Flight Log - 2011-07-02 - Rich DeAngelis's Gamma Ray

T' Gamma-Ray: My first Quest kit. It features a translucent red payload tube, three swept fins, and plastic nose cone and transition section. Ahoy! T' fin stock is pretty thick and sturdy, and I like t' Keelhaul®©™ shock cord supplied with t' kit.  I painted it high-gloss metallic red with silver (stick-on) decals. Ahoy! I also added extra silver foil stickers t' really make this model shine. Avast, me proud beauty! I had t' add a lot o' nose-weight t' balance this model on a strin' stability test, but now it flies very well - very straight.  T' nose-weight was glued in t' t' tip o' t' plastic nosecone, so I still have full use o' t' payload bay.  T' payload tube has vent holes added for a barometric altimeter. It can get pretty far up thar with B and C motors. Avast! I bought this kit cheap as part o' a package deal on eBay, didn't give it much respect. But it consistently flies well and it is growin' on me. Arrr! I would recommend this model, but defiantly string-stability test it with a C motor and add nose-weight as necessary, or you'll probably be very sorry you didn't. Begad! Its light enough t' fly very high, matey, but t' supplied 14-inch parachute is too large unless you really pack t' ounces into t' payload.  Even with a 18 gram payload and a 1-1/2 inch spill hole cut into t' chute, it still descends at only 5 mph, allowin' t' wind t' take it pretty far. T' material Quest uses for parachutes also seems very light but too stiff, and often it will nay unfurl even when plummetin' down at about 30 mph.  I now use a 12” Estes parachute.  T' other advantage o' a smaller chute (aside from gettin' lost) is that it's easy t' pack into that small, ya bilge rat, 13mm body tube.  I can easily get beyond  800 feet with a C6-7 in this. Begad! This rocket has flown higher than t' Rennaissance Tower in Dallas, TX and t' Charlotte Bank o' America Corporate Center. Well, blow me down! It could easily look down at t' Trump World Tower in NY.

Flight Date: 2011-07-02
Rocket Name: Gamma Ray
Kit Name: Quest - Gamma Ray {Kit} (2004) [1994-]
Flyer's Name: Rich DeAngelis
Motors: C6-5
Launch Site: Fort Indiantown Gap, PA
Actual Altitude: 803 Feet

Perfect flight and recovery. Avast, me proud beauty! Sailed out o' sight for awhile.

StageMotor(s)
1Estes C6-5

 

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