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Old 09-29-2019, 09:38 AM
A Fish Named Wallyum A Fish Named Wallyum is offline
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Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Ft. Thomas, KY
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Back when Estes Mean Machines were available on the cheap, I bought several as parts kits for other projects. At least twice they became Centuri Thunder Rocs. The first one was a D-powered Roc, the second one E-powered. Both eventually were damaged in flight bad enough that I felt the need to retire them, but after looking them over recently, I realized that they could be fixed fairly easily. The D-powered Roc was the easiest of the two, with just a new fin needed and a body tube kink to be firmed up, so I made the repairs, then waited the rest of the summer for an opportunity to fly it. This was that day, so it became flight #4 on the day. Mike Rohde had flown his at a previous launch this year, and it suffered a broken fin on landing, something that he called the price of flight. For the first flight in 16 years, the Thunder Roc turned in a perfect flight to 500' or so. Recovery via a 15' nylon chute looked perfect, and it landed softly just out from the pads. Not quite softly enough, as a fin could be seen flipping through the air on impact. Price of flight, indeed.
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Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Centuri Design Contest F-150 Hurricane Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Gee'Hod, Shrike, SST Shuttle

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

Ready to fly: Estes - Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark, Snake Jumper
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