Flight Log - 2022-07-08 - John Simmons's (BAR-05) F-79 Lonewolf

This scratch build / scratch designed rocket was inspired by the USAF Thunderbird Jets and the F-35 Lightening.

It features dual canted 24mm motors and dual rear-eject parachutes that eject from the side pods.

There are no 3d printed parts, everything is old school paper body tubes and wood.

Decals were designed in CAD and printed at our home.  

The "Thunderbird" on the belly was masked and spray painted.

Link to build thread: Lakeroadster's F-79 Lone Wolf | The Rocketry Forum

 

 

 

Flight Date: 2022-07-08
Rocket Name: (BAR-05) F-79 Lonewolf
Flyer's Name: John Simmons
Motors: 2xD12-5
Expected Altitude: 449.00 Feet
Wind Speed: 5.00 mph
Launch Site: Local
Actual Altitude: 449.00 Feet

Ignition was quick due to the e-matches and both motors ignited.

The rocket accelerated quickly, plenty of speed at launch rod exit (29.5 mph per sim)

Winds were less than 5 mph and from the north. The rocket did not weathercock.

The rocket was stable during thrust and coast phase.

The simulation software estimated apogee @ 449 feet, and the rocket appeared to reach that (no altimeter was used).I should have used D12-3 motors and not D12-5's.

The rocket arced over at apogee and started a ballistic descent. It gained too much speed before ejection.

At ejection the 1st plastic parachute blossomed and ripped away from the shroud lines. And the 2nd chute did not open.

The rocket sounded like a mortar coming in and it lawn darted about 50 feet west of the launch horse.

Photo's were taken of the rocket at it's ground hit location. Upon further review the rocket was amazingly still intact. As a matter of fact it was undamaged except for some awesome looking scrapes on the nose cone. I used a full length coupler inside the body tube and the nose cone I made from ash. Hell-For-Stout construction saved this rocket.

What was learned from this flight?

Always chose a motor with a delay that ejects the laundry before apogee if possible for the maiden flight of the rocket. 

Ideally this rocket should use nylon parachutes. However nylon chutes won't fit into the BT-50H tubes.

For the next flight I need to make some plastic chutes that have the shroud lines rigged up over the plastic chutes so they don't rip away when the chute blossomed.

 

StageMotor(s)
12 x Estes D12-5

 

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