CIA Launch at Rantoul 11/25/2006

Chris Deem considers which of his many large rockets he wants to fly first. Photo by Greg Smith

nobody@smugmug.com (CIA-Rocketry) — Sat, 25 Nov 2006 23:12:50 -0800

CIA-Rocketry
Chris Deem considers which of his many large rockets he wants to fly first. Photo by Greg Smith

Lon Westfall's Tall Boy got stuck halfway up the rail on its D12 booster, then shook loose and took off only after the E9 sustainer ignited. Photo by Greg Smith

nobody@smugmug.com (CIA-Rocketry) — Sat, 25 Nov 2006 23:13:27 -0800

CIA-Rocketry
Lon Westfall's Tall Boy got stuck halfway up the rail on its D12 booster, then shook loose and took off only after the E9 sustainer ignited. Photo by Greg Smith

Lon's Tall Boy made a good flight despite a shaky start. The D12 booster functioned mainly as a very expensive igniter for the E9. Photo by Greg Smith

nobody@smugmug.com (CIA-Rocketry) — Sat, 25 Nov 2006 23:13:42 -0800

CIA-Rocketry
Lon's Tall Boy made a good flight despite a shaky start. The D12 booster functioned mainly as a very expensive igniter for the E9. Photo by Greg Smith

Recovery of Lon Westfall's Tall Boy, in its full 12-foot-long configuration. Photo by Greg Smith

nobody@smugmug.com (CIA-Rocketry) — Sat, 25 Nov 2006 23:13:58 -0800

CIA-Rocketry
Recovery of Lon Westfall's Tall Boy, in its full 12-foot-long configuration. Photo by Greg Smith

Greg Smith's LOC Onyx before launch. Photo by Greg Smith

nobody@smugmug.com (CIA-Rocketry) — Sat, 25 Nov 2006 23:14:16 -0800

CIA-Rocketry
Greg Smith's LOC Onyx before launch. Photo by Greg Smith

Greg's Onyx takes off on a RoadRunner Rocketry F60-4 motor. Nice flight, rough landing. Photo by Greg Smith

nobody@smugmug.com (CIA-Rocketry) — Sat, 25 Nov 2006 23:14:35 -0800

CIA-Rocketry
Greg's Onyx takes off on a RoadRunner Rocketry F60-4 motor. Nice flight, rough landing. Photo by Greg Smith

Greg's Onyx on its way to a landing on one of the airport taxiways. That pretty paint job may never be the same again. Photo by Greg Smith

nobody@smugmug.com (CIA-Rocketry) — Sat, 25 Nov 2006 23:07:35 -0800

CIA-Rocketry
Greg's Onyx on its way to a landing on one of the airport taxiways. That pretty paint job may never be the same again. Photo by Greg Smith

Lon contemplates the options for his next flight. Photo by Greg Smith

nobody@smugmug.com (CIA-Rocketry) — Sat, 25 Nov 2006 23:13:09 -0800

CIA-Rocketry
Lon contemplates the options for his next flight. Photo by Greg Smith

He decided to fly his all-fiberglass Raptor. As Lon pointed out to Greg, the "finish" on this rocket never gets damaged no matter what it lands on. Photo by Greg Smith

nobody@smugmug.com (CIA-Rocketry) — Sat, 25 Nov 2006 23:07:50 -0800

CIA-Rocketry
He decided to fly his all-fiberglass Raptor. As Lon pointed out to Greg, the "finish" on this rocket never gets damaged no matter what it lands on. Photo by Greg Smith

Chris Deem's 4" diameter scale Bullpup before launch. Photo by Greg Smith

nobody@smugmug.com (CIA-Rocketry) — Sat, 25 Nov 2006 23:08:09 -0800

CIA-Rocketry
Chris Deem's 4" diameter scale Bullpup before launch. Photo by Greg Smith

Mike Driskell made his first reloadable motor flight using this shortened Aerotech Astrobee-D. Photo by Greg Smith

nobody@smugmug.com (CIA-Rocketry) — Sat, 25 Nov 2006 23:08:27 -0800

CIA-Rocketry
Mike Driskell made his first reloadable motor flight using this shortened Aerotech Astrobee-D. Photo by Greg Smith

Liftoff of Mike's Astrobee-D with an F40-4 motor. Photo by Greg Smith

nobody@smugmug.com (CIA-Rocketry) — Sat, 25 Nov 2006 23:08:38 -0800

CIA-Rocketry
Liftoff of Mike's Astrobee-D with an F40-4 motor. Photo by Greg Smith

Mike's Astrobee-D climbing ... Photo by Greg Smith

nobody@smugmug.com (CIA-Rocketry) — Sat, 25 Nov 2006 23:08:50 -0800

CIA-Rocketry
Mike's Astrobee-D climbing ... Photo by Greg Smith

... and falling. The F40-4 turned out to be more like a -12, and the rocket hit the ground before ejecting the parachute. Photo by Greg Smith

nobody@smugmug.com (CIA-Rocketry) — Sat, 25 Nov 2006 23:08:59 -0800

CIA-Rocketry
... and falling. The F40-4 turned out to be more like a -12, and the rocket hit the ground before ejecting the parachute. Photo by Greg Smith

Lon and Chris look over the remains of Mike's Astrobee-D after its "lawn dart" landing. Photo by Greg Smith

nobody@smugmug.com (CIA-Rocketry) — Sat, 25 Nov 2006 23:09:19 -0800

CIA-Rocketry
Lon and Chris look over the remains of Mike's Astrobee-D after its "lawn dart" landing. Photo by Greg Smith

Lon's NCR Big Brute lifts off. Photo by Greg Smith

nobody@smugmug.com (CIA-Rocketry) — Sat, 25 Nov 2006 23:09:45 -0800

CIA-Rocketry
Lon's NCR Big Brute lifts off. Photo by Greg Smith

Most of the rockets that flew well drifted several hundred yards toward the hangars, runways and taxiways on the former Chanute Air Force Base launch site. Here, Lon watches his Big Brute a ...

nobody@smugmug.com (CIA-Rocketry) — Sat, 25 Nov 2006 23:10:03 -0800

CIA-Rocketry
Most of the rockets that flew well drifted several hundred yards toward the hangars, runways and taxiways on the former Chanute Air Force Base launch site. Here, Lon watches his Big Brute a ...

Chris Deem loads his own Big Brute on the pad. Photo by Greg Smith

nobody@smugmug.com (CIA-Rocketry) — Sat, 25 Nov 2006 23:10:19 -0800

CIA-Rocketry
Chris Deem loads his own Big Brute on the pad. Photo by Greg Smith

Liftoff of Chris' Big Brute, as seen from right beside the pad. (The obligatory Big Brute picture, but from a different angle!) And yes, I used a long remote control cable to take this one. ...

nobody@smugmug.com (CIA-Rocketry) — Sat, 25 Nov 2006 23:10:40 -0800

CIA-Rocketry
Liftoff of Chris' Big Brute, as seen from right beside the pad. (The obligatory Big Brute picture, but from a different angle!) And yes, I used a long remote control cable to take this one. ...

The RoadRunner F60-4 motor kicked up a good amount of debris as the Big Brute headed into the sky. Photo by Greg Smith

nobody@smugmug.com (CIA-Rocketry) — Sat, 25 Nov 2006 23:11:18 -0800

CIA-Rocketry
The RoadRunner F60-4 motor kicked up a good amount of debris as the Big Brute headed into the sky. Photo by Greg Smith

Chris Deem's modified Estes Snitch ignites. Photo by Greg Smith

nobody@smugmug.com (CIA-Rocketry) — Sat, 25 Nov 2006 23:12:03 -0800

CIA-Rocketry
Chris Deem's modified Estes Snitch ignites. Photo by Greg Smith

Mike and Lon work on assembling a reloadable motor for Lon's Executioner. Photo by Greg Smith

nobody@smugmug.com (CIA-Rocketry) — Sat, 25 Nov 2006 23:11:44 -0800

CIA-Rocketry
Mike and Lon work on assembling a reloadable motor for Lon's Executioner. Photo by Greg Smith

On the last flight of the day, Lon's modified Estes Executioner lifts off with an F62 reloadable motor. Photo by Greg Smith

nobody@smugmug.com (CIA-Rocketry) — Sat, 25 Nov 2006 23:12:24 -0800

CIA-Rocketry
On the last flight of the day, Lon's modified Estes Executioner lifts off with an F62 reloadable motor. Photo by Greg Smith