Aftermath of Williams ‘Wildfire’ Westernationals 2011 Launch – WWW2011 Part 2

It all started off for me at 5am on Thursday when Len picked me up on the way to Georges place where we would get a lift to the airport. We got there much earlier than expected as there was far less traffic on the gateway than we assumed there would be. At the airport we spotted Nic and his brother William who also arrived bright and early.

After the LONG flight to Perth from Brisbane, Len and George sorted out their hire car, booked into their hotel and made our way to Scoops home to meet up with the rest of the guys. From there we dropped into the Whooshtronics pre-launch party after grabbing some “angry juice”. It was a great evening and was great to see the Whooshtronics HQ in action and to learn how this level of electronics manufacturing is done.

Friday morning we started getting all of the gear together and eventually our crate full of rockets, tents and sleeping bags arrived (nothing like the last minute  guess). We then made our way to the launch site once we were all packed up. When we arrived some of the site had already been set up. After a short rain shower we then finished setting up the site and set up our tents. That evening I truly found out exactly how cold it would be at night!!!

In the morning after breakfast everyone jumped into getting their rockets ready and started launching. I decided to hold off on launching my Intimidator 3 until after lunch, and Neil kindly lent me his 70-200mm F4 USM Lens as it is FAR better than my dodgy little 55-250mm F4-5.6 EF-S Lens. That was hugely appreciated! After lunch I prepped my Intimidator 3 and launched in on a J350. It was a perfect flight straight up, backslid a few feet and the altimeter kicked in and ejected the drogue and after PK’s “perfect” guess at 700 feet the main came out. Everyone though I had become an admiral in the navy, but it had landed just the other side of the dam. After then I cleaned it up and decided to just watch the rockets being launched rather than photographing them (the worst thing with taking the photos is that it is very difficult to “take in” the launches fully.

Sunday started off a little “slower”, probably due to the amount of alcohol consumed the previous evening. However after a good hearty breakfast the launching started up again. Eventually the drag race was ready and the competition got a little more heated. The WA teams rocket (White Trash) left the pad first leaving the Qld team behind. Then whilst White Trash was doing a little dancing across the sky the Qld teams rocket left it for dead and hitting apogee first! I personally wouldn’t call it a win either way as the WA team was off the pad first but the Qld team beat it to the line. After apogee things went a little pear shaped for both teams. The WA team popped its main at apogee while the Qld teams chute didn’t fully open and it fell into a tree very hard, although with minimal damage. After getting some photos of Pinkhat and Simon setting up their Mach Madness rocket I decided to go and assist with the recovery. After driving around following the tracker we finally got to the last paddock that Dave could drive us to so we took it on foot from there. After walking for a while following the tracker Simon spotted the sustainer, and after a little more searching we found the nosecone nearby. The altimeter reported about 18,000ft! We walked back trying to beat sundown and found our way back. Later in the evening we downloaded the data from the Raven2 that was on board and got a top speed of a massive Mach 2.64!!! Any wonder I missed the photo of it taking off!

Monday morning was a matter of all-in packing up. After a great flight back with Blake and Petar, we were home and it was all over! Time to start building a project for next years event!

I must say a huge thanks to Tripoli Western Australia for hosting such a great event. To Dave and Mel for inviting me into their home and their support throughout the event, thanks guys. Big thanks for PK for doing a great job of RSO/LCO (sorry I didn’t get a chance to take over from you mate!), and also for hosting the Whooshtronics party – I will add your site to my links shortly now that I think of it. Also thanks to Neil for lending me the 70-200mm lens, and to Drew for lending me the motor case (sorry your AMRAAM didn’t work out so well for you!). Also to all of the sponsors of this great event, without you I am sure this event wouldn’t quite be what it is.

Lastly, thanks for Blake from Australian Rocketry for supporting me and encouraging me to come along to this great event! You truly are a top bloke mate! Without you, this hobby in Australia wouldn’t be what it is today!

I know you’re all hankering for the photos, so here they are…

Photo from the flight to WA – crossed paths of another jet, photo of its jet stream

Durka durka

Bow chikka wow-wow

Stopped for a wee and beer break on the way to Williams

Show me your shirt

Williams

Williams Hotel

Time for another beer

Warming up around the fire after setting up

Catching up after “long time no see”, or in my case with Lamp it was great to meet you in person

Sunrise on Saturday Morning

Sunrise on Saturday Morning

Len prepping a motor in his signature Hawaiian shirt

It’s Nic, what else can I say… :P

Mike prepping his L3 cert rocket

Proof that is was Blake who drew the penis on Len’s rocket

Everyone prepping their rockets for an early morning flight

Mike and his L3 cert Rocket

Mike and Dave carrying Mike’s L3 cert Rocket to the pad

Mike and his L3 cert Rocket

Dave and Mike loading it onto the pad

Mike starting his modelling career with his L3 cert Rocket

Random artistic shot of Mike and his L3 cert Rocket

Mike “the rocket whisperer”

Mike and his L3 cert Rocket

“Space H” getting a shot

Andrew’s micro-hybrid

Neil and his “hell wicked” 300mm L series Canon lens

Mike’s L3 cert launch

Mike’s L3 cert launch

Mike’s L3 cert launch

Mike’s L3 cert launch

Chopper and his “new age weapon” – It’s Shane really…

Lamp’s Wildman Junior

Lamp’s Wildman Junior

Corie’s Jaguar on an I211W

Lamp bringing his crashed “but somewhat ok” Wildman Junior back

Yeeeee HAAAAAA – Ride it baby!

Pinkhat’s pink hat – yes, it is “the pink hat”

Len and George ironing out their RDF issues

“Space H” through the hole in a log – he looked rather bored

I missed Len’s launch but got it on the way down

Len recovering his rocket

Len’s rocket

Rob prepping his rocket

Rob and Austin

Rob and Austin’s launch

Nice long shutter time of the camp-fire – worked well because someone stoked the fire

Petar and Alex start on the preparation of the Qld Teams rocket

Grandpa Petar

Nic’s launch

Nic’s launch

Nic’s launch

Booster of the M to M Starsky and Hutch rocket

The WA Team prepping White Trash

Blake prepping something

Andrew’s Micro Hybrid again

Andrew’s Micro Hybrid again

Andrew in shock of the loss of his Micro Hybrid

Corie loading up his Rip Roar rocket

Andrew after finding his Micro hybrid rocket

Corie’s Rip Roar

The standard position for rocketeers

Everyone making their way back after loading the Starsky and Hutch rocket onto the pad

Petar the videographer

The Starsky and Hutch rocket in action

The Starsky and Hutch rocket in action

The Starsky and Hutch rocket in action

The Starsky and Hutch rocket in action

The Starsky and Hutch rocket in action

The Starsky and Hutch rocket in action

Smoke trail after the sustainer didn’t ignite

Everyone shocked and awed at the sustainer not firing

Dave appearing to be a little displeased in the Starsky and Hutch not firing the second stage

Simon’s token boxing kangaroo sticker on his tribrid rocket

George trying to find the micro SD cards in the wreck of the Starsky and Hutch rocket

The business end of the tribrid motor

Pinkhat getting the GPS tracker ready

Simon arming the electronics

Simon’s tribrid rocket ready for launch

Austin and their carbonator rocket

Rob and Austin and their carbonator rocket

Rob & Austin’s carbonator rocket

Rob & Austin’s carbonator rocket

Len offering a quick prayer to the rocket gods

Sam and her L3 rocket “Lucky 7″

Sam and her L3 rocket “Lucky 7″

Sam and her partner taking “Lucky 7″ to the pad

Sam’s rocket “Lucky 7″

15 Minute Challenge photo – uneditted

Simon’s tribrid in action

Simon’s tribrid in action

Sam and her L3 rocket “Lucky 7″

Sam and her L3 rocket “Lucky 7″

All I got of George’s Mariah 38

Sam’s L3 cert “Lucky 7″ launch

Sam’s L3 cert “Lucky 7″ launch

Sam’s L3 cert “Lucky 7″ launch

Sam’s L3 cert “Lucky 7″ launch

Sam’s L3 cert “Lucky 7″ launch

Strud’s Orange Mongrel

Strud’s Orange Mongrel

Strud’s Orange Mongrel

Strud’s Orange Mongrel coming back down

Blake prepping the Qld Teams rocket

State of Origin rockets almost ready to go

State of Origin rockets almost ready to go

The “Rockets Magazine” paint job

Blake and his dad Petar sign off on the deal

Blake and his dad Petar sign off on the deal

There is no ‘I’ in team! (But if you make a rocket called team you can certainly put an ‘I’ into it)

Blake turning the WA teams motor into a “Skidmark”

State of Origin ready to go!

State of Origin Drag Race – Pre-ignition

State of Origin Drag Race – The WA team gets off to a good start

State of Origin Drag Race – WA Team off to a great start

State of Origin Drag Race – Qld Team finally leaves the pad

State of Origin Drag Race – The Qld Team fully gets into action

State of Origin Drag Race – We will catch you!

State of Origin Drag Race – Not much til we pass you!

State of Origin Drag Race – Getting ready for the pass

State of Origin Drag Race – Neck on Neck

State of Origin Drag Race – Hello WA Team!

State of Origin Drag Race – We saved the best til now!

State of Origin Drag Race – Cya!

State of Origin Drag Race – What are ya waiting for?

State of Origin Drag Race – Maybe if you flew straighter you could keep up?

State of Origin Drag Race – Bugger this, I’m outta here

State of Origin Drag Race – Not waiting around for you!

State of Origin Drag Race – Fair way ahead now!

State of Origin Drag Race – And a bit more

State of Origin Drag Race – That far ahead I nearly needed to zoom out!

State of Origin Drag Race – WA Team getting even more shakey

State of Origin Drag Race – I’m outta comments now

State of Origin Drag Race – …

State of Origin Drag Race – Nearly done

State of Origin Drag Race – …

State of Origin Drag Race – Photo finish, well we got to apogee first!

State of Origin Drag Race – Man 2x N2000 motors leave some smoke!

State of Origin Drag Race – Smoke trails

State of Origin Drag Race – Andrew fetching our rocket from the tree

State of Origin Drag Race – Blake helping with getting the rocket out of the tree

State of Origin Drag Race – A little fin damage

State of Origin Drag Race – Petar getting the altimeters out

Blake and Dave having a bit of fun

Blake and Dave having a bit of fun

The videographers comparing results

Pinkhat and Simon’s Mach Madness rocket “Baddest in the Land”

Drew’s AMRAAM – real shame about the landing mate!

Drew’s AMRAAM – real shame about the landing mate!

Drew’s AMRAAM – real shame about the landing mate!

Drew’s AMRAAM – real shame about the landing mate!

Pinkhat and Simon with “Baddest in the Land” (and Pinkhat tweaking his nipples a little)

This is the closest I got to Pinkhat and Simon’s “Baddest in the Land” as it launched

This is all I got of Pinkhat and Simon’s “Baddest in the Land” rocket taking off!

Pinkhat and Simon’s “Baddest in the Land” rocket in flight

Pinkhat with the Walston tracking gear trying to work out where his rocket was.

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