Sept 5, 2020 Launch in Acton; Go Big Red!
- Details
- Published: Tuesday, 08 September 2020 18:44
- Written by Claude Maina
Just as last time, we set up all 11 launch pads and Guy's 10/10 rail, and only 8 pads were wired; the launch session ran from 10 am to 2 pm and no food was served. And again, it all worked really well! The state mandated outside gathering limit was 50 people, and we were able (just) to keep ourselves legal, even with a group of Civil Air Cadets from Worcester. Temps were in the 70's with a moderate to strong wind blowing toward the trees (not good). We had 177 flights ranging from 13 mm A's to our max of G motors. The trees did take their share of rockets. At least five went in; don't know how many came out. (The five does not include my G Force!) We also had two CATO's.
We started off our end-end-of summer launch appropriately with Scott Clement's 'Corn on the Cob'. He later served up desert with his 'Ice Cream Cone'. Steve Kranish and Gordon Strodel both had their remote controlled gliders. Steve's was very impressive with flight times of more than 5 minutes (I actually think we left him there after we tore down the equipment at the end of the day!). There were about 10 cadets of the Worcester Cadet Squadron-Civil Air Patrol, along with parents and their squadron leader, Joe Zwirblia. They launched a number of Alpha III's on Estes A motors. All seemed to work well for them, and they appreciated all the help they received from CMASS (thanks especially to Frank, Linda and Dan Shea). Pictures are in the Gallery, please 
post yours.
Ok, back to the title. There were at least 4 Cornell alumni at the launch! It was like a reunion! - although one spanning a couple of generations. Undergrad classes of '77, '07, '09; and grad school classes of '84 and '15 were in attendance. Hail, oh hail, Cornell!
Thanks again to everyone for abiding by the Covid guidelines. It really makes things a lot easier for everyone. Thanks also to Guy and Kenn for manning the launch table most of the day, and to Howard, Tony, Frank, Linda, Jim Salem and everyone else who helped with set up and take down.
Our next launch is Sept 19th at Woodsom Farm in Amesbury - bring your HPR!
Out in Acton, where a friend is a friend, it was a great day for our belated inaugural launch. Overcast skies in the morning gave way to sun in the afternoon. Temps were in the low 80's and virtually no wind the entire day! The cricketeers were not there, but there were some long horn cattle feeding on the lowly jimsonweed. Ah - back in the saddle again. We set up all eleven launch pads and Guy's 10/10 rail, but only eight pads were wired in an attempt to create some extra distancing. The launch window was shorted as well to 10 am to 2 pm and no food was served. And it all appeared to work well. Ridin the Acton range once more we were totin' a one hundred and forty four launches! And for a shortened launch time, that was pretty good.
arching over Route 2. I'm not sure if he got it back. Bruce Strong brought his pair of Sputniks; one flew better than the other. You can see his video on the 
