After three weeks of postponements due to weather, we finally got off the eighth Cambridge Rocket Club model rocket launch of the year on Saturday September 19th. We were initially greeted with single digit temperatures, blue sky and mild winds. The conditions did warm up as the sun rose and the winds remained at or below 10 kph, ideal for flying. We ending up hosting the biggest launch of the year sending up 82 model rockets and 2 radio controlled gliders. The rockets included cluster models, precision egg loft models, two stage models, scale and boost gliders, one in particular had 2 gliders on it that performed very well. We also had a V-2 fitted with a First Person View camera. I was amazed by the quality of the video and the fact that the real time transmission continued uninterrupted throughout the flight. The challenge now is to be able to record the flight. Two movie camera rockets (Mini-Cineroc and Cineroc 808 clone) were also successfully flown. Refer to attached images extracted from the videos. By the end of the day we managed to burn 90 model rocket engines with a theoretical total impulse of 1,851 Newtons.
The main feature of the day was our first ever was an A.3-4T Streamer Duration contest sponsored by Sunward Hobbies. All 9 participants were each given two of the motors to fly their models twice with and the times of the two flights added together to determine a winner. We saw some excellent efforts and innovation as the contestants tried to keep their models in the air as long as possible. The top three winners respectfully received $75., $50., and $25. Sunward Hobbies Gift Certificates. Congrats to all that participated.
