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.

FlatCat Boost /Glider Build, Part 1 – Introduction.

The FlatCat Boost Glider was designed by G. Harry Stine back in the earlier days of model rocketry.  It is arguably the quintessential example of a standard front engine pop-pod boost glider, designed to be easily built and flown by model rocketeers who had no previous experience with gliding models. 

The design was originally published in the August 1969 issue of Model Rocketry Magazine in the ‘Old Rocketeer’ column.  In 1970, the glider was produced in kit form by Model Products Corp.  The FlatCat was also featured in the 4^th edition of The Handbook of Model Rocketry.

Though the basic design appears rather clunky by today’s competition-grade standards, the FlatCat proved to be quite popular for use in NAR sanctioned contests in the late 60s through the early 70’s.  Mr. Stine himself flew one to take top Senior Division honors in the Sparrow (A-engine) Boost/Glide event at NARAM-11 in 1969.

Stine made the comment in the Old Rocketeer article that the FlatCat was a good solid design which could be used as a ‘test-bed’ for experimenting with boost/glider modifications.

As for me, I built two of these birds back in 1973, and remember how much fun they were to fly.  One of them was modified to fly as a variable geometry rocket/glider by utilizing a sliding engine pod.  I’ll describe these models in greater detail in a future post.

Anyhow, for a little more insight on the history of the FlatCat, here are a couple of interesting links:

http://www.oldrocketforum.com/showpost.php?p=215005&postcount=67

https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/airplane-flying-model-boost-glider-flat-cat

A Very Busy Blogger

The next couple of weeks are going to be a very active time for me here on the BlastFromThePast Blog.  I will be putting out an unprecedented two or three posts per day!

Besides the large amount of NAR Reunion material yet to be written and put up, I am just now finishing up a build of the FlatCat boost/glider downstairs in the secret basement  la-BOR-atory.  I have most parts of a build series on this bird near completion and ready to hit the big green 'GO' button. 

And, who knows, there might be another launch session or two to report on between all of the other posts.

I would like to take this time and thank all of you who have been following this blog!  I suspect that writing has now become one of my minor hobbies.

 I will strive to continue keeping this blog interesting, informative, and FUN!

Cheers!

NAR 60 Year Reunion. Part 5 - Presentation Opening Remarks

Halfway through the reunion activities, the central stage and podium were open to presentations by the various NAR dignitaries who were present.
To start things off, Reunion Coordinator Trip Barber stepped up to welcome all of the attendees and make a few remarks about the reunion. 

The over-arching theme of the event emphasized the 'Pay Forward' concept.  It was pointed out that a good portion of the NAR membership present at this event was aging. (Indeed, a quick look around the room corroborated this - lots of salt & pepper & balding).  Trip urged all of the older members to seek out folks with higher NAR numbers and spend time with them sharing stories about the old days, and getting to know them.

For myself, I followed that directive for most of the latter part of the re-union.  Met a lot of interesting younger rocketeers!

Following Trip to the podium was current NAR President John Hochheimer, who also gave a few opening remarks.

Both men had just returned the day before from Warsaw, Poland after participating in the Internats as part of the U.S. team.  They were experiencing serious jetlag, with their body clocks thinking it was Eastern Europe time.  We definitely applaud their presence here at the reunion!

NAR 60 Year Reunion, Part 4 - Something For Us Glider Nuts

At the NAR reunion, there were several display tables lined up against one of the meeting room walls that contained a lot of very interesting models, photos, and artifacts from the early days of model rocketry.

Being a fan of boost/gliders, I was instantly drawn to the display presented by Larry Renger.

As most of all of us old-time rocketeers know, Larry is the guy who came up with the very first front-engine boost/glider - the SkySlash -  back in the 1960s.

At that period, the boost/glider field was dominated by rear engine models that were essentially large-finned conventional rockets that could be transitioned into gliding vehicles.

The SkySlash virtually revolutionized boost/glider technology, and set the stage for many improvements and refinements that led to the high performance models we fly today.

Here is a pic of one of Larry's famous SkySlash models:



And a photo of the descriptive write-up about the model.  Sorry for the skewed image.  I couldn't take a straight down shot because it would have been obscured by my shadow from the overhead lighting.

Also on display at Larry's table was this gorgeous model, the AstroBlaster....

In addition, Larry had on the table a vintage Estes SkyDart.  The photo I took of it was too blurry to post here, but you can see parts of it in the above two pics.

Most of all, I was thrilled to actually meet and talk gliders with Mr. Renger himself!