Because I didn't think Dad would mind.
It took forever for the field to clear tonight. I made my third trip up to check a little after 8pm and found the crowds leaving. By the time I rounded the block all but a few stragglers were in the lower parking lot, and B6-4 Field was mine.
First flight of the night was my recently completed Estes Alpha III, a ten year project at least. A8-3 first flight, just to give me an idea what to expect.







As you can see, it was not a great night for photography. Flight couldn't have been better, though. Straight up, ejection just as it tipped over, and a gentle recovery drift on the reefed 12" chute. Calm night, so it would be a good idea to push the limits of B6-4 Field, right? Uh, yeah, right.

__________________
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

Next up was Sky Writer #2 on a C6-5.
WHY DIDN'T SOMEONE STOP ME? Oh, yeah. I fly alone.

Well, I didn't have any B6-4s with me, but I did find a stray C6-5 rolling around the range box, and with no dissenting opinions, I WENT FOR IT!!!



Boy HOWDY did I go for it. Sometimes you forget just how long those C6-5s burn. At least I did. I followed it as far as I could, but once the flame disappeared I found myself looking at the spot where I last saw it, listening for a pop. No pop. Nothing at all, so I turned my attention to scouring the field looking for a chute. After a while that obviously became a losing battle. Things might look different in the morning.

__________________
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

Next on the pad was the FRW Moderately Deep Space Transport, a downscale that I started building several years back when Estes introduced the Mini HoJo. This would be the first flight, but all things considered, I was pretty confident of success.



First flight would be on a C6-5. HA! PSYCHE! Okay, first flight would be on an A8-3. I don't chew my cabbage twice.



Virtually the same flight path as the Alpha III. Ejection just as it tipped, and altitude topped out around the 200 foot mark. Recovery drift was slightly more as the chute from the Alpha left with the Sky Writer.

__________________
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

The final flight of the night became the fourth flight of the night when I missed the liftoff shot. This was the first flight of the FRW Night Stalker, one of the designs I came up with for the light up Night Bobby fishing bobbers.



I used the yellow one for this flight on an A8-3. Billy-Doug oughta like the color scheme. The flight was as hoped, around the 250 foot mark with the light up cone visible the whole flight.

__________________
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

Good flight report. I hope it was a good eve for you after what has been, understatedly, a difficult few days.

Dad had the best seat in the house for the flights and no doubt approved, but maybe in echos from a younger day, might have had you 'home before dark' (a chastisement I heard many times in my younger years from my Dad).


Earl

__________________
Earl L. Cagle, Jr.
NAR# 29523
TRA# 962
SAM# 73
Owner/Producer
Point 39 Productions

Rocket-Brained Since 1970

Since I missed the launch shot on flight #4, there had to be a flight #5 so I could miss that launch shot, too.



This gives a pretty good idea what it looks like on the pad with darkness all around. And believe me, it was dark. My camera picks up light that isn't there. It was REAL dark at this point.

Carbon copy of the first flight, with the light visible the whole time.



I had to leave the nose cone lit while I was packing up so I didn't forget anything on the field.

__________________
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

Today was pretty great all around. Good turnout for the funeral despite the hour and got to see a lot of old friends. Funerals are good for one thing.
Flying tonight? Just gravy.

__________________
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

Another nice flight report, Bill.

BTW, what did your father do for a living? Same as you?

__________________
If it flies, I can crash it!

No, until my brother and I, the Eichelberger family had the second most years of service with Cincinnati Bell. Grandpa was a lineman, a couple of his cousins worked there, and Dad was a comptroller, starting right out of college. Dave and I both tried to get on with the "family business" but my history degree and Dave's mechanical chops didn't even get us a sniff.

__________________
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

Nice report. You got a great shot of the flame at lift-off on the Sky Writer. Hey, you never know, maybe that one didn't come down.

__________________
Retro-grouch