Sheri's Mercury Redstone

No, you can't drive up to the launch site, there is a parking lot and you have to walk out to the middle of the field. It's basically like walking a couple football fields. Not too bad. I have a BMS "Mighty D" 12 volt launcher that I use so I am not dragging out a car battery out there. It works great.

Sometimes I launch all by myself, sometimes there is a couple of other groups here and there and eventually we all come together and make one big launch site and chat for a few hours

Steven said:

From what I understand, there are no clubs close to me to get certified at. I have no intention of driving the distances that these clubs require.:sad:

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That is incorrect! Washington Aerospace Club have club launches at 60 Acres in the off season, I've seen guys L1 out there all the time.

paul.nortness said:

That is incorrect! Washington Aerospace Club have club launches at 60 Acres in the off season, I've seen guys L1 out there all the time.

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That's too far for me to drive. I can't handle long drives.

Kent to Redmond is a little over 20 miles as the crow flies.....

20.93 to be exact

paul.nortness said:

Kent to Redmond is a little over 20 miles as the crow flies.....

20.93 to be exact

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I thought you were talking about the one in Mansfield.

Steven said:

I thought you were talking about the one in Mansfield.

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I believe this is the same place paul.nortness described. If so, this would not be bad. I still have to get the nerve up to get out of the house. But again, this is quite close enough for me.

Yup, 60 Acres is in Redmond. In the off season, WAC hosts group launches at 60 Acres. It's a lot of fun.

A good thing for you would be going to 60 Acres at like 9:00 AM on a Wednesday or something. There will be no one there, maybe a couple of R/C gliders on the south field. I've flown there for hours and not seen a soul.

Mansfield is an awesome place to fly, but it is a pretty long drive.

On more of a side note is the small fleet that keeps crawling out of the woodwork.

Tiny and diminutive, yet filled with historical significance.

This is a really cool fleet. Thanks for sharing the pictures, and keep the build coming...I'm following along.

I remember having this as a kid. My dad and I went to a huge dirt lot that was going to be used for housing development. First flight was phenomenal. It seemed to go out of sight for the most part. Then I finally caught view of it as I saw the chute.

After recovery, I was putting on the nose cone and realized it was a pretty tight fit. "Oh who cares, I'm a rocket engineer and I know everything." Mostly I was a little punk who would do anything to get that rocket up in the air! So, off it went and yes, it did go out of sight.

But this time I had a creepy feeling about things. I knew I should have seen something by now when suddenly, it dawned on me. It was coming in ballistic! You can't see the enemy but you know it's coming is a very, very scary feeling to a kid. I knew that no matter where we stood, it didn't matter. And that was the spookiest part of it all!

I was literally standing with my knees bent in anticipation, waiting for the worst. Then it started. In the blink of an eye I heard it before I saw it. It just made this whistling sound as it came down almost as fast as it went up! It landed a good forty yards away and that finished off the day for the "rocket engineer". ( Must have been some defect in material....no wait, the cat ate my homework!)

Cl(VII) said:

This is a really cool fleet. Thanks for sharing the pictures, and keep the build coming...I'm following along.

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Will do.:wink:

qquake2k said:

Looks like you're quite the craftsman. I'm looking forward to seeing more of your fleet.

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And a Thank You Captain Low-n-Slow! Gotta' love that handle.:lol:

Have to see my speech therapist today. I've got this gravely voice thing that's been going on for about a year and only my right set of vocal cords are working. I have some atrophy on the left so the cure is more harsh language.

And to think these people get paid for this! Talking to my Redstone hasn't gotten it anywhere either. I'm gonna' get my "Intergalactic, Ambidextrous, Arm Slinging Thor Hammer set out, and do some "inspirational" work on it.

I've been known to do some of my most thought provoking designs with this tool set.:bang:

Hey Steven,

I am trying to gather some of the locals for a friday morning launch at 60 Acres.

If you are up for it, we would love to see you out there.

Steven said:

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On more of a side note is the small fleet that keeps crawling out of the woodwork.

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Haven't seen one of those in awhile...it would be a cool kit to upscale.

paul.nortness said:

Hey Steven,

I am trying to gather some of the locals for a friday morning launch at 60 Acres.

If you are up for it, we would love to see you out there.

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WOW! I've got to get myself organized here. I've got to figure which rockets to bring, matching up the motors, finding the motors, getting my Mantis Pad out of the cobwebbed cabinet, tools, supplies, I ordered the BMS Mighty D Launcher, just don't know when it will arrive.

This is a lot for me to work on, but I'll see what I can do. I'm not well organized any more, so Joanne helps me quite a bit. It comes from racing thoughts. I take meds for it though at times I can get overstimulated and become primarily useless. I also suffer from sensory overload which had given me two seizures in Sept.

I go in to do an MRI on the brain next Wed. and go from there. On the 30th, I'll be getting a steroid injection in my spine to help relieve the pain in my lower back I've had for a number of years. More speech therapy and shrink visits to boot.

I've been handling it well enough though today I guess, I came home from speech therapy, went to the BR, and started sobbing for no reason I could figure out. I sure would like to get out there.

I've got all the launch equipment, with the exception of a launch rail. I have 4 foot length launch rods in 1/8", 3/16" and 1/4", a BMS launch controller.

Looks like we aren't going to get much good weather this fall so hopefully we can all make it out. We usually launch for a few hours and then BS about new builds, etc.

paul.nortness said:

I've got all the launch equipment, with the exception of a launch rail. I have 4 foot length launch rods in 1/8", 3/16" and 1/4", a BMS launch controller.

Looks like we aren't going to get much good weather this fall so hopefully we can all make it out. We usually launch for a few hours and then BS about new builds, etc.

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I think the Saturn needs a six ft. rod.

I just realized, I've got a two seat convertible, with a trunk that I can barely manage to fit a three pack in. So with the top down I can manage more, just don't want stuff flyin' out without a launch rod experience.:eyeroll: Getting more work done on the fins as I had not yet finished them all off at the time of the last build post, just the one.:tongue:

Steven,
your Saturn 1b is GORGEOUS!! man that rocket is a sexy beast!!

Steven said:

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Here's Jr. Aw, how cute.

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NJRick said:

Steven,
your Saturn 1b is GORGEOUS!! man that rocket is a sexy beast!!

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Thank you very much NJRick. I'll bet you say that to all the rocketeers. :neener:

HA!...only those brave enough to build the Saturn 1b.

Steven said:

Thank you very much NJRick. I'll bet you say that to all the rocketeers. :neener:

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Can't make it tomorrow. Little Z3 puked an engine to heater core hose. Have to wait till part comes in. Yup, one of those parts. Not gonna' pay dealers prices. :no: You can fix this yourself and for a fraction of the price online including S/H.

I'm making slow progress on the remaining fins. Now I've run out of batteries for the photo shoots. I still haven't touched the car as of my back issues. Cancelled two doc appointments. I feel like I'm spinning my head around now. I'm not thinking straight.

Now all fins have been laminated. On with the filling and sanding.

They're from Finland.