it flew and I needed another flight for review. I chose a B6-4 and was pretty impressed with the altitude.



It fluttered out of the sky down to the wet, soft grass. No problems with the recovery. Kinda funny how much ejection gunk flew up into the nose cone. (Most of the recovery wadding. )

__________________
Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

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

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

Ready to fly: Estes - Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark

I've still got two flights to talk about, but my daughter wants the computer to look at purses or America's Next Top Model or Webkinz. I'll get to them later.

__________________
Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

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

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

Ready to fly: Estes - Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark

My next to last launch was my newly re-powered Estes National Aerospace Plane on a D12-7.



I originally built this with a stock 18mm mount while at the same time replacing the balsa with basswood. Mistake? You bet. It clawed its way to a max altitude of 250' on a C6-5, wiggling all the way. I pulled the 18mm mount and put in a 24mm. This solved the power problem, but not the shake. It got plenty high on the D12-7.



I guess nose weight is the next project. And paint.

__________________
Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

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

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

Ready to fly: Estes - Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark

Finally, the Astron Spaceman variant that I call the Astron Raceman. (Richard Petty for those of you who weren't raised with stock car racing when it was worth watching.) I tossed this together for an EMRR contest a few years ago, but never bothered to fly it until yesterday.



I loaded it with a B6-4 and fired it up. I was shocked at how quickly it left the pad and missed the launch shot completely. It got up pretty high, but the ejection charge still sounded like a shotgun. King Richard fluttered at first, then began falling head first, missing the road by only a few feet. He still launched and arm on impact, but should fly again after repairs. This is one my niece and nephew will love at B6-4 Field when it dries.

__________________
Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

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

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

Ready to fly: Estes - Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark

Was he driving a Pony-ack or a Dodge? <vbg>

...

When I turned on my first Winston Cup race (since the 79 Daytona 500), it was 1985 or 86, and Dale Sr was "frammin' and bammin'" with Geoff Bodine at North Wilkeboro, IIRC. I was immediately hooked. For a long time I lamented not having followed the sport more closely in the 70's, but in hindsight I think I got to see it in its best years from the mid-80's to the mid-90's. It's kinda over-sanitized for my likin' nowadays, and maybe has too many cookie-cutter tracks.

When they took away points for Dale Jr's cursing a while back, I was seriously put off.

Doug

He was drivin' a Plymouth back when I took an interest. Before that he'd also driven an Olds and a Ford. After that he drove Buicks and even "Chivvys".
Lately I've been approaching things like this. I see one of the commercials that they're running during the races and think "Would Cale Yarborough have done something like this?" In the case of some of the current Kasey Kahne commercials, NO WAY! That's just creepy.

__________________
Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

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

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

Ready to fly: Estes - Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark