LAUNCH! Schoolyard May 18, 2011

In Orlando, this time of the year, you've got to be up early to beat the wind. Since I didn't have to take my daughter into school this morning, I was at the schoolyard at 7:30 a.m.
Julio was there and flying his electric RC plane. Between flights, he pressed the launch button so I could get pictures.

Here's my well worn Odd'l Rockets PIPELINE. It spun well with an A8-3 in it's tail. You could see the spiral pattern in the smoke trail going up. I used a long streamer, but today I could have used the 12" parachute.
The shock cord will need replacing and there was a small dent in to body tube. All repairable, but I think it's time for a new Pipeline in the fleet. I think I have a few here somewhere.

I'm using up the last of the old MPC 1/2A3-5m engines in my Semroc THUNDERBEE. This is a perfect bird for them. I caught it before it could hit the ground and break a fin. Estimated altitude was 450'.

I finally flew my Semroc BATROK. It was painted to match the old Adam West Batman costume colors, complete with a yellow nose block "utility belt". It had a loud boost with a Quest A6-4 to approximately 400'.

This model hangs upside down during recovery, like a bat. Actually, it's to keep the pointed fins from tangling with the shroud lines at ejection.
At ejection, that rear line pulled off a fin! I followed it coming down and it had a clean break at the root edge. It's repairable.

Also Flown:
The FlisKits HEMV-4 with a MicroMaxx. I can't explain this one, for the first time in a dozen flights, it was unstable! It flipped end over end, blew the streamer and landed undamaged.
The Red River Rocketry LIL' RED FEZ with an A10-3t. This is a free download, made up as a giveaway for NARAM 52. You can get it HERE. Stable with a little coning at boost. While the A10-3t engine is not recommended, I build mine heavier from 110 lb. cardstock. It flew fine except for some staining after landing on wet grass. I'd better seal it up with a clear coat.
The CORKSCREW with an Estes A3-4t engine. High, straight boost and a corkscrew smoke trail. During recovery it falls almost horizontal, with the open end of the tail ring up so there's never any damage.

Julio is a great flier, well experienced with his RC plane. It went down over a fence in a backyard. He was looking for it when I had to pack up. Like I've mentioned before, this is a small but handy field.