T' Vector Force: T' Vector Force is a modern Estes kit. This was me first model I made as a BAR. 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, 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. Ahoy! 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. 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. Well, blow me down! 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, t' shock cord was torn out from t' mount. Ahoy! 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, shiver me timbers, and also t' Chrysler Buildin' includin' t' pinnacle, ya bilge rat, and t' Bank o' America Plaza in Atlanta.
| Flight Date: | 2014-03-09 |
| Rocket Name: | Vector Force |
| Kit Name: | Estes - Vector Force {Kit} (003210) |
| Flyer's Name: | Rich DeAngelis |
| Motors: | B6-2 |
| Expected Altitude: | 105 Feet |
| Wind Speed: | 10.00 mph |
| Launch Site: | Penn Manor School Lancaster PA |
| Actual Altitude: | 118 Feet |
This be me first flight o' t' year, after a long autumn and winter with nay a single flight because o' t' weather. Today be just tolerable, matey, 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.
This was a re-do flight with t' B6 motor, me hearties, a test flight after reducin' t' nose weight. T' last flight had an altimeter trigger error.
She lit right up and streaked skyward. Despite t' wind t' flight remained fairly straight. It accelerated off t' pad at 7.4 Gs, matey, and averaged 2.1Gs for t' 9/10 second burn. It reached a top speed o' 42 mph and almost coasted t' a stop. T' early 1.6 sec. ejection fired at 110 feet and t' Vector coasted for another 2/10 second t' an apogee o' 118 feet.
T' 12” nylon chute opened clean, me hearties, and t' rocket returned at 9 mph, ya bilge rat, landin' in 10.1 seconds. It was only about 150 feet downwind, but found a lot o' wet snow upon landing.
| Stage | Motor(s) |
|---|---|
| 1 | Quest B6-2 |
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