Tuesday, December 4, 2018

Now...Back To Our Regularly Scheduled Program....

This past weekend, the BlastFromThePast shop became fully operational again.

An intensive 'Shock and Awe' barrage of medications launched at that nasty cough has started showing its effects.

The first order of business was to re-arrange the rocket-building bench (again) to accommodate the installation of a small bookshelf stereo set, a DVD player, and a small TV monitor.  Even though I generally prefer to have peace and solitude while working in the shop, there are those few occasions where I like to have music or a good concert DVD going.



Once set up, I went back to work on the Steampunk Protostar, consisting of forming more rivet panel detailing on the fins.  There wasn't anything new enough here to dedicate another build series post.

The weekend's biggest accomplishment was in sitting down and planning out the model rocketry project list for 2019. Here is a pic of all the kits in the queue waiting to be assembled:



Next year will be fairly heavy on scale models.  In addition to the ones shown here, I will be picking up the new Estes Saturn V. I never built one of those in my 'old fleet' days, so it's high time I tackle that one. Also looking to purchase a Mercury Little Joe, and maybe a Black Brant III.

Aside from scale birds, I still have an Orbital Transport partially completed, and a parts kit assembled for a scratch-built EAC Viper. 

Being a glutton for punishment, I have another FlatCat in the works, except this one will be modified as a sliding wing R/G.

Oh, and there's also that must-have-in-the-fleet 60th Anniversary Alpha! 

If time permits, there are a couple re-builds of some old fleet favorites to throw in the mix, as well.

Besides rocket builds, I plan to pull out one of those PA monitor stands I procured last year and turn it into a heavy duty launcher for the bigger birds on the build list.



Finally, I must design and build a new launch controller that can handle cluster ignition.  I may go with a relay system with that one.

Anyway, it appears that 2019 is shaping up to be quite a busy rocketry year for this old geezer, with plenty of new posting fodder for the BFTP blog!

Cheers.