Sorry to see that happened.
Any video of the CATO's?
On the bright side, theres a chance to build another USS America and Centuri designed X-wing.
Please don't think I'm unfeeling to your loss.

__________________
If it flies, I can crash it!

Last night I couldn't stand it anymore, so I did some late night surgery on the USS America. The motor mount had been moved 5 1/2 inches up in the body tube, and it was obvious that there were post-"flight" flames. It's pretty much toast, WAY worse than the Viking 5 was after the NARAM CATO last summer. The whole inside is crisped. The motor tube is ashes. Centering rings are twisted, charred and delaminated. The only things left recognizable are the spacer and engine block.

__________________
Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Centuri Mini Dactyl Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion 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, Groonie Der V 1/2

No, just the still pics. I keep saying that I'm going to get some flight movies, but I'm not real proficient with the new camera yet.
As for rebuilding the USS America, I think I might just wait for Carl to kit it. The X-Wing is just slightly scorched and lost a cannon tube. When the C6-3 blew, it left quickly. That was nice of it.



Not to worry. Part of this hobby is "watch 'em go or watch 'em blow!" I'm glad to have photographic evidence to share.

__________________
Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Centuri Mini Dactyl Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion 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, Groonie Der V 1/2

Okay, got my notes, got the pics loaded on Photobucket, back to the report. (Toldja this was going to be a long process.)
Third flight of the day for moi was the Viking 4 upscale. The nose cone just arrived from Carl on Friday. Got it primed, sealed and painted before I went to bed. I apologize for the unimaginative paint scheme. I'm not much of a decorator.



Flight was very cool. A nice, slow liftoff and big, curving wind**** to the east. Looking forward to flying this one in zero wind.







Recovery was eventful as the 12" chute brought the Viking 4 in a little hot. It stuck the landing at a 75 degree angle.

__________________
Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Centuri Mini Dactyl Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion 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, Groonie Der V 1/2

From the "you think I'd learn" department......
The Optima clone was ready to fly all week, waiting on the Mylar tape I'd ordered last weekend. Well, it arrived yesterday while I was at the field. Unfortunately not all companies we deal with give Semroc quality service, so the Optima was a study in black and white.



Flight was almost exactly the same as the Viking 4 before it. Slow off the pad, big wind**** to the east, ejection at apogee, and recovered like a bat back to hell on the 12" chute.









Wasn't quite so lucky this time. The hard recovery cracked a fillet and broke the joint between the fin can and upper body tube. The black need a repaint anyway.

__________________
Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Centuri Mini Dactyl Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion 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, Groonie Der V 1/2

Next up was the second flight of the Viking 6. Flew it last time on an E9-6 which was more like an E9-9. The ejection charge fired just 100 feet from the ground, and the chute fouled on the fins. It hit sideways, but still broke two fins off. This time it flew on an E9-4, which was perfect. (I should add that the Viking 4 and Optima were also E9-4 flights.)



Identical flight path to the Viking 4 and Optima, but I was smart this time and subbed a 15" chute for the 12" one.

__________________
Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Centuri Mini Dactyl Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion 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, Groonie Der V 1/2

Once again, not much on decoration, but I like the looks of the FSI Intrepid clone anyway. (One of these was for sale on Ebay recently. It killed me not to be able to chase it.) I had my black paint ready to go for some "on-field" painting, but I forgot it. You'll just have to imagine that the nose cone and transition are gloss black.



This is supposed to fly as a cluster with a a center E9 and two outboard D11-Ps. I forgot and set the engine blocks at E9 depth and didn't have any spacers, so we'll try it as a cluster at TORC-Fest in two weeks. This was the fifth straight E9-4 flight on the day and it followed the blueprint of the previous flights to a T.

__________________
Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Centuri Mini Dactyl Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion 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, Groonie Der V 1/2

The Nova SS was the rocket I was prepping when I remembered that I had my two keychain cameras charged up and ready, so it was set up with one pointing up, one pointing down.



The E9-6 turned out to be a poor choice for the health of the rocket, but the video turned out pretty well. Too much delay and the rocket was heading down at ejection. The nose cone rebounded into the white fin and shattered it pretty thoroughly. Hard hit on recovery shook loose one of the cameras, but everything survived.







I'd already put my camera away by the time I found the damage, but it will need major work to fly again.

__________________
Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Centuri Mini Dactyl Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion 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, Groonie Der V 1/2

I was afraid the BT-70 Screamer upscale might blend in with the surroundings.



Another E9-6 flight, another nose-down recovery. Slight zipper. Very slight. More like a dent.









Gotta figure out something to fly these E9-6s in.

__________________
Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Centuri Mini Dactyl Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion 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, Groonie Der V 1/2

The Viking 3 was supposed to be 24mm powered, but the engine block stuck about an inch short of where it was supposed to be. I managed to get an engine tube in and turn it into an 18mm bird. I really need to make another one and go the 24mm route. This would be a cool flight on this field, and probably a one shot bird.



Even with a C6-7 this was an impressive flight. Followed the same flight path as all of the E9 flights, but lower and at a steeper angle. The streamer brought it almost straight down and it wound up as my longest walk and toughest find of the day.

__________________
Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Centuri Mini Dactyl Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion 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, Groonie Der V 1/2