Lost two today.

[Newbomb Turk]

Amid an otherwise spectacular day of flying at the Newbomb Turk Memorial Launch Facility, two did not come home with us. Batting leadoff, as usual, and tempting fates, the Mosquito was not recovered after its 18th flight. Later, the sustainer from my scratch build two-stager found a dense low-lying patch of trees near a pond. The good news: we did recover the booster, a D-powered build from the early 1980's.

Everything else went according to plan, however, including two flights of my Patriot clone (fast becoming one of my faves), the maiden flight of my SEMROC Bandit (perfect) and the SEMROC Sky Hook (which kicked the engine and seemed to float forever but landed safely in the middle of the field).

So, doubling my previous loss total since I became a BAR on July 5th, 2012, I still call this an enjoyable and successful day.

[A Fish Named Wallyum]

I planned to fly today, but the sound of rain POURING down just after 8 this morning said otherwise. :( Figures. Yesterday was perfect, but I had an all-day wedding.

[chrism]

Wow! 18 flights on a Mosquito!

[Chas Russell]

Wow, the sound of rain. What is that like? It hit 80 here in Fort Worth. Time to add more to the water bill...

In 45 years, never built a Mosquito.

Still, a day flying is better than not.

Chas

[chrism]

Wow, the sound of rain. What is that like? It hit 80 here in Fort Worth. Time to add more to the water bill...

In 45 years, never built a Mosquito.

Still, a day flying is better than not.

Chas


Built 1 Mosquito and lost it on a A10-3T engine a long time ago. It would have been much simpler just to attach the fins and nosecone directly to the engine!

[blackshire]

Built 1 Mosquito and lost it on a A10-3T engine a long time ago. It would have been much simpler just to attach the fins and nosecone directly to the engine!Yeah...at least Whistling Gemini and Whistling Jupiter missiles produce some exciting racket before they fall into obscurity somewhere downrange...and they are cheaper than Mosquitos and mini motors, especially if purchased in quantity!

[Brain]

Built 1 Mosquito and lost it on a A10-3T engine a long time ago. It would have been much simpler just to attach the fins and nosecone directly to the engine!
I'm surprised somebody hasn't thought of some way to do this... disposable nose cones w/ a detachable plastic fin can that fits a motor casing? Maybe?

[blackshire]

I'm surprised somebody hasn't thought of some way to do this... disposable nose cones w/ a detachable plastic fin can that fits a motor casing? Maybe?I've always liked that idea because of its scale-like realism. The MPC/AVI/Quest-type "over-the-tube" plastic fin unit that fits over their 25 mm diameter body tubes is a perfect model for this; such fin units could be friction-fitted to the rear of motors using masking tape. The "payload" tube (actually the body tube containing the 'chute or streamer, although a separate true payload tube could be connected above this using a nose block) and nose cone--which could be all-plastic, or paper tubing with a balsa or plastic nose--would be friction-fitted to the front end of the motor. The plastic used for the fin unit and the "payload" tube (if it was made of plastic) could be the type with some loose glass fibers added to it (like the plastic used in the original Quest launch controller housings), in order to help it hold its shape when exposed to the heat from the motor case.

[Bill Gibson]

NT, a coupla months ago i lost my Semroc Magnum Hornet which was one of my favorite missles because it went up so high for so little...i realized right then that the only way to garuntee not losing em is not to launch em at all! Needless to say i built another one and immediatly launched it at the next TTRA launch! Even when we lose em sometimes, its still a good day at the field! Just keep on buildin!

[A Fish Named Wallyum]

NT, a coupla months ago i lost my Semroc Magnum Hornet which was one of my favorite missles because it went up so high for so little...i realized right then that the only way to garuntee not losing em is not to launch em at all! Needless to say i built another one and immediatly launched it at the next TTRA launch! Even when we lose em sometimes, its still a good day at the field! Just keep on buildin!
That's why I don't even mind the occasional CATO. I'm generally trying to photograph the launch anyway, so I wind up with a cool pic. Estes is great at standing behind what they sell, so I can count on them to replace anything that gets destroyed. All I'm out is the work I put into them, which I enjoy anyway.

[Newbomb Turk]

I completely agree with the consensus here. Occasional losses can't dampen a day of launches. In fact, I'm hoping for a launch window between the clouds tomorrow at the Newbomb Turk Memorial Launch Facility (NTMLF). Itching to fly my SEMROC Bandit again, as well as my much-improved Patriot clone (thanks, Mr. Sandman).