July 13, 1997 - Launch Report
The college's recreation field was completely empty except for us. We brought out everything tonight and fully intended to send them all up. I also had completed my homebrew launch controller so I wouldn't have to mash wires anymore. Plus, it lets the kids do the launches again.
The Twister went first on an A8-3. Hooked everything up, tested continuity and the piezo-buzzer rang out. We're ready. I forget exactly who launched what. Nearly everyone got a chance.
5-4-3-2-1
Push the button!
Swish!
The Twister disappeared off the pad. I forgot how fast this thing takes off!
Nobody saw it until the ejection charge went off and left a nice big smoke
plume in the sky. The rear section with motor came down close, but the top
helicopter drifted some 300' away.
The second flight was the SuperShot on a B6-4. Almost forgot the wadding. Up she went and then popped the chute and everything worked as planned.
Third was Big Bertha on a C6-5. As you may notice, we were building suspense by getting a little more spectacular with each flight. Bertha flew very well, her chute deployed just fine. I'm trying a new chute-folding method that I read about in the rec.models.rockets newsgroup. Seems to be working well.
Okay, change over to the 3/16ths rod and bring out The Shadow. She's all painted now. Cherry red NC and top 12" of BT, fading into grey through the mid-section where the main decal is. Then fading into gloss black just ahead of the smaller dorsal fins. The color fades were done by hand with spraycans and came out very well. I gotta get a picture to scan and put in here sometime. I'm so proud!
The Shadow is prepped with her usual twin D12-5's. Kyle launched her for the first time. He looked a little nervous.
5-4-3-2-1
Push the button!
Big Woosh!
Straight up and pretty. She drifted down only some 70-80' away.
I cannot wait until the new Estes NCR F62s hit the shelves. The alternate
29mm mount is ready and waiting. I just hope the airframe can handle 20G
acceleration.
Switched launchrods and prepped Big Bertha again on a C6-5. No problems, she wooshed up and drifted back down close to the pad. I'm really pleased with the new way of folding the parachutes. I'll put the description in the launch tips section soon.
Switched back to the 3/16ths rod and got The Shadow ready again. This time for Tim to launch. He made me show him twice how to work the controller. He looked more nervous than Kyle.
5-4-3-2-1
Push the button!
Big Woosh!
The Shadow takes to the sky again, leaving lotsa smoke behind. Tim chuckles
and says "Cool!" Shadow deploys her chute and drifts down, wandering this
way and that as the breeze cannot make up its mind which way to go. Touches
down finally, about 100' away.
Unfortunately it was getting dark and the mosquitos (insects, not rockets) were out in force, so we packed it in.