Normally I do not go to the launches in Acton, MA. One reason was it is a long drive for me just for a “small stuff” sport launch. The other reason was the last time I been to the field I felt it was way to small. However, it has been a while since I flown my smaller rockets, and my nextdoor neighbor Eddie was interested in attending a launch. So I decided to make the trip.
I had a little trouble finding the sight. I was thinking that the launch was at the same park that it was last time I been there. Thinking that, the instructions to the launch was a little confusing. So I gave Bob Krech a call, and I found out the I should not of gotten off the highway. The field was a different than the one I remembered and was right off the highway. It was also easier to get to and much bigger.
After setting up my camp, I went to Jim Flis’s table and bought an A.C.M.E. Spitfire for myself and a Thingamagig for Eddie. Eddie started building it right away. I flew a total of thirteen flights. First up was my Estes Astrocam which I flew with an B6-4 for a nice flight. Then I decided to fly a “Satelite Intecpetor” with an A10-3T. On the flight card, I called this rocket the “Cool 13mm Rocket,” which the LCO agreed. My Semroc Mars Lander proved once again how cool it was when it roared off the pad with a D13-4W. Eddie thought that flight was very cool. Almost lost the Marslander in the woods, it landed right on the edge, and the booster was low enough that I could grab it and give it a yank.
I got another perfect flight with my Estes/Cox X-15 using a B6-4. My Snitch then crackled off the pad on another D13-7W. My EZ2C had an excellent flight with 2 B6-4’s. I love how well this rocket flies. I burned three more B6-4’s when I pushed my Fliskits Paylord into the breeze. My Semroc Astro-1 also landed close to the woods when it launched with an A8-3.
My Fliskits thingamagig flew great with a B6-4, and it landed close to the woods. While Eddie offered to get the rocket, I launched my Whatchamacallit with an A10-3T. I lost track where it landed, and I could not find it where I thought it went. Fortunately, Eddie found it on the way back to my table from the trip to the woods. I decided to launch my unfinished Fliskits Farscape with a C6-5. The parachute got caught in the kevlar/shock cord knot. The rocket suffered major damage on impact.
I decided that I flew enough low power flights and it was time to fly a couple mid power flights. First was my PML Bull Puppy with an E18-4W. Awesome boost but the Pup was badly damaged on landing. The fincan ripped off the rear of the rocket, taking out half the motor tube. Then I flew my “Hotel Express” with a F37-6W motor.
The June 30th launch was well worth the trip. Eddie and I had a lot of fun, and it is great to have to opportunity to fly some of my lower power rockets, which don’t get a chance to come out and play that often. Unfortunately, when I developed the film I used, I found that my camera did not work. So I did not get any pictures of my own for the launch.