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Sunday, Sept. 12, 1999
Durham, CT
A perfect day for the last in our summer series of model rocket launches at the Durham site. Sunny, not too hot, and nearly calm most of the day. Next month we return to Clarks Falls (North Stonington), Connecticut and resume our series of high power rocket launches.
Preparations for the Durham Fair were clearly underway. We shared the field with a large gathering of rubber band-powered airplane enthusiasts. Our monthly contest was Open Glider Duration, which fit in well with the graceful miniature flying machines that buzzed around us all day. Our theme for this launch was "Oddrocs", and we had a few unusual ones!
(photo#1)Eddie Fesko slides his LOC EZI-65 onto the launch rod. Mark Severance looks on. Paul Welling's hardened Estes AMRAAM, painted bright orange, can be seen to the right of CATO's launch rail, donated by blacksky.
(photo#2) There goes the EZI on a G80-4T! Jay Calverts modified Public Enemy Patriot is on the blacksky rail.
(photo#3)...and there goes the Patriot. OH NO! Only one of the two G55-10W motors ignited! Immediately after leaving the rail, the rocket turned sharply to the southwest and thundered off in a low, arching trajectory deep into the swamp. Opinions differ as to whether the second motor ever fired. The Patriot probably never exceeded 400 feet altitude, but rapidly covered several thousand feet along the ground. Chutes were not visible as she slid below the treeline, so she may have impacted hard. A search of the farm fields on the far side of the swamp (about a mile downrange) revealed nothing, so it's likely that Pat found a watery grave in the heart of the swamp. RIP.
(photo#4)Mark Severance attaches igniter clips to his LOC IV, while Paul Welling, Dave Sousa, and Eddie Fesko help out.
(photo#5)Mark's LOC IV jumps off the pad on a G80-4T. To the right is Chris McDonald's Big Brute and Paul's AMRAAM.
(photo#6)Paul has just pressed the button on his AMRAAM. This modified Estes kit is on its way to nearly 4000 feet powered by an Aerotech G35-7W Econojet. I think Paul is still waiting for this one to come down...
(photo#7) This oddroc is a CATO favorite: Paul Welling and his 1/2 scale Sputnik (Paul is the one with the shades and whisters). The great thing about using a styrofoam ball as an airframe is that you can lose large chunks of it and it still "flys" the same! The traditional G35-7W motor resulted in another entertaining flight.
(photo#8) Sean and Jeanne Hogan with a few of their "kids". Shane Skowron's Estes Saturn V can be seen in the background.
(photo#9)This is Keith Smith with his "Hawiian Sling", built from plans on the MACH-1 Industries web site. This unusual rocket recovers using rear ejection of three parachutes (one from each fin pod). A brace of Bullpups stand by for a drag race.
(photo#10)Keith's Hawiian Sling accelerating up the launch rod on D12-5 power.
(photo#11) Drag race!!!
(photo#12) Bill Piedra's modified Estes Phoenix lifts off on a cluster of 3 D12-7 motors.
(photo#13) Frontline: two Estes X-wing fighters (Eric Dornfled, Paul Welling - Paul's on a D21-7T) and a Rogue Aerospace Tse-Tse (Keith Smith). Backfield: Shane Skowron's Saturn V and Bill Piedra's Aerotech Initiator and scratchbuilt Black Brant X.
(photo#14) Bill's Initiator on a G35-7W.
(photo#15)Bill's Initiator on a G35-7W.
(photo#16) Bill's Black Brant X lifts of on a cluster of 3 C6-0 engines. This is a 2-stage rocket that gap-stages to a single D12-7 in the sustainer. This beauty performed flawlessly, twice (and once at the last launch too)! Very reliable for such a complex black powder rocket.
(photo#17)A fine rack of modrocs.
(photo#18)Bill Piedra's scratchbuilt MRD-3 rocket. You can see the blue flame from a cluster of three Aerotech D21-7T motors.
(photo#19) Paul Welling's LOC Onyx on a G35-4W.
(photo#20) Jock Fullmer's Estes Super Nova Payloader heads for the sky.
(photo#21) Shane Skowron's Saturn V soars upward on a D12-3.
HIGHLIGHTS:
- At the last launch Jay Calvert's "Twisted Sisters", twin 24mm minimum diameter rockets that rotate around a common launch lug, took a nose dive on their second flight. This time the duo was born again as "Twisted Mammas", which take 29mm motors. A good clean spiral boost on two F20-7W Econojets was followed by recovery under both chutes.
- We had 31 registered flyers.
- We logged 125 flights.
- We burned 138 motors.
| Micro Maxx | 1 |
| 1/4A | 2 |
| 1/2A | 2 |
| A | 17 |
| B | 13 |
| C | 43 |
| D | 39 |
| E | 2 |
| F | 5 |
| G | 5 |
| H | 0 |
| TOTAL | 138 |
- Top 10 Hot Shots:
| Paul/ Aaron Welling | 545 NS | 5xG35W, D21T |
| Jay/ Cody Calvert | 457 NS | 2xG55W, 2xF20W, 3xD12, C6, B4, B2, A8, 2xA3, 1/2A3, MicroMaxx |
| Eddie Fesko | 360 NS | 2xG80T, G40W |
| Bill Piedra | 324 NS | G35W, 4xD21T, 5xD12, 6xC6 |
| Chris Adams | 286 NS | G80T, G64W, E23T, C6 |
| Keith/ Marc Smith | 200 NS | 7xD12, 5xC6, B6, 2xB4, 3xA8, A10, 4xA3, 1/4A3 |
| Mark Severance | 160 NS | 2xF50T |
| Chris McDonald | 146 NS | G64W, D12, C6 |
| Dale/ Matt/ Shawn Murdock | 122 NS | 4xD12, 4xC6, 2xB6, 3xA10 |
| Jim Robinson | 87 NS | 3xD12, 4xC6 |
Total impulse for the day
= 3221 Newton-Seconds, equivalent to an "L" motor.
| TIME | NAME | GLIDER | PRIZE |
| SENIOR DIVISION: | |||
| 76.53 sec. | Jay Calvert | Deltie 24 (2x upscale of Edmonds Aerospace Deltie boost glider) on D12-5 | 1st place senior:
Three reloads for the 29/40-120 motor, from A2Z Hobbies |
| 72.40 sec. | John Hogan | Silver Hawk boost glider (Holverson) on A3-4T | 2nd place senior:
F25-9W single use motor from A2Z Hobbies |
| 53.37 sec. | Jeanne Hogan | Flat Cat boost glider (Quest) on C6-5 | 3rd place senior:
$5 gift certificate from Aerospace Specialty Products (ASP). |
| 47.82 sec. | Jeanne Hogan | Flat Cat boost glider (Quest) on C6-5 | - |
| 38.66 sec. | Jeanne Hogan | Flat Cat boost glider (Quest) on C6-5 | - |
| 35.88 sec. | Keith Smith | Silver Hawk boost glider (Holverson) on A3-4T | - |
| 33.65 sec. | Jeanne Hogan | Flat Cat boost glider (Quest) on B6-4 | - |
| 27.58 sec. | Jay Calvert | Deltie Twins, glider #1 (double Delties from a single pop pod) on A3-4T | - |
| 25.97 sec. | Jay Calvert | Deltie Twins, glider #2 (double Delties from a single pop pod) on A3-4T | - |
| 23.87 sec. | Keith Smith | Silver Hawk boost glider (Holverson) on A3-4T | - |
| 20.42 sec. | Jay Calvert | Crusader Swing Wing boost glider (OOP Estes) on C6-3 | - |
| 12.75 sec. | Chris Adams | Space Shuttle (Estes) on C6-3 | - |
| 6.56 sec. | Jeanne Hogan | Zoomie (Holverson) on 1/4A3-3T | - |
| JUNIOR DIVISION: | |||
| 87.64 sec. | Cody Calvert | Deltie (Edmonds) on A3-4T | 1st place junior:
Estes Nova Payloader kit from A2Z Hobbies |
| 26.39 sec. | Marc Smith | Silver Hawk (Holverson) on A3-4T | 2nd place junior:
Estes Prime Number Explorer kit from A2Z Hobbies |
| 20.50 sec. | Jeremiah Portman-Owens | Silver Hawk (Holverson) on 1/2A3-2T | 3rd place junior:
$5 gift certificate from Aerospace Specialty Products (ASP). |
| 7.74 sec. | Cody Calvert | Deltie (Edmonds) on 1/2A3-2T | - |
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