The launch event at Herb Belins’ field in Ball Ground was held against a scenic backdrop of rolling hills and a blue sky peppered with cumulus clouds and with calm to moderate winds. This large field attracted seventy-eight participants who achieved a total of one hundred and eighty-five launches. This made for a very busy day with many extraordinary rockets streaking skyward to sight-challenging altitudes.
Although some recoveries required good stamina to navigate the hilly terrain the large open area provided excellent recovery results. Including the many multi-stage and cluster motor flights, the total engine ignition count was as follows: A – seventeen, B – twenty-eight, C – fifty, D – twenty-five, E – forty-five, F – eighteen, G – thirteen.
The most popular motor choice was the C6-5 followed by the E9-4. The many mid-powered flights, beautiful scale models, high-lofted gliders and Ron Stancil’s R/C boost gliders made this event a spectator bonanza and an enjoyable day for all those who came out.
The July 11th Mill Springs Launch was held on a warm… ok… hot and sunny day with moderate winds helping to keep things a bit more comfortable, but sometimes complicating some of the recoveries. The forecasted ninety plus temperatures did not deter the fifty-eight participants who filled the skies with one hundred and forty five launches during a very busy morning and early afternoon. Cub Scouts helped to bolster the number of participants at the start of the day, but by late morning we settled into a steady flow of launches which resulted in the following motor selection counts: nine 1/2A motors, twenty-seven A motors, forty B, fifty-seven C, five D, four E, two F. The most common motor used was the C6-5.
Herb launched an Art Applewhite Saucer on an F16-6 and Steve Bellio sent his PML Small Endeavor skyward on a F42-4T. There were other remarkable launches including Kevin Boyd’s Estes Executioner powered by E motors and LK’s scratch built Sputnik lofted by an A10-3T motor. There were four two stage launches all using B6-0s in their booster stage.
With lots of shade and plenty of hydration the day was enjoyable by all those in attendance. Some of my favorite rockets names for this event were “More Sharks Flying”, “Super Kitty Eleven”, “Claptrap”, and “Red Neck Rocket”… who comes up with this stuff?
The June 13, 2015 launch event was held on a typical summer day with blue skies and calm to moderate variable winds coming across the field. We had thirty-nine participants with a large turnout of family and friends providing support. There were one hundred and twenty one launches accomplished throughout the busy day. Many boost gliders were flown with fantastic results in the small thermals produced by the warming air. Motor selection favored the C6-5 with a total of thirty rockets streaking skyward to neck-craning altitudes and long descents, some finding the neighboring ball field to be recovered. Motor counts were as follows: 2-1/4A, 9-1/2A, 22-A, 23-B, 39-C, 12-D, 12-E, 5-F, and one G80-6T lifting Steve Bellio’s LOC Short EZI-65.
The day saw good variety of activity with the boost gliders, saucers, multi-stage, cluster motor configurations, and a pair of Estes Swifts sent out of sight by Nathaniel Smith, but actually recovered within minutes (good eyes!). I was amazed by Marcus’ scratch built Space Shuttle which performed realistically by launching the shuttle off of the boosters and which came down at an easy glide angle. David Fields brought out a Saturn V scale model that was attempted on an E20-4W but experienced a Bernoulli Lock Effect on the blast deflector and failed to accelerate up the launch rod while catching fire. I hope we can discuss this perplexing phenomenon at our next club meeting.
Although the trees claimed a few prized models, and we experienced a couple of motor failures with dramatic results, the majority of launches were impressive flights followed with smiles of success. Good crowd, busy day and a lot of fun!
Well, not exactly, yet. We still don’t have a text description of what went on, but we have photos, thanks to Kevin Boyd, and now, we have video from Monica Helms:
Kevin Boyd’s photos from this past weekend’s Southern Thunder launch in Manchester, TN can be found 