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Gila Monster!
AHPRA club members Ed Wilk and Bob Heninger built the Gila Monster from scratch. The airframe tube is Sona Tube type concrete form and the nose cone is of fiberglass over a foam core. The nose cone was perfect.
A gila monster for those who do not know is a nasty creature that lives in Arizona and is one of only two poisonous lizards in the world.
The Gila Monster was flown at the "Turkey Shoot" launch in Nevada on the 25th of November 2000. It went up on there M motors! Good flight with just a little zippering of the airframe. This was planned for and the top section of tube is replaceable.
Ed and Bob plan to do it again at the local launch or maybe save up and try it at LDRS 20.
Gila Monster on Steve Roberson's launcher/ trailer
for test fitting on rail. The location is the Rainbow Valley site.
This was a month or so before the actual launch.
Fire end of rocket, one central 98mm mount surrounded
by six 75mm mounts.
Launcher elevation is powered but needs a little help
with a rocket this size.
Standing up. on the left Bob and Ed.
Lift off at the Turkey Shoot.
This is a real Gila monster!
Next time on 5 M motors at the AHPRA April 2001 monthly launch.