Back In The Day, Part 39 - HOTROC-4

 The fourth edition of the Heart Of The Rockies Regional competition meets was held in Colorado Springs over the weekend of August 20-21, 1983.  Contestant turnout was roughly the same as the previous year - about 20 contestants from Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and Kansas.  

HOTROC- 4 was flown from the same field as the previous year, and Contest Director was ROMAR member George Fox.  

Since I was not directly involved with much of the planning or detailed operation of HOTROC-4, I don't have any contest records or results in my files to present in this post.  But here are a few photos, newspaper clips, and other bits I could find in my archives                        :

A scan of a HOTROC-4 announcement published in The Cosmic Steppingstone.  

Would you attend a model rocket contest hosted by such a motley crew as this?   

Of course you would!  Looks like loads of fun!

Scans of an original HOTROC-4 programme, opened to the pages showing the 

schedule and competition event descriptions.  (All drawings by me!)

Pre-flight checkout of  Randall Redd's D motor Boost/Glide entry. 

Left to right: Randall, Gary Price, and Mike Mitchell.

HOTROC-4 news article published in the Colorado Springs Sun.  The accompanying photograph is of Denver rocketeer Steve Sande launching his D motor super-roc model.

My D boost/glide entry takes to the skies.

Gary Price's D boost/glider caught at liftoff.

HOTROC-4 news article published by the Colorado Springs Gazette Telegraph.

Mike Mitchell of Kansas displays his super-roc entry prior to flight.

Randall Redd with two of his odd-roc models: a flying bumblebee and an oil can....thing.

Gary "Lawrence of Arabia" Price poses with an odd-roc entry.

Once again, HOTROC-4 proved to be a very relaxed, well-run, and enjoyable meet.  And, as in previous years, the contestants left the field Sunday afternoon with thoughts of next year's HOTROC-5 uppermost in mind.