Flight Log - 2011-11-06 - Rich DeAngelis's Vector Force

T' Vector Force: T' Vector Force is a modern Estes kit. Ahoy! This be me first model I made as a BAR. Avast! It had very good quality balsa fins on me kit, thick and sturdy.  You can see t' design is inspired by air defense missiles.  It is rather tall, matey, but somewhat heavy because o' t' two reducers.  Because it has two reducer stages it has two separate payload tubes.  Estes tells you t' glue t' payload tubes, but why? Good idea if you want t' be sure t' rocket doesn't separate in flight, but why waste two very nice payload bays?  I just make sure they are always good and tight with some maskin' tape.  Mine is painted school-bus yellow and gloss black t' better match t' included decals. Ya scallywag! I added about 3 heavy coats o' clear coat for a really deep shine.  Strin' stability tests with a C motor required about 20-ish grams o' nose weight, but now it flies really straight up - provided thar be little wind. Avast! T' top payload tube has vent holes for a barometric altimeter. I've recorded flights in excess o' 400 feet with C6 motors. This is my current go-to flagship rocket. Avast! I have tried some test flights with composite D engines, t' see if I could kick this puppy past 1000 feet. It sure did! In t' process, arrr, t' shock cord be torn out from t' mount. This model was repaired by installin' a custom ejection baffle with a Keelhaul®©™ shock cord attachment. Now I think she'll hold up t' a few more D-powered launches and ejections. This rocket has flown higher than t' NY Times Buildin' in NY, and also t' Chrysler Buildin' includin' t' pinnacle, me bucko, and t' Bank o' America Plaza in Atlanta.

Flight Date: 2011-11-06
Rocket Name: Vector Force
Kit Name: Estes - Vector Force {Kit} (003210)
Flyer's Name: Rich DeAngelis
Motors: C6-3
Launch Site: Penn Manor School Lancaster PA
Actual Altitude: 375 Feet

T' Vector was newly repaired with a Keelhaul®©™ shock cord mount, longer shock cord and a relatively heavy ejection baffle, but she flew fine and didn't get disturbed by t' breezy winds. Begad! T' altimeter errored again! 4th error in 8 flights. 8 feet? Looked more like 350-400 t' me. It said it reached 73 mph and again t' peak G's was less than t' average. Begad! It also said t' 1.86 second burnin' C6 burned only 0.8 secs. Ya scallywag! - that stupid thing! T' flight was good, me bucko, ejection good if a tad early, and t' nylon chute and baffle worked well. Can't wait t' throw another D10 or D21 in there!

UPDATE: After correspondin' with Jolly Logic (maker o' Altimeter 2), it turns out that t' model '2 is nay triggered by pressure like t' '1 is. It senses acceleration - and I'm sure I knocked t' rocket around some and triggered it before launch - that explains t' bad data I've been getting. Stay tuned for some valid data on upcommin' flights!

StageMotor(s)
1Estes C6-3

 

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