NAR 60 Year Reunion, Part 7 - Vintage Launch Controllers

Reunion attendee Jeff Jenkins (NAR 46879) brought along a very nice collection of vintage model rocket launch controllers for display.  Most of them were from Centuri Engineering, and also included the original instruction sheets that came with them.

One launch control system in the display that really caught my eye was this Estes Multi-Pad.  The unit is a 12-pad launch system with a built in PA amplifier and microphone.
(Somehow, the wine glasses parked next to the controller add a little more sophistication to the display!)

This one brought back lots of memories for me, for it was this very model of controller used extensively by Skywatchers/ROMAR in Colorado Springs for conducting all of its demonstration launches throughout the 70s and early 80s!

I haven't touched one of these since 1983, but it seems like only yesterday!

When I got home from the reunion, I searched through my old photo files to see if I could find a picture that had our old club Multi-Pad unit in it.

I found one, but it's not too clear....

Yep, this is me in my old 'hippie' days, acting as RCO at a shopping mall demo in 1982.  The Multi-Pad can be seen on the table just behind my freshly wrecked (sob) Centuri Little Joe II.

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:

FlatCat Boost/Glider Build, Part 2 - PARTS IS PARTS!

For this build, I am going with the plans published in the August 1969 Model Rocketry Magazine article.

Copies of it can be found here:

http://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/ModelRocketry/Model_Rocketry_v01n10_08-69.pdf

 Just for grins, and a further source of reference, I have downloaded a copy of the MPC FlatCat kit instructions from Jimz:

http://www.spacemodeling.org/jimz/mpcr216.htm

I am deviating from the parts list outlined in the article, as all of the original pod components called out were MRI part numbers.
Instead, I am working with Estes components, since they are readily available, and will work just fine.
Here's a shot of most of this FlatCat materials kit:

·         Body Tube.  This is, of course, a 6 inch length of BT-20.
·        Nose Cone.  Pretty much any XNC-20 size nose cone would work, but I am going with the short plastic one in the current PNC-20 pack, since it is closest to the original.   I don’t know the exact part number, but I believe it is similar in dimension to the old BNC-20A.
A commercially made or turned balsa cone would also work here.  If this route is taken, don’t forget the:
·         Screw eye.
A major modification I am making on my model is the engine retention system.  As you can see, the original plans specify a standard spring steel engine hook, which would have to be attached to the exterior of the pod body tube.
My system will use the internal music wire hook outlined a few posts pack.  For this, my kit includes the following parts:
·         An engine block (AR-520 centering ring). If you want to totally scratch build, one can be made from a ¼” chunk cut from an expended 18mm motor casing. 
·         An engine retainer hook cut from a length of .020 music wire.   
·         Shock cord -  I will be sticking to the original plan with the length of cotton string for the nose/body tube attachment.  Mr. Stine went with this rather than a rubber or elastic cord to minimize nose cone snap back that could potentially tangle up with the glider at ejection and cause a ‘Red Baron’.
·         Launch Lug.   The article doesn’t specify a length, but 1½” -2” should be fine.
The glider parts are all cut from balsa stock available at any hobby store or the BORG (Home Depot).
If I can find it, I prefer to use C-grain balsa.  This is distinguishable by the presence of wood figure running perpendicular to the grain.  C-grain is harder and much more resistant to warping than regular straight grain wood.  This is highly desirable with glider wings, since any wing warps will result in a glider that is nearly impossible to trim for flight.
·         3/32” x 3” balsa for the wings.
·         1/16” balsa for the horizontal and vertical stabs.
·         1/32” x ½” plywood (optional).  I am substituting this for the side strips that hold the two sections of the fuselage together and form the sides for the ‘piece X’ slot.  This was done on my original FlatCats, as I found that balsa was not strong enough in this application to be durable through glide trimming and flight stresses.  Plywood will provide plenty of strength while adding only a negligible amount of weight.
·         ¼” x ½” x 20” balsa. This is for the glider fuselage sections and the pod pylon.  The most important point here is to select a perfectly straight piece.  
·         Silver trim Monokote or aluminized mylar adhesive film.  I use the Monokote.
·         Streamer material of your choice. 

This wraps things up for the parts ‘kit’.  The FlatCat is essentially an inherent scratch build.

Next post will begin the nitty-gritty process of glider construction.