April 26, 1997 - Launch Report
We were launching from right behind my in-law's house, a future subdivision site that right now is just mounds of top soil and short weeds. Kyle set up the launchpad while I prepped Big Bertha with a B6-4 and a sheet of wadding.
"5-4-3-2-1" Whoosh!
I really like twilight launches! Sparks and flame soaring into the sky. My
mother-in-law's little dog took cover under the picnic table. Bertha flew as
perfect as usual, the parachute brought her down some 100' away.
A few of the neighbors came out to see what was going on as we got Bertha ready again. Now that I knew there wasn't any jet streams lurking above the rooftops, in went a C6-5.
"5-4-3-2-1" Whooooosh!
Bertha away! Beautiful high flight that weather-cocked just enough to take
her way up over the houses. Then she drifted back to almost the exact spot
she landed on the first flight. The in-laws and neighbors were all wow'd by
Bertha's pyrotechnics that time. Looked like she was climbing on top of a 2'
column of flame.
The SuperShot went up lastly on a B6-4 and flew well. Even the chute deployed this time. I took extra care packing the shock cord and parachute this time and it seemed to pay off.
The next day (04/27/97) we launched the Twister with an A8-3 and we lost track of the top half. After searching for half an hour, we gave up and flew Bertha again. She extended her perfect record. We had to pack it in for the day, there was much grumbling about the missing half of the Twister.
The next morning, we had to make the trip back to Cincinnati, but myself and my two youngest daughters went out into the field to search. Veronica (8) found the missing nose of the Twister in a shallow depression that I'd walked within 5' of at least twice. So we had our rockets all back in one piece and we were able to come home happy.
I have my parts now for the "The Shadow" project. I just need to find time to work on it.