Using this trip as a chance to sort through my motors... ...The result was, not enough table space in the hotel room... This was one of the three times I filled this table with motors and I didn't even bring all of them with me on this trip.
The FlisKits fun began early with Chan Stevens checking in his Borealis
Posing before launch
Proudly sitting on the pad, this was going to be the first time I've ever seen a Borealis launch that I did not build!
Arrow straight flight, nose-up apogee deployment. Perfect start to finish!
Goodness, but she looks pretty under chute!
I knew this beast was going to be there, but my heart skipped a beat when I saw it with my own eyes! A 6X upscale of the A.C.M.E. Spitfire!
Chan was having a day of mix results... This paper model was launched and came in ballistic. No, Chan did NOT throw this model away. This is where it landed, right along side our booth. Bar none, the most photographed trash can of the event!
The pads were constantly moving rockets into the air. A good weekend to fly!
A beautifully finish Night Whisper on the pad
Even prettier in the air!
A rack of low power kits including the Just Past Due (micro kit), Deuce's Wild!, Drake, and a modified clone Omega with a digital video camera on board.
An upscale Interceptor rips into the sky
Beautiful flight and perfect recovery
Just Past Due on pad 1 with the Deuce along side.
A close-up of the Drake and the clone Omega
On this rack I was trying to get a good shot of the SEMROC Laser-X but caught it at the moment of igniter burn instead of motor burn...
Here I configured the Pheord X150 for 2-stage flight with one of the saucers from the Triple Threat kit.
The newly announced Frick-n-Frack (commemorative kit of NSL) takes to the air on an ill-fated flight. It was too windy for such a model and the sustainer pranged under power. ick.
The Drake turns in a wonderful flight!
I missed the launch of the SEMROC Mars Lander, but caught a great recovery photo.
Vendor row under the Big Top.
My 24mm upscale Deuce's Wild! on a pair of E9 motors. Sweet!
My proto-type Intruder design on a C6-5. Sweet rocket and one that we hope to have out next year.
Corona-2 (Corona with booster accessory) leaps into the air for a fantastic 2-stage flight of what has been billed as the "sexiest 2-stage rocket ever conceived!"
Ok, now one of the guys on the upscale ACME project had this little scooter made from a go-cart and a bar-stool. About as redneck as you can get and I love it. Bruce McLawhorn (SEMROC) couldn't resist the opportunity to give it a try. This little sucker would really fly too! The only thing missing is the beer and a shotgun laying across his lap LOL
Inside vendor row, FlisKits and SEMROC prepare for another day on the field.
Another angle shows the FlisKits booth and Sirius rocketry and BMS on the far right.
In that previous picture you can barely see Dave Miller cutting it up for the camera. It was too good to loose, so here is a blow up of Dave. What a hoot!
Gordon (Sandman) also graced the tent with a visit and small booth. Some of his projects were simply incredible!
Travis Troyer brought over the Micro-A.C.M.E. Spitfire that he built with plans and templates that I sent him. His only comment? "I'll never do THIS again!" LOL Micro models and L3 projects don't go hand in hand I guess LOL
This thing is SO cute that I am looking into kiting this buggar.
The 6X version compared to the kit version of the A.C.M.E. Spitfire
|The business end of this beast!
A little dusting and polishing to get her just right.
Out to the away cell.
It took a half dozen guys to get this thing on the rail and hoisted up!
Grunt, push, shove! Finally in place.
Posing with this monster. You can see the stickers the team allowed me to grace her with. Thank you!
Close up of the stickers
Mean while, another upscale Interceptor was being prepped on the next pad over.
Group photo of the team responsible for the upscale ACME. I want to thank each one of this team for the fantastic work they did in upscaling one of our most unusual designs. I feel like a proud papa.
Setting the electronics
Listening for the beeps. This part interested me. They were having trouble verifying the beeps with all the background noise. It seems that a simple solution would be to include with the electronics an ear-phone jack where the owner could plug into and get dedicated feedback right into his ear and not be concerned about ambient noise...
I thought this was a great shot showing anticipation as well as concern.
Well warranted too. The beeps indicated a problem, so they dropped the rail and started to take apart the model to uncover the problem.
Sorry, this picture is just WRONG! Seeing someone with a lap-top computer hooked up to an A.C.M.E. Spitfire just defies logic... But it uncovered the problem, a loose wire on a back-up battery pack. Back to the tent to fix.
EV with his BEAUTIFUL Borealis model. This thing was dressed to the nines!
HERE WE GO! With the 6X ACME fixed, she's back out on the pad and ready to go.
Bar none, the most incredible flight of the weekend, possibly the year. Spitting fire from liftoff to burnout, what better motor for a Spitfire!
Perfect recovery too, on two large chutes. It was my event highlight!
One of several upscale Sprites launched this weekend.
My Diminutive Deuce on pad #2
Interesting tail end view of my Praetor II (Praetor kit with soon to be announced booster accessory)
Here's a good view of the Praetor II. Note the beautiful clone of the Cobra on the right
Lots of variety on the low power pads. Great fun!
This scratch built model was incredible and flew great.
2 motor cluster scratchbuilt. Great flight!
Another shot of that Cobra
Nailed all 3 motors for a great flight!
My Praetor II turned in a perfect flight on a B6-0 and a B6-6.
My soon to be announced Nanite slide wing rocket glider with MMX power! Perfectly straight boosts with long glide times. Too fast off the pad to get a good picture though!
The Nanite is dwarfed by an 18mm boost glider.
This massive Pershing was a sight to behold!
NAR Prez himself preps an upscale Sprite for flight. I still think it looks like a Tumbleweed... LOL
Perfect start to finish! Way to go, Bunny!
We had several Decaffeinator kits take to the air this weekend too. Great kit!
Wildman Rocketry put up the "Going Banana's" on a sparky. What a launch! Oddly enough, while recovering one of my models, I came across a small sticker that had been peeled off of this rocket during boost... LOL
A view of the LCO table
Our new Thumper prototype ready for launch. 24mm, this puppy screams on D and E motors. Look for this later this year.
Interesting tail-end view of the Thumper
We also had a nice looking Drake on the pad
Another upscale Sprite heading for trouble...
Ouch! That's gotta hurt!
The skies were clear for even the highest flying birds!
Beautiful flights all weekend long!
Thumper screams away on a D12-5
The Drake was soon to follow!
A micro Honest John, Rock Star and Deuce's Wild! ready to go!
A SEMROC Mars Lander turns in a beautiful flight.
As does the Deuce's Wild!
Not to mention, the Rock Star!
Big beast off of pad 29!
An odd collection of parts actually flies!
Deuce away!
The D-Nelson Tomahawk always turns in a great flight.
Deuce in trouble! Single motor ignition creates problems when the igniter clips are carried halfway up the launch rod with the rocket!