Two weekends ago, we had another rocket launch fest.  We launched 5 rockets, and the slight breeze made it both more physically comfortable and difficult to recover some of the higher flights.

First up, we launched a "race" between my Maxx Traxx and my newly acquired Chrome Dome.  Jake launched the Traxx, and as an experiment, we flew them with different engines.  Then, we swapped the engine sizes and went again.  The two engines in question were Estes B6 and B4 motors.  The B4 has a lower thrust rating, but burns significantly longer.  The experiment was to see if the longer burn time of the B4 could make up for its lesser thrust.

First launch:  MT had a B6, CD had a B4.  The CD lifted up almost majestically, but didn't reach the altitude of the MT, which screamed off the pad as usual.  Both rockets flew stabilely and recovered well.

Second launch: MT had the B4 this time, with the B6 in the CD.  The MT is apparently a little heavier than the CD, and quickly began to lose stability.  Fortunately, it never "lawn darted", and recovered successfully.  TO be honest, I didn't notice how the CD flew because I was too worried about what was happening with the MT, which is Jake's favorite rocket.  In the end, we decided the B4 isn't powerful enough to fly the MT safely, though it works ok on the CD.  Both rockets are safe and sound, and re-packed for storage.

Next up was the maiden flight of the Quest Icarus.  I was pretty nervous about this one, since it's a big rocket and the payload bay is a little tighter fit than I like.  I half (ok 2/3) expected it to explode, which would have been a shame, since it's a nice looking rocket.  First launch was on a B6, and it flew beautifully and surprisingly high.  Everything worked like a charm, and both booster and payload bay were recovered without incident.

Then we launched Penelope's Quest "Gamma Ray".  Last time I flew this rocket, the shock cord snapped, the 'chute ripped and one of the fins was slightly crushed.  I had repaired the rocket and replaced the 'chute with an old Estes 'chute I had around.  The body tube is very slender on this rocket, and it's hard to get the 'chute, shock cords and wadding all stuffed in, but I managed using a new 'chute folding trick.  We launched on a B6 engine, using a lego astronaut as a passenger, and it both flew and recovered beautifully.  I think I may have finally gotten this rocket "right", and it will be a fun rocket to fly little toys in.  Plus, it's a very pretty red color, which Penelope likes. :-)

After the two "I hope these don't 'splode" rockets, we fired the Estes Sky Writer, which is becoming another of my favorites.  We shot it with a C6, and MAN did that sucker go high!  We almost lost it in a cloud, and the wind carried it a few hundred yards downwind before it landed.  I had already resigned myself to having to replace it, but Christy managed to salvage the 'writer just short of the street, and it recovered with only some minor body tube crumpling (easily repaired).  It was a very exciting and long-lasting flight.  It's surprising how high such a long rocket can go, but it's rated for 1200 feet on that engine, and I think we probably made it.

While Christy was chasing down the Sky Writer, I was preparing the Icarus for another flight, this time with a C6 engine.  I put two spent engine casings in the payload bay since last time the bay took a little long to come down, and I was sensitive to having to chase down another rocket at that point. :-)  The Icarus went up nice and straight, really reaching up high, but when the ejection charge went off, the added weight in the payload bay caused the bay's parachute mount to come loose.  The booster recovered perfectly, and curiously enough, the payload bay tumbled down safely and without damage.  The bay's parachute and mount went drifting away, but since the Icarus didn't get nearly as high as the Sky Writer, we eventually recovered it.

So, at the end of the day, we had flown all 5 rockets successfully, and the only damage was some slight shock-cord wrinking in the body tubes of the Sky Writer and Chrome Dome, and the need to repair the Icarus' payload bay.  No melted or ripped 'chutes, no crumpled or lost fins.  The Maxx Traxx and now the Chrome Dome are continuing to be good, solid fliers even if they only go around 600ft.  Both balsa fin rockets (Icarus and Gamma Ray) held on to their fins and engine mounts like champs, even with the more powerful engines, so I think it's safe to say they've both passed their shakedown flights and are ready for more high-altitiude duty.  Though I may want to be more careful of how much weight I use for payload.  :-)

I've almost burned through all of my rocket motors at this point, so it's time to save my pennies.  I'll certainly get another pack of B6 engines, since they seem to give good flights with all of my fleet, and the C6's are a must for those high flights that are so fun.  I probably won't get any more B4s unless I can refurbish the Viking or another ultra-light 18mm rocket.