Description: Launch of Estes Crossfire, Amazon, Patriot, Centuri, and Mean Machine. The Mean Machine suffered a CATO when the D12-3 exploded at launch.
Been flying rockets since 1972. First kit was an estes starlight. Many flights until my dad wanted to show a friend how it flew at twilight. Starlight lost in the twilight. Been a few years since I last flew a rocket. Your video got me motivated.
Will never outgrow model rocketry. Grew up building Centuri kits. Now 50 years later. Ready to go at it. Just wish Centuri was still around “original”. I think they merged with Estes. I always liked the Centuri kits better. Fun either way. And I had all of these happen. More than once 😆.
I just got into rocketry, I have the crossfire and amazon, I’m glad I didn’t let it launch today. The wind is blowing a bit in North Texas I didn’t want to lose it.
I understand. I have dabbled in and out of rocketry since childhood(51yo now). Super windy here on the TX coast as well! Switched to flying a stunt kite made for high winds yesterday. Gotta make the most of the situation.
@@Hotled1944 Sorry to hear that. My wife and I are both facing some new health challenges lately. Life can sure change suddenly! I hope you're able to adapt and find a way to enjoy it as much as possible. All the best...
Tee bee since today I got the crossfire and the Amazon and I flew it to day but since I know to fly it here is a tip. Tip: dont fly on a windy day. It will blow the rocket . I know it my first time flying it but on the instruction it said. Dont fly it on a windy day. So have a good day tee bee
I have lost 3 rockets since the 4th of July 2020. I had a similar detonation (Mean Machine) in my Mega Mosquito. The only parts that survived were the nose cone & parachute. But, I had 7 successful flights since the 4th of July.
I have discovered that if I use an old motor, older than 5 years, that has not been stored properly it will self destruct exactly like the Mean Machine flight. Throw away the old motors!
Well, old motors are ok to fly, it’s just that with Black powder (BP) motor (this is what Estes uses) it may or may not Cato depending if the propellant cracks, cracking is a problem in BP motors but Composite motors (Aerotech,Cesaroni) don’t usually have these problems but the igniters need to be powerful for those.
Model rockets can take a lot of time to properly build and paint but I guess one should not get too attached to any individual rocket! Some of the small to moderately sized vehicles might be fitted with streamers instead of parachutes - less drift although the faster landings increase the chance of fin damage and so forth.
I feel terrible about your Crossfire! Almost made me cry! Why didn't you find it in that huge, open field with short grass? Did you lose sight when you looked away to check on your igniter & electrical connection? Damn!
The field looks deceiving in this video. The area inside the model club fence boundary is mowed. Beyond the fence lies thousands of acres of thick salt grass that’s infested with rattlesnakes. The Crossfire went way beyond that fence line. It was under parachute when it finally drifted out of sight down range.
It’s all part of the hobby, I guess. Lots of us have limited space to launch and recover them. The winds here are often much higher at altitude than at the surface. I haven’t flown any rockets since filming these a year ago but I have built a handful since then that are waiting for a turn on the pad.
Been flying rockets since 1972. First kit was an estes starlight. Many flights until my dad wanted to show a friend how it flew at twilight. Starlight lost in the twilight.
Been a few years since I last flew a rocket. Your video got me motivated.
Great! Thanks for the kind words. Enjoy!
Will never outgrow model rocketry. Grew up building Centuri kits. Now 50 years later. Ready to go at it. Just wish Centuri was still around “original”. I think they merged with Estes. I always liked the Centuri kits better. Fun either way.
And I had all of these happen. More than once 😆.
Hey there, Alan--would love to know more about original Centuri kits.... I've never seen them before....
@@rocketsbyodin5499 Here's a scanned version of their 1969 catalog: www.ninfinger.org/rockets/nostalgia/69cencat.html
Awesome video--thank you for sharing! Got to try Mean Machine sometime!!!!!!
I just got into rocketry, I have the crossfire and amazon, I’m glad I didn’t let it launch today. The wind is blowing a bit in North Texas I didn’t want to lose it.
I understand. I have dabbled in and out of rocketry since childhood(51yo now). Super windy here on the TX coast as well! Switched to flying a stunt kite made for high winds yesterday. Gotta make the most of the situation.
Tee Bee I’m a bit older than you, had a stroke in June so I only have 1 hand that good, so my flying days are over I think.
@@Hotled1944 Sorry to hear that. My wife and I are both facing some new health challenges lately. Life can sure change suddenly! I hope you're able to adapt and find a way to enjoy it as much as possible. All the best...
Been a year how many did you luse so far!??? 😂
That's the thing with rockets you will eventually luse them all! 😂😥
Tee bee since today I got the crossfire and the Amazon and I flew it to day but since I know to fly it here is a tip.
Tip: dont fly on a windy day. It will blow the rocket . I know it my first time flying it but on the instruction it said. Dont fly it on a windy day. So have a good day tee bee
That sucks your last rocket was destroyed. I've had that happen before
That's awesome tee :)
I have lost 3 rockets since the 4th of July 2020. I had a similar detonation (Mean Machine) in my Mega Mosquito. The only parts that survived were the nose cone & parachute.
But, I had 7 successful flights since the 4th of July.
Wow I have doing Estes Building Getting back into it again
Us too--it has been a great trip down memory lane and very educational all at the same time! :)
Try the composite Q-Jet motors by Quest when flying bigger motors. Won't have the problems with cracked fuel grains like you had in the Mean Machine.
I have discovered that if I use an old motor, older than 5 years, that has not been stored properly it will self destruct exactly like the Mean Machine flight. Throw away the old motors!
Well, old motors are ok to fly, it’s just that with Black powder (BP) motor (this is what Estes uses) it may or may not Cato depending if the propellant cracks, cracking is a problem in BP motors but Composite motors (Aerotech,Cesaroni) don’t usually have these problems but the igniters need to be powerful for those.
@@retro-cosmodrome5584 Also Q-Jet by Quest for 18mm single use. (made by Aerotech)
Model rockets can take a lot of time to properly build and paint but I guess one should not get too attached to any individual rocket! Some of the small to moderately sized vehicles might be fitted with streamers instead of parachutes - less drift although the faster landings increase the chance of fin damage and so forth.
You need spillholes in them chutes so they come back.
I use fairly large spill holes already.
I feel terrible about your Crossfire! Almost made me cry! Why didn't you find it in that huge, open field with short grass? Did you lose sight when you looked away to check on your igniter & electrical connection? Damn!
The field looks deceiving in this video. The area inside the model club fence boundary is mowed. Beyond the fence lies thousands of acres of thick salt grass that’s infested with rattlesnakes. The Crossfire went way beyond that fence line. It was under parachute when it finally drifted out of sight down range.
Dang, that Amazon was trusty.
My Amazon flew over 20 times and can fly 20 more
Nice!!!!
the same thing happened to me with my crossfire I could not fly it for like 6 years then when I did I lost it to the wind with a 1,000ft engine
It’s all part of the hobby, I guess. Lots of us have limited space to launch and recover them. The winds here are often much higher at altitude than at the surface. I haven’t flown any rockets since filming these a year ago but I have built a handful since then that are waiting for a turn on the pad.
This is so me with a rocket.
Unfortunate Mean machine.
Yep!
I have a mean machine myself and I'm still curious as to why they have the problem of blowing motor mounts thru the cone
Mine was a catostrophic failure of the motor. It blew out both ends at ignition.
@@TeeBeeZee dang, I wonder if it's just the motor being slightly unstable?
My mean machine did the same with the motor mount fixed it with 30 minet slow cure epoxy n never happened again
0:40 - Matthew McConaughey button
Alright alright alright!
Uhhuuaahhh🤤
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