The BFTP Shop Is Now Open!

Yesterday's completion of the EAC Viper build project served a purpose that went far beyond merely adding a new model rocket to the fleet.

In effect, it entirely dispelled the Stay-at-home COVID19 blues from which I have been suffering the past several months.  I am no longer moping about the shop, attempting to work up some semblance of model rocketry motivation.

Before the Future Gloss-Sauce sealer had dried on the Viper, I was pulling out another box containing a long neglected project begun back in early 2018 - an Orbital Transport clone.

Back then, I had completed a great deal of work on the model: balsa parts were cut out, body tube seams sealed, the ram jet tubes cut and assembled, and the motor mount assembled and installed.

This morning, I was able to hit the ground running with shaping the parts for the booster fins and ramjet housings, and applying CWF.

Lots and lots of filling and sanding is in store for the near future.

I likely will not engage in writing a build thread here - there are plenty of fine ones for the Orbital Transport already in existence on the web.  I will post progress pictures periodically.

But, hey... the rocketry bug has bitten again!

BAR Fleet #126 EAC Viper B

Source:  Estes Industries

#0820 

Type:  Sport Model

Stages: Single

Engine Type:  13mm

Recovery:  Parachute

Length:  35.5cm

Diameter:  24.8mm

Weight Empty:  32.4g

Nose Cone:  Tangent Ogive - 4.7 caliber

Fin Type: Trapezoidal - Modified

Number of Fins: 4

Color Scheme:  White, Purple, Yellow/Orang. Trim – Black, violet, Yel/org.

Date Completed:  July 5, 2020

An Old-Fleet Rebuild

This model is a scratch re-build of the EAC Viper which was the exclusive model included in the Estes Aerospace Club membership kit introduced in 1973.  Like many rocketeers back in the day, I was an EAC member, and built the original included kit. I recall the model as being consistently well-performing in flight, so a BAR era re-build is a complete must.

Armed with a plastic nose that is close to the original, and a copy of the build plans from JimZ, I soon had a reasonable replica.

One major difference between this model and all other previously built recently during my BAR years is that it is entirely brush painted!  The paint choice is gloss craft paint from Hobby Lobby.  I mixed equal parts of yellow and orange to arrive at the trim colors.  Even though there are tiny brush lines visible, the overall paint job turned out very satisfactory.

Since the Viper is earmarked to be the new fleet flagship, extra decals were made showing my old NAR number and the NAR section of which I was a charter member back in 1973 (ROMAR #331).

I’m hoping to get 50 flights out of this new model.

Back To The Bench !

This week, I finally became motivated to pull a project out of the cabinet and get back to rocket building.
Out of mothballs came the EAC Viper.
The fins got masked and the purple stripes painted on.

I am surprised - the brushed-on paint job didn't turn out half bad.
I took the liberty to make the purple stripes considerably wider than on the original design.
Last night, the necessary decal sheet was designed and printed out, so this model should be completed this weekend.
Cheers!

BAR Fleet #125 - Super Shot

Source:  Estes Industries

Super Shot Starter Set #1449 (1999)
Type:  Sport Model E2X

Stages: Single
Engine Type: 18mm
Recovery:  Parachute

Length:  39.7cm
Diameter:  27.7mm
Weight Empty:  42.2g

Nose Cone:  4.15 Caliber Tangent Ogive
Fin Type: Clipped Delta
Number of Fins: 3

Color Scheme:  Black, Red, Yellow

Date Completed:  Originally built c.1999,
Refurbished 27 June, 2020

Another E2X Model In The Fleet….

The Super Shot model rocket was given to
me in by long-time Colorado Springs friend, Robert Antion.
The model was built in 1999, but never flown.
Once the Super Shot was in my possession, I performed my own preparations, including adding a fleet number decal, replacing the shock cord, and applying CA reinforcement to the end of the main body tube.

The model, despite being a beginner’s E2X model that I didn't even build myself, is nonetheless a welcome new addition to the fleet.

The Rest Of The Story

Last year, I posted here about a stash of model rockets, kits, accessories, and motors that a friend gave to me.

Today, that same friend visited, and presented me with a plastic shopping bag containing even more rocket stuff.

He said he found the items in the back of a cabinet he was cleaning out.

Turns out, most of it was stuff that was missing from the original lot:

The Estes Super Shot model rocket (already built),  the Estes Twister kit; the instructions, decals and face cards for the Quest Big Rage, Estes Viking, and Estes Quark, a Mosquito kit, and the two piece 1/8 launch rod that was missing from the Porta Pad set.

Receiving this bag of items kind of round-house kicked me out of my Covid19 doldrums, and got me fired up about model rocketry again.

Just might have to drag out those unfinished projects and start building!

Another Movie Featuring A Model Rocket

Part of my COVID19 'Safer-at-home' activities have involved taking in some movies.
Last night, we found an obscure film on YouTube called "Frank vs. God".

The story line revolves around a lawyer who lost his home to a tornado.
His insurance company refused his claim on the grounds that they did not cover 'Acts of God'.
The lawyer then filed a lawsuit in Florida court against God.

Anyway, a little sub-plot centered on the lawyer grieving his recently deceased wife.
The only thing he was able to retrieve from the wreckage of his home was the urn containing her ashes.  He had many memories of sitting with her on a Florida beach watching Saturn V launches at the Cape, several miles away.

Near the end of the movie, Frank is shown on the deck of his friend's  yacht out on the ocean.
He pours his wife's ashes into the top of a Saturn V model rocket, and launches it from the deck.

I recall one earlier scene showing the inside of the man's messy apartment.  For a brief moment there was a shot of what appeared to be a corner of a Saturn V  kit box sticking out of a cardboard carton.

Interesting....

Checking In To My Own Blog!

Hi, folks,
Obviously, it's been a while since I've posted anything here.
The lack of activity is due directly to COVID-19.

No, I did not contract the virus....

At the beginning of April, I was furloughed from my workplace in order to comply with Colorado's  stay-at-home directive.

Now you would think that all this free time would be fortuitous for getting a lot of model rocketry done, right?

Wrong..

As it turns out, the rockets got put on a shelf in favor of embarking on a comprehensive and thorough cleaning and organizing of the BlastFromThePast home.  This includes going through the contents of a four drawer file cabinet packed with paperwork.  A lot of time spent with the shredder!
Next was a total cleaning and re-org of the entire basement.
After that, it was wiring up the house with off-air antenna feeds and installing ROKU devices.  I cut the satellite TV and land line phone cords.

On top of that, the huge amounts of yard work and landscaping projects began once the weather started warming up.

As of this month, I have been scheduled back to work on an as-needed basis.  This means I can knock off with the big projects, and devote more time to the hobbies.....and posting here.

On another note, I received word from a local rocketeer, Jesse Ulibarri, that a new NAR section has been formed in Longmont, Colorado - the Longmont Rocketry Club.

Longmont is a small town a few miles up the road north of Denver.  Congrats to Gary Smith and company for getting this section started.
To my knowledge, this makes the 4th active section in Colorado.