#21
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It is an amazing shot!
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Lee Reep NAR 55948 Projects: Semroc Saturn 1B, Ken Foss Designs Mini Satellite Interceptor In the Paint Shop: Nothing! Too cold! Launch-Ready: Farside-X, Maxi Honest John, Super Scamp |
#22
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My "Uprated SPEV" had logged some 260+ (where '+" could be many more than 10) flights before it firmly planted itself about 50' up in a tree above the Chattahoochee River a few years ago.
It had survived numerous catos, two or three school roof landings, four or five landings in tall corn (including one at NARAM-43 where it lost a fin as well), a week and two thunderstorms on a power line next to a high school. Original parts left were the body tubes, two fins, and upper balsa parts (though the nose cone was mostly putty by the end, and the TA6070 had been replaced twice). It became my go-to Aniversary rocket for the last 27 years of existence (each July 16 I would fly it to celebrate my first flight in 1968, the last flight was an anniversary flight -- wind shifted from two previous smaller rocket flights that afternoon). I mentioned it surviving catos; it was my go-to for 'suspect' C motors. Roman candle catos could not do much to it.
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Roy nar12605 |
#23
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You guys have all got me beat. Since I first started flying rockets in the late 60’s to present day I don’t think I’ve ever had a rocket that has made more than about a dozen flights. Those estimated twelve flights were with my old LOC Lil’ Nuke that I just couldn’t seem to kill. I built it around 1988 and retired it when I gave it to my son in 1995 which also made it my oldest flyer in my fleet with about 7 years of service. It bears three different paint jobs in the pictures over the years. I added a payload section to it to fly an AltAcc altimeter for a while. It spent a month on those power lines in the picture and was recovered when we returned to that field again for the next launch. The lift off shot is from 1988 on an F41-9W before AeroTech really perfected the white lighting propellant a nice white flame with sparks but not much smoke. It was flown on as little as a D12-3 and as much as an H70 at an LDRS which stripped half the shroud lines off the chute but didn’t zipper the body tube. I also used the largest variety of motors in this rocket than any other in my fleet ... Estes D12’s, FSI F100’s and Crown, Vulcan & AeroTech.
That was my beater rocket. I wish I still had that Lil’ Nuke I’d still be flying it if I did.
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Steve Naquin TRA# 677 L2 NAR# 85518 L2 SAM# 0052 🚀 In Construction: Der Blue Maxx/Minie-Magg 5.5” & Vander-Burn MDRM Clone w/Stickershock23 Custom Decals 🚀 In Paint & Detail: USR Banshee 🚀 In Build Queue: Estes Doorknob w/Vander-Burn Rocketry Upgrade Kit [Sport Decor], Semroc Centurion-F, Semroc Egg Crate 🚀 In Repair: SLS Lil’ Hustler, SLS Aero-Dart 1969 Trim 🚀 Stay Tuned For Fall 2021 Launch Dates |
#24
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I have two Lil' Nukes, one was the first rocket I used epoxy on and hasn't flown since 2002. Built that one as straight as I could. The other one is an upscaled Estes Ninja and that one hasn't flown since 2005. Both should fly in the cornfield this fall/winter.
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Bill Eichelberger NAR 79563 http://wallyum.blogspot.com/ I miss being SAM 0058 Build floor: Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle In paint: Canaroc - Starfighter Scorpion Centuri - Mini Dactyl Estes - F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II, Xarconian Cruiser Semroc - Cyber III Ready to fly: Estes - Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark |
#25
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It’s a nearly indestructible rocket. I should know I really did my best to destroy mine even on completely out of sight flights it always came back unscathed. I really should build another Lil’ Nuke one day
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Steve Naquin TRA# 677 L2 NAR# 85518 L2 SAM# 0052 🚀 In Construction: Der Blue Maxx/Minie-Magg 5.5” & Vander-Burn MDRM Clone w/Stickershock23 Custom Decals 🚀 In Paint & Detail: USR Banshee 🚀 In Build Queue: Estes Doorknob w/Vander-Burn Rocketry Upgrade Kit [Sport Decor], Semroc Centurion-F, Semroc Egg Crate 🚀 In Repair: SLS Lil’ Hustler, SLS Aero-Dart 1969 Trim 🚀 Stay Tuned For Fall 2021 Launch Dates |
#26
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Love that F41 shot!!! |
#27
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I have 20 flights on a model rocket I built just last year, that I was convinced wouldn’t last 5 flights.
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#28
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Yeah, that does look like the tell-tale sign of those late 80s Aerotech White Lightning motors. My first flight on my NCR Phantom 4000, which was my first ‘large’ rocket kit, was on this very same motor in early ‘89. Video footage, some of the very, very, early ‘rocket video’ footage I shot, looks just like that, with the sparky stuff in the exhaust. That is beginning to seem like a while back now...more than 31 years ago! Good luck Steve with your upcoming inaugural flight(s)! Earl
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Earl L. Cagle, Jr. NAR# 29523 TRA# 962 SAM# 73 Owner/Producer Point 39 Productions Rocket-Brained Since 1970 |
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