Hot Squat Drag Race

I have drag-raced Erik many time over the years, and normally his rocket is off-frame before mine has even started.

In these races, the electric igniters are tied to the same launch button.

I managed to capture the moment of departure, and I think my red hot squat finally brought home the prize. Without photos like this, victory has many claimants. =)

Well, not exactly, as the RF beacon sheared off at apogee (and so we found it in the field), but the rocket with its strap-on HD video cam is still out in the field somewhere. It has name, phone number and “reward” written all over it, so I am hopeful it shows up. (I once had a rocket spend a year out in the field at Snow Ranch before getting it back.)

Here is a short video compilation of the race.

It seemed appropriate to fly a Madcow Rocketry kit on a Dairy Farm. I modified the kit a bit, adding an aluminum boat tail, fiberglassing the entire airframe and fins, and adding 2 lbs of weight secured in the tip of the nosecone for stability. Her maiden flight was wildly unstable when I initially tried 0.9 lbs of nose weight.