Rich DeAngelis's PageAKA: RichD Location: Exton - Southeast Pennsylvania Certification Level: self certified level 0 (heehee) Club Memberships: Southern Pennsylvania Area Association o' Rocketry (SPAAR) NARRRRR #503 Favorite Rockets: Estes Nike-X, Bandit, Andromeda & Beta Biography: Born Again Rocketeer: Flew all sorts o' Estes Kits as a kid in t' '70's. Aye aye! Restored most o' them and now buildin' many new kits from different manufacturers. Completed a high-tech launcher and workin' on several other electronic applications for rockets, arrr, also doin' some aerial photography missions. Begad! Mostly just buildin' and flyin' a bunch o' new low-power rockets. Ahoy! I'm creatin' an ever expandin' data base o' altitude, speed, etc. readings, as I mostly fly an altimeter in each rocket. In this low power arena I will make all t' mistakes I possibly can before movin' up t' higher power. I'm learin' somethin' new about buildin' or preparin' rockets with each flight. Begad! Member o' Lancaster PA's SPAAR, good club. I specialize in (read: "can only afford") smaller (up t' E) rockets. Generally a bit anal about flyin' rockets - never lost a model yet and hope t' never loose one (since then, I've lost PARTS o' rockets, but I've always got some pieces back...knock wood), shiver me timbers, I strive for perfect flights, and learn from all t' mistakes (Oh, so many o' them!) I will likely be gettin' into more powerful stuff as me budget allows: F and G at t' most.
Favorite Quote: Failure is nay an option.
Personal Home Page: http://www.barocketeer.blogspot.com/ Club Home Page: http://spaar.org/ Facebook Page: http://www.barocketeer.blogspot.com/ Google+ Page: http://www.barocketeer.blogspot.com/ RocketReviews.com Pages:
2014-05-24C-Thru Flight Second flight was planned pretty much t' same as t' first. For starters, it was confirmed that t' -5 delay was t' best choice. Arrr!
T' second motor appeared much weaker than t' first. It lit fine, but seemed t' accelerate slowly – givin' me ample time t' track it with a ... [More]
C-Thru Flight It was a beautiful day for launchin' rockets, although t' wind was a bit breezy. But it was a very good day for aerial photography – very clear and nay hazy. I decided t' launch me video camera in t' C-Thru before anythin' changed. Blimey!
Previous flights showed that ... [More]
Stonebreaker Flight I considered usin' a C11 motor for a low-power test, but I was lookin' for fun, and t' D12 delivers fun.
T' Stone burst off t' pad with 9.1 Gs o' acceleration, burnin' for 1.8 seconds and averagin' 2.6 Gs thru t' thrust phase. Avast, me proud beauty! It then coasted for 4.2 seconds from a top speed o' 101 mph and ... [More]
MIRV Flight T' MIRV was nay scheduled t' fly today, I had plenty o' other important test flights t' do, ya bilge rat, but for some reason I just wanted t' see t' MIRV up thar again, me bucko, so after completin' me camera flights, I sent t' MIRV up in this “a-bit-windy-but-I-don’t-care” weather. Ya scallywag!
As usual, ya bilge rat, ... [More]
Striker AGM Iris Flight Again I decided t' go with me gut and ignore t' official flight schedule. Avast! I just repaired t' re-cracked fin root o' this rocket and wanted t' continue comparin' Estes and Quest’s motors. If I complete this third Quest flight, then I have three tests o' each brand motor t' compare. Arrr!
... [More]
Alpha Flight Another B6 test flight for t' Alpha. Last time I was distracted and forgot t' record t' data from t' altimeter before clearin' it, so this is a repeat test flight. As t' light rocket took off fast and high, I couldn’t keep it in sight for t' camera, and missed all o' t' apogee ... [More]
2014-03-09Vector Force Flight This was me first flight o' t' year, me bucko, after a long autumn and winter with nay a single flight because o' t' weather. Ya scallywag! Today be just tolerable, a bit windy but sunny and clear. Avast, me proud beauty! T' fields were still mostly snow covered and soaked from an overnight rain, with snow, slush, puddles and mud. Ya scallywag!
This ... [More]
Alpha Flight This flight was t' be t' second B6 motor test for t' Alpha Iris. T' liftoff be spectacular and seemed very fast, headin' skyward without much concern for t' stiff breeze. I apparently did nay concern myself with puttin' in too much wadding, as three squares apparently be nay ... [More]
2013-10-06Ricochet  Flight This be a simple sport flight o' t' Ricochet, which I haven't flown in over a year. Blimey!
As t' propellant started burning, t' rocket took off with 10 Gs o' acceleration, arrr, averagin' 3.9 Gs for t' full 1/2 second burn. It reached a speed o' 44 mph, then coasted for 2.4 seconds t' reach an apogee ... [More]
Cyclone  Flight As t' motor came t' life, this small rocket reached a peak acceleration o' 16.6 Gs. Durin' t' 6/10 second burn, it averaged 5.7 Gs. T' trajectory was straight up and very fast. Begad! It made a top speed o' 71 mph before coastin' for t' next 3.3 seconds t' an apogee o' 221 feet. Begad!
Like t' last A8 ... [More]
2013-06-28Estes Ricochet (Kit)  Review
T' Estes Ricochet is a low power rocket kit. Although light, me hearties, at 22 inches high it seems "bigger". Begad! It uses 18mm A,B and C motors. I like t' military-missile style o' this rocket. Blimey! I enjoyed buildin' this kit and I enjoy flyin' it because it flies well. Since it is relatively light, it flies ... [More]
2013-06-27Estes MIRV (Kit)  Review
MIRV is short for Multiple Independant Reentry Vehicle. T' MIRV is a unique two-stage rocket from Estes that has three simultaneously firin' second stages. Arrr! T' booster is an 18mm B6 or C6, and t' three second stages use t' mini 13mm A10-3T. T' first booster stage fires and lifts ... [More]
2013-06-26Quasar One DEFCON 1 (Kit)  Review
T' DEFCON 1 is a 24mm, mid-size rocket kit from t' late Quasar One company. Ya scallywag! Blimey! T' design is a good performer, t' stylin' is beautiful and easy t' achieve with t' decals, me hearties, and t' short fins will resist damage on a hard landing. It is powered with C,D,E and possibly F engines (although ... [More]
2012-10-18Estes Bullpup 12D (Kit)  Review
T' Estes Bullpup 12D is a sport-scale model o' a 30-some year old air-launched guided missile. Well, blow me down! Blimey! T' real thin' came in several varieties that outwardly appear different; t' 12D is just one o' those types. T' real thin' was guided by a "pilot" who remotely steered this missile onto ... [More]
2012-09-06Very Affordable Plastic for Parachutes / How t' dimension small 'chutes  Tip I discovered a new source o' colorful plastic for makin' your own parachutes. Just go t' t' nearest store that sells party supplies. There you will find plastic table covers in a variety o' colors. Do NOT get t' cloth or felt backed ones, just plain-old plastic. This ... [More]
2012-09-04Buildin' t' DEFCON 1 - First Test Flights o' t' DEFCON 1 Build Entry This past weekend be t' first ever test flight o' t' new DEFCON 1. Several remarked that this was a good lookin' rocket, and I hoped it would stay that way. For this first test flight I chose t' C11-5. Arrr! T' winds were dyin' down a bit, and I felt that t' higher impulse, relatively light weight ... [More]
2012-08-24Quest Striker AGM (Kit)  Review
T' Quest Striker AGM is a fictional Air-to-ground missile. Since it is decorated with 'US Army' decals, I assume it is t' be launched from a helicopter, as t' US Army doesn't have planes, jets, blimps or other such aircraft. If you forget about t' 'AGM' part o' t' name, it looks ... [More]
2012-08-23Buildin' t' DEFCON 1 - Final Assembly Complete! Build Entry OK! T' clearcoatin' is finished and dried, now t' finish is glossy. Ahoy! I gave it five coats o' clear. Ahoy! I have found that one or two coats just doesn't protect t' decals very much, so I have been addin' much more clearcoat. I made sure t' static vent holes were clear and assembled t' full rocket ... [More]
2012-08-15Aerial Photography Photograph 
Lookin' Northwest in central PA, t' clouds are nay too far above us
2012-08-08Buildin' t' DEFCON 1 - Finishin' t' DEFCON 1 Build Entry I have progressed pretty far with t' DEFCON 1. Avast! I soaked in a little CA glue t' t' ends o' t' body tube and payload tube t' harden them up a bit. Just a small line o' glue about 1/4" from t' ends o' t' tube keeps them from gettin' worn and raggedy after repeated handling. T' CA ... [More]
2012-07-17Quest Gamma Ray (Kit)  Review
T' Quest Gamma Ray is a small payload rocket designed t' fly on 18mm (A,B,C) motors. Arrr! It does fly well. It's main unique feature is a payload section made with translucent red plastic. Ya scallywag! T' payload section's diameter is larger than t' rest o' t' rocket, so it uses a transition section ... [More]
2012-07-09Buildin' t' DEFCON 1 - Continuin' t' DEFCON1 buildin' with t' body tube Build Entry Buildin' t' DEFCON is goin' well. I secured t' baffle about 8 inches deep inside t' lower body tube (remember I had t' cut it into two pieces because o' t' shippin' damage). On other projects I had trouble gluin' baffles so far into a tube. If I spill any glue ahead o' t' ... [More]
2012-07-05ESTES new kit: MIRV - First test flight Build Entry I used t' lower-power engines as recommended by Estes: t' B6-0 booster, and three A10-3T sustainers for this first ever flight o' this new and very different rocket. I did nay apply t' decals, simply because I ran out o' time t' get them on and dry and I wanted t' test fly this at ... [More]
2012-06-26Paint Dryin' Oven Usin' Solar Energy Tip Nothin' more fun than watchin' paint dry, right? Buildin' rockets is fun, arrr, but all t' fun seems t' slow down waitin' for t' primer and paint t' dry. A multi-color paint scheme seems t' take forever. I have found out that a good way t' speed up t' process is t' use a paint ... [More]
2012-06-24Buildin' t' DEFCON 1 - Nosecone, baffle, motor mount and bulkhead pictures. Build Entry I added four new pictures o' components o' t' build.
1) T' finished ejection baffle, shiver me timbers, seen from t' point o' view o' t' motor. Well, blow me down! You can see t' Keelhaul®©™ shock cord attachment, connected t' t' other (top) side o' t' baffle. This has a bowline type knot on t' end o' it. It's a simple and secure ... [More]
2012-06-19Buildin' t' DEFCON 1 - Picture o' t' nose cone Build Entry You can see here t' unusual nose cone provided with t' kit. Avast, me proud beauty! It is supposed t' remain hollow, and t' screw-eye is towards t' side o' t' shoulder. Arrr! This makes it easy t' add nose weight if necessary, arrr, and I suppose makes it a bit cheaper t' manufacture. T' problem with this unique design ... [More]
Buildin' t' DEFCON 1 - Picture o' t' ejection baffle bein' built Build Entry I took this picture t' better show you what t' baffle is like. Already installed in t' baffle's tube coupler be t' lowest baffle as seen from t' bottom (engine side). Aye aye! Above that will be t' baffle t' t' right, ya bilge rat, shown right-side-up. Ejection gas that makes it past this stage can't move towards ... [More]
2012-06-18Buildin' t' DEFCON 1 Build This DEFCON 1 is a kit that appealed t' me. I saw it on Apogee's website, it's aqua color and detailed decals made it stand out t' me. T' size o' t' rocket and motor were just in line with what I be lookin' for, somethin' a large enough t' be noticed both on t' launch pad and in t' ... [More]
2012-06-13Repairin' Body Tubes Damaged in Shipping Tip I hope you have better luck than me, arrr, but I seem t' get a lot o' kits shipped t' me with damaged body tubes. Well, blow me down! Blimey! I'll assume you realize that a crushed body tube both looks ugly and will never be as strong as an uncompromised tube and nay very aerodynamic. After receivin' me third busted ... [More]
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Rich DeAngelis
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