Orlando R.O.C.K. Monthly Launch, May 4, 2019

It didn't feel the same today without past President Brian Coyle. Kirby did a great job filling in as RSO. Summer weather is definitely here, we all felt the heat and humidity.

You might hear Jim yell: "More power!" after some of my launches.

This is a new Quest PIPSQUEAK I wasn't worried about losing. It got great altitude with a 35 year old Centuri B6-6. Jim found it and brought it back!






I loaded a customized Semroc SQUIRE with an Estes C6-5. It was unstable!
I have launched it with A8-3 motors before and it flew fine. With the heavier engine it nosed in and dug itself deep into the wet ground. The nose cone was shoved 1/2" into the body tube. I mentioned it was going in the recycle bin. I ended up giving it away for parts!





Skip Paret brought the new Estes 1/200 RTF Saturn V.
This was the first one I had seen. Very clean paint lines and details.

Skip launched it twice with C6-3 engines. Some have mentioned concerns about the weight of the plastic model. It was very stable with a clean parachute eject near apogee.





Saturn Vs were well represented today.
Mike Hughes was given a finished Estes 1/100 scale Saturn V. Today he launched it with the new recommended E20-4 motor.  A beautiful launch with good altitude and recovery under three parachutes.









Here's the two Saturn V launches -

Skip's 1/200 scale RTF on the left,
Mike's 1/100 scale model on the right.










My best flight of the day was the Estes Nike Apache with an Estes B6-4.
Textbook launch and recovery with no damage. Estimated altitude, 375'.






Ella brought two of her Odd'l Rockets today.

Her first Pigasus flight was with a B6-4.
The Little Green Man also flew.






The just finished Semroc SAM had a first launch with an Estes A8-3 to about 200'.
You never know what you'll get using the burst function on a camera. On the right is the moment of ignition.

One of the small fins suffered a snap-back dent.

Today's "also flowns" included a Quest NO MERCY MicroMax rocket to 125'. This is one of the better performing "little plastic bricks". I accordion folded the small Mylar streamer, it did eject and unfurl.

Another test flight of the Odd'l Rockets STEALTH, this time with a B6-4 engine. Altitude was estimated at 350'. The streamer melted and was stuck in the top of the body tube. The nose cone did eject and the model fell without any damage.

Six rockets launched, two retired and the usable parts given away.