milehigh
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2016
- Messages
- 444
- Reaction score
- 302
Hi, All,
Just joined the forum today.
I'll start off by stating that I don't build or fly model rockets these days, but was quite the avid practitioner of the hobby between 1973 and 1986.
I recently ran across a plastic tote in my basement that contained all of the memorabilia and remnants of my involvement in the hobby from 'them old days'.
Among the stuff were two of my old models - an Mini-Brute 'Hornet' (my first ever model), and my old Delta-II / Astrocam. This is all I have left of a former fleet of well over 100 rockets!
Also in the box are my nearly complete collection of 'Model Rocketry Magazine' (1969-1972), the complete collection of news letters from the old club I belonged to in Colorado Springs (Skywatchers Rocket Club / Rocky Mountain Association of Rocketry NAR section). I served as editor of that publication that ran from 1973 through 1984. Also in the box are a good collection of Estes Centuri / CMR / FSI catalogs spanning 1969 - 1986. Oh, and there's my home-built launch controller! Hasn't ignited a rocket motor since 1986... One of the most prized possessions in the box are a couple of unused range flight cards from NARAM-11 (1969 - U.S. Air Force Academy). These were given to me back in the mid 70s by none other than Mr. Bill Roe himself!
So a little of my model rocket history... I got first exposure to model rocketry when a friend invited me to go spend a day watching the activities at NARAM -11. I was greatly interested at the time, but didn't become seriously involved in the hobby until 1973. That is when I joined Skywatchers/ROMAR and began building and flying rockets like there was no tomorrow. At that time, the club was fairly small, but we held meets, public demos, and sport launches on a regular basis. Since we didn't have the required number of NAR members, our NAR section sanction expired in 1974 and wasn't renewed until 1980. At that time, things really picked up. I became the NAR Mountain States Regional Director, and organized the first of four annual regional competition meets (HOTROCs 1-4). I was contest director for all of these events. This led directly to the formation of NAR sections in Denver and Utah. (I recall that it was in 1984 that the three Mountain States sections - ROMAR, COSMIC (Denver), and WARP (Utah) were in the top 10 NAR sections in the country as far as competition points accrued.)
I also had the pleasure of having the acquaintance of one Mr. Herb Desind - "Mr. Cineroc". He ended up sending me two of his modified Cinerocs which I would fly at various locations in Colorado, then send him the film for processing. I still have a couple copies of those flight reels in my tote. I was saddened to learn that Mr. Desind had since passed away.
In 1986, virtually all of the members of ROMAR except myself moved out of state, so the club abruptly ceased to exist.
Around the same time, I was in the process of starting a family, and furthering my career in the electronics industry, so interest in model rocketry fell to the way-side. Around 1995 I ended up selling all of my models, engines, and supplies to the Denver model rocket club that was in operation at the time. (I wonder if somebody out there still has some of my old models?).
So this brings me to today. Looking through that tote got me into a mode of looking on-line to see what the state of the art of model rocketry is these days. Which led me to this forum. I also visited a hobby store to see what was being offered in the way of model rockets. I was astounded at the huge number of ready-to-fly rockets offered by Estes! Thrilled to see that they now had E and F engines! (Back in my time in the hobby, one could only get these from FSI or AVI.)
Kind of taken aback by the prices on Estes engines as well...but it's today.
Anyway, I will be hanging around here for awhile. I welcome any discussions with you all about anything model rocket. Who knows, maybe the bug will bite me again, and I'll go spring for a model or two. And there IS an active NAR section in Denver....Hmmmm...
Cheers
-Ed
former NAR #25180
Just joined the forum today.
I'll start off by stating that I don't build or fly model rockets these days, but was quite the avid practitioner of the hobby between 1973 and 1986.
I recently ran across a plastic tote in my basement that contained all of the memorabilia and remnants of my involvement in the hobby from 'them old days'.
Among the stuff were two of my old models - an Mini-Brute 'Hornet' (my first ever model), and my old Delta-II / Astrocam. This is all I have left of a former fleet of well over 100 rockets!
Also in the box are my nearly complete collection of 'Model Rocketry Magazine' (1969-1972), the complete collection of news letters from the old club I belonged to in Colorado Springs (Skywatchers Rocket Club / Rocky Mountain Association of Rocketry NAR section). I served as editor of that publication that ran from 1973 through 1984. Also in the box are a good collection of Estes Centuri / CMR / FSI catalogs spanning 1969 - 1986. Oh, and there's my home-built launch controller! Hasn't ignited a rocket motor since 1986... One of the most prized possessions in the box are a couple of unused range flight cards from NARAM-11 (1969 - U.S. Air Force Academy). These were given to me back in the mid 70s by none other than Mr. Bill Roe himself!
So a little of my model rocket history... I got first exposure to model rocketry when a friend invited me to go spend a day watching the activities at NARAM -11. I was greatly interested at the time, but didn't become seriously involved in the hobby until 1973. That is when I joined Skywatchers/ROMAR and began building and flying rockets like there was no tomorrow. At that time, the club was fairly small, but we held meets, public demos, and sport launches on a regular basis. Since we didn't have the required number of NAR members, our NAR section sanction expired in 1974 and wasn't renewed until 1980. At that time, things really picked up. I became the NAR Mountain States Regional Director, and organized the first of four annual regional competition meets (HOTROCs 1-4). I was contest director for all of these events. This led directly to the formation of NAR sections in Denver and Utah. (I recall that it was in 1984 that the three Mountain States sections - ROMAR, COSMIC (Denver), and WARP (Utah) were in the top 10 NAR sections in the country as far as competition points accrued.)
I also had the pleasure of having the acquaintance of one Mr. Herb Desind - "Mr. Cineroc". He ended up sending me two of his modified Cinerocs which I would fly at various locations in Colorado, then send him the film for processing. I still have a couple copies of those flight reels in my tote. I was saddened to learn that Mr. Desind had since passed away.
In 1986, virtually all of the members of ROMAR except myself moved out of state, so the club abruptly ceased to exist.
Around the same time, I was in the process of starting a family, and furthering my career in the electronics industry, so interest in model rocketry fell to the way-side. Around 1995 I ended up selling all of my models, engines, and supplies to the Denver model rocket club that was in operation at the time. (I wonder if somebody out there still has some of my old models?).
So this brings me to today. Looking through that tote got me into a mode of looking on-line to see what the state of the art of model rocketry is these days. Which led me to this forum. I also visited a hobby store to see what was being offered in the way of model rockets. I was astounded at the huge number of ready-to-fly rockets offered by Estes! Thrilled to see that they now had E and F engines! (Back in my time in the hobby, one could only get these from FSI or AVI.)
Kind of taken aback by the prices on Estes engines as well...but it's today.
Anyway, I will be hanging around here for awhile. I welcome any discussions with you all about anything model rocket. Who knows, maybe the bug will bite me again, and I'll go spring for a model or two. And there IS an active NAR section in Denver....Hmmmm...
Cheers
-Ed
former NAR #25180