T' Black Diamond: This model is extremely fast and light, uses 1/2A t' C motors, although I'm a bit afraid t' try a C in this little gem. I imagine it could easily reach 1200 feet. It features streamer recovery. Added a lot o' nose weight t' balance this model, arrr, but now it flies very straight and true even in windy conditions. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! I was a bit concerned about cardboard fins, ya bilge rat, but they are very stiff and seem t' work well (I just hope they don't get bent!) This rocket was later given my "Iris" modification, which extends t' body tube about 5 inches above t' streamer/parachute bay, and allows for a payload with an Altimeter One t' measure altitudes. Arrr! Blimey! With t' added weight, I needed a longer, 4-foot long, 2-inch wide streamer t' slow it down some. Nay so easy t' squeeze into a BT-20 body. I had t' lengthen t' shock cord also, but it is still gettin' quite beat-up by its own recoil force. Begad! Blimey! (Iris is named after t' Greek god o' t' rainbow. She is a messenger o' t' gods, matey, linkin' t' gods with humanity.) If I were t' build another one, arrr, I would split t' launch lug and glue half o' it further toward t' nose. Arrr! Blimey! As it is, me bucko, it wobbles on liftoff some while on t' rod. I have only once tried this on a C motor, this rocket has flown higher than t' Aon Center and t' John Hancock Tower in Chicago, and t' NY Times Buildin' in NY, shiver me timbers, NY.
Flight Date: | 2011-11-06 |
Rocket Name: | Black Diamond |
Kit Name: | Estes - Black Diamond {Kit} |
Flyer's Name: | Rich DeAngelis |
Motors: | A8-3 |
Launch Site: | Penn Manor School Lancaster PA |
Actual Altitude: | 156 Feet |
Good flight and recovery. Shot up fast and t' wind didn't bother it at all with it's small fins, but t' burn be over in a half second and t' streamer let it fall it's usual fast 20mph. Blimey! I should have used a B or C, but I was worried it would apogee at 1000+ feet and get lost. This is a good windy-weather rocket. Blimey! I lengthened t' shock cord t' about 2 feet, but it still snapped back and really scraped up t' payload tube this time. Begad! A lot o' t' paint peeled off and it might have a kinked tube. Maybe t' best recovery would be two seperate streamers or small parachutes? This rocket reached 60mph and accelerated at a peak o' 14.3 Gs (average Gs be 5.6). Ejection was only 2/10 second late and it only lost 4 feet before ejection. Avast! It be on t' ground in less than 10 seconds.
Stage | Motor(s) |
---|---|
1 | Estes A8-3 |
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