We let off some pretty big fireworks in our garden on fireworks night (5th November). A couple of the rockets had big sticks attached to them and weighed 1-2lbs each. I always worry slightly about where these sticks are going to land and wish that the last act of an exploding firework was to set off a small charge to deploy a parachute to take the stick safely back down to earth.

Then of course, you could also have a firework which does something (anything from a simple shower of sparks to a whizzy Catherine wheel) while being parachuted back down. The general mayhem and traffic chaos when this gets blown off course onto a nearby road would be a small price to pay.
-- hippo, Nov 09 2004

mine had parachutes. http://www.halfbake...ocolate_20fireworks
[po, Nov 09 2004]

like these? http://www.firework...om/nightchutes.html
[sartep, Nov 09 2004]

found this nice firework site while searching for something else. http://www.theoldti...com/past/700_1.html
[po, Nov 14 2004]

A few years back we had a rocket which was supposed to shine brightly while parachuting back to earth. The parachute didn't open so it was a big disappointment.
-- Loris, Nov 09 2004


I used to chase those when I ws a kid and keep the 'chutes. My Action-man used the parachutes to make it safely down from my window to the garden.
-- scubadooper, Nov 09 2004


Sounds good. But what damage can a little stick really do?
-- britboy, Nov 09 2004


Never had one come down on your head, huh?
-- Mr Burns, Nov 09 2004


One fired by my grandfather came back down through his shed roof.
-- david_scothern, Nov 09 2004


[britboy] Forgive the rusty physics, but the energy (exerted on your head) from a 10g stick falling from 300m would be
E=MGH=0.01*9.8*300=29.4N
This would be equivalent to a 1kg weight being dropped on your head from 3 metres.
A fair bit of damage, I'd say :)
-- reap, Nov 10 2004


not to mention the damage if you were looking up with your mouth open in awe and it stabbed you in the eye.

(now where's that other damned silly firework idea?)
-- po, Nov 10 2004


([reap] ...or a 1000kg weight from 3mm...)
-- hippo, Nov 10 2004


Given the choice, I'll take the stick with wind resistance over the large weight.
-- Ling, Nov 14 2004



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