August 8, 2020 Mill Springs Report

Aug 9, 2020

It was a great day for flying rockets at Mill Springs, but it was VERY hot, and most people had left by 2:30 PM so the launch ended early at just after 3 PM. But no matter, it was still a full day of flying. 135 rockets from 33 flyers left the pad, not counting the scout launch that was held in the morning hours before the club launch started at 11 AM. Most rockets were recovered easily because of the calm winds that prevailed for the morning, though winds picked up a tad later, claiming a rocket or two in the trees. Ok, so Tom Lacock was struck by bad luck with five rockets lost!

In fact, the air was so calm that Ron Stancil threw caution to it, and launched his two-staged Estes Load Star (modified for 24mm motors — D12-0 to D12-5 — and got it back!

Other significant flights included Ron Hender’s 1/100 Saturn V making a nice flight on an E20-4 motor. Ron recently returned to the hobby after twenty years and made eleven flights in all. Not to be outdone, Kevin Scholberg made seventeen flights, including a flight of what he calls, “the most hilarious rocket ever made,” the big silver inflatable Estes Dude! Ron Stancil showed his prowess with boost gliders flying his Edmonds’ Geminee (twin gliders) and Deltie Air Show (three gliders boosted on one flight!). of which he got most of the gliders back! Leaor Schwartz also flew a boost glider from J&H Aerospace, but made a faux pas when he flew his son’s 1/200 scale Saturn V, but forgot to attach the clear fin unit, resulting in a sudden 360 degree flip about 20 feet into the flight!

Jonathan Baez lofted a hen’s egg twice, and it survived! The Wilferts’ and Tom Kinard flew a variety of Vorticos which are always popular. Jose Morales’ flights averaged at the top of the impulse scale. Tim Gray, Tom Lacock, and Kevin all flew Mean Machines. Finally, there were a couple of different cameras flown, Including the new Estes Astrocam of which Roy Green made two flights, and you can see the results of the second one below.