Launch, Schoolyard, March 3, 2014

The field has been closed for the last month. The sign said something about "giving the grass a rest". I expected fresh sod, full and green. It looked like it always did, tight and low crabgrass. 
Only one launch picture today, I was messing with the burst settings and screwed things up!

First up was the MPC TAURUS.
In the past igniters were installed the night before and the engine designation written on the white tape. This time, engines were in place, igniters were added at the field.
I thought this one had a 1/2A3-4, plenty of engine for a BT-5 rocket on a small field. It got way too much altitude for a 1/2 A, at least 600 feet.
The inset picture shows the street landing. A lot of drift even with the 6" parachute.
When I got home I pulled the engine, it was an A3-4T.


Look close at the GYROC.
On the right side, one of the rudder fins is broken off. This must have happened when I closed my range box.
I figured it wouldn't matter much, This rudder doesn't act as a stop for the flipped vane.

With an A8-3 it got to an estimated 250' with a slow turn during boost.
A loud ejection pop and the vanes flipped. The Gyroc hit the grass spinning, bounced up and did a few more spins. I found the missing rudder in the range box.




Here's the only launch picture of the morning.
The Estes REFLECTOR flew with a A8-3 to an estimated 225'.
At ejection I heard a snap-back hit.
When it was picked up and inspected there were no Estes smiles in the nose cone but one fin was cracked along the root edge.

The Centuri NOMAD clone was a little close!
An A10-3t was loaded into a 20/50 adapter.
I was expecting the same flight results as an 18mm A8-3.
Boost was fine to about 175'.
The model turned over at apogee and nosed in. The parachute ejected about 30 feet above the ground! No real damage, the upper launch lug was braking off the standoff.
This engine was more like a 1/2A3-5!

In the background are Bertie and Olga. They are at the basketball courts walking every day. They seem to enjoy and applaud the launches.

The Quest STRIKER AGM was my best flight of the day with an Estes B6-4.
A textbook flight and (caught) recovery under a new 15" Odd'l Rockets parachute.
Altitude was about 325'.