NAR 60 Year Reunion, Part 6 - Getting Those Autographs

The NAR 60th Year Reunion proved to be a once in a lifetime opportunity for me to meet all of the big names in model rocketry, so naturally I had brought along a few items to be autographed.

The first dignitary I encountered was Bill Stine, who kindly signed the 7th edition of The Handbook of Model Rocketry, which I had purchase in early July just for this occasion.  It's really cool that Bill signs his autograph along with the phrase: "Fly High and Pay Forward!"  He also includes his NAR number (24) with his signature.

Next, I ran into Leroy and Betty Piester, who both signed the front cover of my 1969 Centuri catalog which I had picked up straight from the company's vendor display booth at NARAM-11 when I was 13 years old!  The catalog is pretty weather-worn and dog-eared from all the use and abuse it received over the past 49 years, but that gives it a certain measure of charm.

I received an extra bonus from Lee.  After signing the catalog, he opened it to the first page where there is a sequence of pictures showing a squeaky-clean, Brady Bunch-esque family building, launching and recovering a Centuri model rocket.

Lee described that photo shoot for me.  The two young lads are the sons of the photographer who took the shots, and the 'father' figure is one of Centuri's design men.  Lee told me his name, but I cannot remember it for this post (perhaps someone out there can identify this person and enlighten me).
Lee told me that the launch of the rocket was authentic, but the shots of the model descending on the parachute with the kids catching it are staged.  Those shots would have been impossible to take with an actual flight. He said that he was standing on a ladder with a 20 foot pole that had a release mechanism on the end. The model and opened parachute were attached to the pole, then dropped for the kids to catch, while dad clicked away..
Next, Lee opened the catalog to the inside back cover where there is a picture of himself posing with the complete line of models in the Centuri stable.  He said it took quite awhile to set up that shot - sticking sections of launch rods into the turf and arranging the models just right!

To complete my autograph collection, I finally encountered Vern Estes.  The item he signed for me was similar to Lee's - a copy of the 1969 Estes catalog, also obtained at the Estes display booth at NARAM-11.  Vern was delighted to hear that story, and signed the catalog on page 3 under the photo of him showing a model to some youngsters.

Here's a pic of Vern and me: