OK, that's done.
Here's the launch report:
Launch vehicles:A. Quest Micromaxx RTF Saturn V from my original Micromaxx Launch Set (yes my first one from 2004 ) Length (with LES): 6.8125 in./20.64 mm. Diameter of S-I stage: 0.5 in./12.7 mm. Scale factor: 1:639.455 (approx.)
B. Quest Micromaxx RTF Saturn V from a Saturn V/Space Shuttle combo set. This one had never been flown before. Dimensions: same as above.
Motors: Quest MicromaxxII, 1/8A.5-1 (all flights). Total impulse = 0.218 N-s. Maximum thrust = 2.108 N
Location: Launch Complex 39A, Tupper Lake, NY (my backyard)
Launch #1: Vehicle A. Straight, high boost of this very dependable version. Very stable in flight. Full deployment of piston and streamer. Floated down and landed on the roof of my house about 50 feet away. Successfully retrieved from roof.
Result: Successful moon shot and lunar landing. (Apollo 11)
Launch #2: Vehicle A. Another straight boost; high, but not as high as the first. Slight wobble seen near apogee. Full deployment of piston and streamer. Landed in garden, about 60 feet away (in another direction, due to change in launch angle). Upon retrieval, found that the engine mount/retainer had ejected (with the engine). This part has not yet been found.
Result: Low Earth orbit. (Apollo 9)
Launch #3: Vehicle B. I had intended to just use the retainer/mount from this one, but when I inserted it in Vehicle A, I discovered that it was too loose. (More on this in a subsequent post.) So the launch was made with Vehicle B. Quick boost, but where did it go? Heard the ejection charge as I was scanning the sky, but when I looked down, I found it sticking out of the ground about 20 feet off to the side of the pad. Apparently it had looped and pranged. This was a first for any of my MMX RTF's, believe it or not. Maybe it was just an anomaly...
Result: Failure to reach orbit due to unknown system failure. (SA-502?)
Launch #4: Vehicle B. Had a little bit of difficulty getting the streamer into the rocket, because I hadn't "trained" it yet. First ignition failed. Pressed the button, saw the clips and the pyrogen-less Q2 igniter fall away, but no joy. With a replaced igniter, Vehicle B had a fast straight boost, with some wobble visible near apogee (more than was seen with A in Launch #2). Thought I saw something fly off of the rocket at ejection. Piston deployed but the streamer didn't unfurl. Lawn-darted about 35 feet away, next to the house. Sure enough, upon retrieval, I found that the engine holder/retainer had been kicked. But miraculously, I found it right away on my freshly mowed lawn, about halfway between the pad and the rocket's LZ.
Result: Moon shot with free return, but no lunar landing. (Apollo 13)
With three good launches (out of four), I called it a day. As I was writing this post, with both models lying on the desk next to my keyboard, I saw something that I had not noticed before. More on that shortly.
MarkII