Saturday looks good for launching around here, and there's a regular Quark launch scheduled. Scott McCrate and I are trying to sync up, but I'm planning on making a day of it. I've been working my butt off building and repairing and I'm hoping to put some big flight numbers up over the course of the day. (I'm hoping 20+, but we'll see how well I hold up.) One of the kits I'm considering for launch is the worn and torn Centuri SSV Scorpion that I rescued from Ebay last year. I don't have any pics handy, but this thing is a basket case, and I'm planning a winter rebuild using strategic parts from the original model. (Nose cone and transition, the satellite section, maybe the baffle.) Since I'll be gutting it in a few weeks, I think I'm going to give it a big send off on Saturday. I'll beef up what I can with thin CA and launch it one more time in its original form.

__________________
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

Wow, I'm fried. Today's Quark launch was a success, at least by my standards. I did some FLYIN'! And some recoverin'. And now I'm so tired that I can barely stand to sit and type this.
Okay, it's a good tired.
I flew so much that I can't remember what order I flew what in, so I'll just go with what I remember. The Centuri Orion clone that I just finished flew on a C11-3. This was a very impressive Moldin' Oldies/Semroc bird with one of the new Semroc baffles. It flew great and the baffle worked as advertised. I was low on C11-3s, so this was the Orion's only flight on the day.
I made three flights each, (B4-2, B6-4, C6-5,) with the Big Bertha, Big Betty, Semroc Vega and Holverson Tangent for an EMRR article. Those rockets wore me out. Typical flights for these big girls.
The Thunder Roc clone that RocSim claimed couldn't fly on an Estes E flew great on an E9-4. Unfortunately the four second ejection charge was a little short, by like four seconds. Patented "GICKK" recovery and a 17 inch zipper. I'm filing a MESS form on this one. Estes owes me a BT-60. Great flight. Left the pad without a wiggle and was making tracks when the leash got yanked.
The Warlord also made its first flight today on a C6-5. Quite a bit of windcocking, but a pretty impressive flight anyway. Now on to paint and cockpit.

More later, with pics. Dinner is calling LOUDLY!

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__________________
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

A steak sammich is good for what ails one after a rocket launch.

Back to where I left off. I flew my newly repaired Squirrel Works X-RV on a B4-2. It was nose down at ejection and at a sufficiently low altitude that the ejection charge fired it HARD into the grass. Luckily it was soft and the X-RV will fly another day.
Vintage flight of the day was the Centuri SSV Scorpion on an Estes C5-3. I felt like it had to be flown on last time before I tore it down and rebuilt it with new tubes. It was a wobbly flight, no big surprise since it's missing most of the large rear fin, but it survived. Hopefully I'll be able to debut the repaired version next spring.
The last flight that I can remember was the Goony Max, which drag raced two other Goony Maxs. Mine was the only 24mm Max, so it wasn't much of a contest.
Another interesting flight was the Squirrel Works Tuber, the Doug Sams two-stage design. Flew great on a B6-0/A8-3 combo.

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__________________
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 pics, nice field, nice rockets, nice day, nice post. You're five for five!

Well, the pics are a little dark, the field had cross country runners going through it until 3:00 or so, the rockets look best from far away, and it was cold. I did enjoy posting, though. I guess that means I'm at least hitting my weight.
Ironic that on the week my daughter has no cross country, I go to fly rockets and find a cross country meet going on. Sometimes I wonder.

__________________
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

Fellow Quarker Tim Dicke also took a picture of the Orion launch. I really need to get more adventurous with my photography and try the zoom for a change. This shot is awesome!

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__________________
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

Looks like the wind was blowing in that last one. The smoke is out running the rocket off the pad.

__________________
Steve Carr
NAR 82506

The wind was blowing all day, but it wasn't terrible. Made things a little chilly if you happened to be underdressed, but again, not terrible.

__________________
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

That Orion liftoff looks good! It obviously makes me want to build one too. Another one added to the list that never ends...

Pretty simple build, mostly because I didn't bother with the wraps. I reserve the right to add them later, AFTER I see how it handles the Estes ejection charges. (I've had some really lousy luck lately.)
Speaking of which, I figured out how to fix the Semroc Taurus that was maimed by an Estes ejection charge back in the summer. I had to replace a tube and a transition, and change the seperation point, but it should be back flying by the next Quark launch in two weeks.

__________________
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