Mustang

Flight #2

Flight #11

Flight #13

Display

My first AeroTech rocket, flown first on an E30. Landed on pavement, knocking one of the fins loose. It snapped right back into place, though, guess that Fin-Lok system is OK. The second time out, she suffered an F25 CATO. Tough little bird, not a thing was wrong with her, but we found the load a few minutes later about six feet away. I've since flown her on another E30 to another loose-fin landing, and again to a flawless recovery (she missed pavement by inches), so I was ready to step her back up to the F25.

In the meantime, though, my buddy Dave flew his Mustang to a terrific, if low, flight on a Estes D12-3. I was so impressed that I did the same thing with mine, and added the black powder engine to her motor matrix. Since I've gotten better data on the available motors, I've added the F Econojets, too.

I've also flown her on three more D12-3s, an E9-4 and E28-4, four E30-7s, an F20-7 and F23-4, two F72-10s (truly awesome flights, see the movie at left for the first one) and three F101-10s, twice to perfect ejections and once to a late one. Both of the "non-standard" Fs are supposed to be late, ejecting at about 45 feet/second on the way down, but she seems to have suffered no damage using them. The steel mesh in her baffle is starting to show a lot of wear, and I'll be replacing it soon.

Her effort on the E15-4 ejected very late and a fin was lost, so I ordered and installed a replacement, painting it silver metal flake. Her next effort resulted in a water landing and a spit motor, so she's getting near retirement or total rebuild. Before she got too threadbare, I used her to test AeroTech's new F21 Econo with a custom-cut spacer, and she really likes it. Boost was fast, straight and true with ejection occurring just past apogee. I lost her on the way down, but found her after about a ten minute search, none the worse for wear.

I've flown her again on the E30 since, a great motor for her. I then put her up on an E11-3, which sims great for her. Ejection was late, though, and I'll either drill future delays for that motor or just stay away from it. I tried another E9 and ejection was past apogee, but not enough to worry a lot about. Another F50-9 produced an early ejection and a spit motor. No damage, but I would fly any reloads in her until I get the baffle cleaned out!

Performance
Engine(s) Altitude
(ft.) Velocity
(ft./sec.) Accel
(Gs)

D12-3 250 105 7.5

D15-4 330 130 7.9

E9-4 495 140 4.2

E23-5 740 215 8.3

E28-7 1,035 295 12.8

E30-7 1,055 305 12.6

F12-5 1,080 255 5.3

F20-7 1,620 365 12.4

F21-6 1,440 340 11.7

F23-7 1,375 325 11.5

F24-7 1,275 310 10.3

F50-9 2,005 520 19.1

F52-8 1,825 455 17.4

F72-10 1,985 540 24.8

F101-10 2,000 575 21.4

G64-10 2,800 655 20.2

G80-10 2,765 735 24.6

This rocket featured in Essence's Model Rocket Reviews: