7-9-05 TQC Walcott, IA
One word today, can you say HOT. We were literally baked today out in the heat but this didn't hamper having a launch for us and many others.
Our biggest plan of the day was to get the Big Thor back up for another flight, something slower and lower that would give us some opportunities to get some better pictures and video.
We had a few options like AT L850 or AT M1297 but decided to go with our first EX motor that was built by Ken from the TQC group. While we were prepping for that flight we saw some other nice flights go up.
Here's one of the first flights of the day we caught.
Robert Rossman's PML Endeavor on an AT J90W.
Under boost and just up off the rail. Overall a beautiful flight coming back to land on the sod.
Next up we caught this AT Arreaux flight.
This was a flight by a newcomer to TQC who wanted to come and see some high power flights. Gus helped us in the morning with some setup and prep of the big Thor and then decided it was time to fly something.
This bird is painted in duplicolor paints and while the picture doesn't show us is just stunning up close.
On it's way up via an AT F20 motor for a nice flight.
Yellow and blue rocket coming up to pressure, looks like maybe a white lightning load.
Under thrust and on it's way up.
I believe this was a Hawk Mountain Raptor on an AT G33 Black Jack motor. Starting up the pad.
Under thrust and on it's way up.
Lifting off, this rocket is rather dark colored and is hard to see against the dark green background but looks great up close.
Going up under boost. Looks like a pretty clean burning motor.
Well we were finally ready with the Big Thor. Ken built us an EX L motor, I believe it was called a Super Polish Rojo as far as the mix was concerned. Worked out to be a 4 grain 75mm red motor. Ken suggested going with an extra grain but I'm still to paranoid with this bird and felt it would be going plenty quick enough on the 4 grain. With the primary purpose of getting pictures and video I decided to hold off on that idea.
Coming up to pressure on the pad, notice the blast plate being pushed down.
Lifting off and up off the rail, the blast plate now back in it's original position.
Under boost and on it's way up for a nice flight, it's hard to tell in pictures sometimes but this is a 6" diameter, by 127" long bird, weighing in at 33.5lbs before the motor.
Over all the flight was great and altimeters read just shy of 3,200' on one and just shy by a couple feet of 3,000 on the other.
I'll try to get video of the flight posted later this week.
Thanks again Ken for the great motor.
Next up.
Another of Robert Rossman's rockets. This time a PML Eclipse on an AT J315 Redline.
Starting up the pad on another red motor.
.
Under boost and on it's way. Notice how the chrome sections almost look like they're translucent now. Over all a great flight with the altimeter reading out 4,073 ft. and a close dual deployed recovery.
JJ's Big Phobos Level 3 rocket on a C&J (Chuck & JJ) M1500 Dirty Blonde which boosted up for a nice flight.
We got ready and put up another flight before we left, and before the heat had completely zapped us.
Our PML 4" Amraam on an AT I211 coming up off the rail.
On it's way up for another nice flight. We've had trouble in the past with those big rear fins getting damaged on landings so this time I went up a size from the PML chute that was provided with the kit and used my Rocketman R7C, it still seemed to be coming down a little quick for my liking but it landed on the rather hard and dry sod without any damage for an overall nice flight.
After that flight we packed up and headed home.
As usual if any of the above pictured rockets are yours and you would like full-sized or uncropped copies of the photos just email me and let me know I'd be glad to send you copies, also include details of the flight so that I can update the page with that information, rocket brand, scratch, motor, electronics, altitude, etc if you have it.