Dangerous Dave Rockets?

rocket sok
the rocketry show
Advertise with us
eggtimer rocketry
The Rocketry Forum

Help Support The Rocketry Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
pyrobob

pyrobob

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 6, 2013
Messages
2,439
Reaction score
48
I remember Dangerous Dave rocket kits from back in the 90's, at least I remember seeing ads for them in HPR and saw one or two on some LDRS videos. One was the Mad Dog 40/40, another the Mad Pup, and I think some other variations of the Mad Dog. I never got my hands on any of the kits and I'm not sure how widely distributed they were, but they always left an impression on me as being high end and could withstand a beating Google searching turns up hardly anything but I suspect there's a few members that might could help.

What's the story behind Dangerous Dave? Anybody got some pictures or specs of these kits? Weren't some of them fiberglass?
 
They were all glass, I bought on of his first 6" nosecones, I still think its one of the purtiest out there, unfortunately it met with a harsh ending.
 
How'd they compare to Dynacom parts? Upper end I'm guessing...
 
I met Dave at one of Magnums Ohio launches in 92 or 93. his main job was making NASCAR body parts and the rockets were an extension. A couple years later He hooked up with Microbrick rockets and a up and coming motor motor manufacture who's name eludes me now were teaming up to make a larger company. After building a new building and advertising it ended up ending everything and they all vanished. They were calling the group MRED.
Mr. Bob
Starlight Dude
Countyline Hobbies
Grovertown, IN
574-540-1123
 
pyrobob said:
I remember Dangerous Dave rocket kits from back in the 90's, at least I remember seeing ads for them in HPR and saw one or two on some LDRS videos. One was the Mad Dog 40/40, another the Mad Pup, and I think some other variations of the Mad Dog. I never got my hands on any of the kits and I'm not sure how widely distributed they were, but they always left an impression on me as being high end and could withstand a beating Google searching turns up hardly anything but I suspect there's a few members that might could help.

What's the story behind Dangerous Dave? Anybody got some pictures or specs of these kits? Weren't some of them fiberglass?
Click to expand...
He had vacuum bagged fiberglass and carbon fiber kits and parts. As far as I know he made the first carbon fiber kits offered to the public.
Mr. Bob
Starlight Dude
Countyline Hobbies
Grovertown, IN
574-540-1123
 
bob jablonski said:
He had vacuum bagged fiberglass and carbon fiber kits and parts. As far as I know he made the first carbon fiber kits offered to the public.
3
Click to expand...

As little as I knew about them, I was under the impression they commanded a hefty price in line with Dynacom kits. This would probably explain why....
 
When Dave started making kits Frank Kosdon had an N motor and we contacted D. Dave for an airframe. we gave him the specs on the motor and he sent the kit.
Halfway through the motor burn it came apart, delaminated everywhere, and rained down in little pieces.
We contacted Dave and he said of course it came apart, he did not believe us we had such a motor, and no we were not getting any refund.
 
bob jablonski said:
I met Dave at one of Magnums Ohio launches in 92 or 93. his main job was making NASCAR body parts and the rockets were an extension. A couple years later He hooked up with Microbrick rockets and a up and coming motor motor manufacture who's name eludes me now were teaming up to make a larger company. After building a new building and advertising it ended up ending everything and they all vanished. They were calling the group MRED.
Mr. Bob
Starlight Dude
Countyline Hobbies
Grovertown, IN
574-540-1123
Click to expand...


Microbrick
Rocketflite
Energion
Dangerous Dave

When Dave got caught at something illegal it took all 4 out. I'm not going to say what the rumors were, an internet search will turn that up. All I know is the rumors so I'm not repeating them.

Energion made a famous motor, a disposable fiberglass case L1100 that turned out to be a baby M. Rocketflite made the first sparky motors and they were a blowtorch of sparks. Microbrick had beautiful high power kits, I was about to order one when the sh1t went down.

Last I heard of Dave he was preaching...
 
Was it Dave who had to stop making composites because he developed a severe epoxy allergy? I seem to remember that somewhere, or perhaps it was Microbrick.


Mark Koelsch
Sent from my iPhone using Rocketry Forum
 
Some where in my pile of old catalogs and paper I have a DD catalog I found a 91-92 Quest catalog and same vintage FSI catalog but no luck yet. But if my memmory isn't totaly gone from old age He had a V2 and Black brant in that catalog and Yes they were a bit salty for there time.
Mr. Bob
Starlight Dude
Countyline Hobbies
Grovertown, IN
574-540-1123
 
I ordered a Microbrick Electric City kit that never arrived. That may be the reason. Energion was the name I could't remember. I miss the Rocketflite Silver Streaks Black powder sparky H......
Mr Bob
Starlight Dude
 
markkoelsch said:
Was it Dave who had to stop making composites because he developed a severe epoxy allergy? I seem to remember that somewhere, or perhaps it was Microbrick.


Mark Koelsch
Sent from my iPhone using Rocketry Forum
Click to expand...

Microbrick made cardboard and phenolic rockets. And a epoxy allergy would be a bad thing for sure. They were in the middle of construction of a brick building to house all 4 businesses when it fell apart. All I can say is I hope it wasn't for the rumored reason.
 
markkoelsch said:
Was it Dave who had to stop making composites because he developed a severe epoxy allergy? I seem to remember that somewhere, or perhaps it was Microbrick.


Mark Koelsch
Sent from my iPhone using Rocketry Forum
Click to expand...

Yep.

OP there is lots of good back and forth in the RMR archive on this issue. This post probably gives the best overview of the timeline of events and what happened: https://groups.google.com/forum/#!s...D/rec.models.rockets/XCMcM3X5vdM/tOrJm4SQujIJ

If you search posts keywords DDave, Dave Gawlick, and MRED you can read more on RMR.
 
The original molded fin cans produced by Performance Rocketry back in the early 2000s (see especially: "tapered Nike" style and "Black Brant" style, plus an 11.5" V2, among others) looked a lot like those offered by Dangerous Dave's. That, plus PR offered a kit called the Mad Dog 40/40. Maybe Dangerous Dave's kits lived on for a brief period as PR kits?
 
daveyfire said:
The original molded fin cans produced by Performance Rocketry back in the early 2000s (see especially: "tapered Nike" style and "Black Brant" style, plus an 11.5" V2, among others) looked a lot like those offered by Dangerous Dave's. That, plus PR offered a kit called the Mad Dog 40/40. Maybe Dangerous Dave's kits lived on for a brief period as PR kits?
Click to expand...

I was kind of thinking the same thing. Rocketry Warehouse offers a Mad Dog kit but I'm pretty sure it's not the same kit. I may be totally wrong, but I'm under the impression the Mad Dog's and/or Mad Pup's had Nike style fins.

Does anyone have pictures of Dangerous Dave kits beyond the V2?
 
dave carver said:
Microbrick
Rocketflite
Energion
Dangerous Dave

When Dave got caught at something illegal it took all 4 out. I'm not going to say what the rumors were, an internet search will turn that up. All I know is the rumors so I'm not repeating them.

Energion made a famous motor, a disposable fiberglass case L1100 that turned out to be a baby M. Rocketflite made the first sparky motors and they were a blowtorch of sparks. Microbrick had beautiful high power kits, I was about to order one when the sh1t went down.

Last I heard of Dave he was preaching...
Click to expand...

Oh yes, the Energion L1100. That motor was one of my earliest memories of HPR. Take a look here: https://www.buyrocketmotors.com/blog/the-magazine-that-started-it-all/, it was launched in the Mars Lander shown on the cover. However, I'm pretty sure it was spelled "Energon". I'll take a photo and post it later. I'm pretty sure that was the first and last time I'd heard or read about that particular motor or manufacturer. I don't ever recall seeing it in any of the Earl Cagle videos I have, although I never owned them all.... Would love to learn more; maybe I'll post a new topic sometime.
 
pyrobob said:
I was kind of thinking the same thing. Rocketry Warehouse offers a Mad Dog kit but I'm pretty sure it's not the same kit. I may be totally wrong, but I'm under the impression the Mad Dog's and/or Mad Pup's had Nike style fins.

Does anyone have pictures of Dangerous Dave kits beyond the V2?
Click to expand...
The MD40/40 used the "tapered Nike" fin can... it was different from the current day Mad Dog. There were a few photos of them in HPR, I'll dig through the archives and see what I can find, if nobody else beats me to the punch :)

Oh, Dangerous Dave himself flew one at LDRS 12 on I think a Vulcan L750LS too.
 
daveyfire said:
The MD40/40 used the "tapered Nike" fin can... it was different from the current day Mad Dog. There were a few photos of them in HPR, I'll dig through the archives and see what I can find, if nobody else beats me to the punch :)

Oh, Dangerous Dave himself flew one at LDRS 12 on I think a Vulcan L750LS too.
Click to expand...

Cool, thanks David.
 
Yay I bought a 4" fincan and nosecone to fit CCA body tube. Quality was marginal gel coat and 2 wraps of glass He also ripped me off on a 4" pershing 1a nose cone. After about 30 times calling him and promising me it was in the mail finally gave up on it. You out there Dave I wany my $40 back
 
g zilla said:
Yay I bought a 4" fincan and nosecone to fit CCA body tube. Quality was marginal gel coat and 2 wraps of glass He also ripped me off on a 4" pershing 1a nose cone. After about 30 times calling him and promising me it was in the mail finally gave up on it. You out there Dave I wany my $40 back
Click to expand...

There was a fellow in the San Diego NAR Section who ordered one of Dave's rockets and paid up front for it ($200-$300).

He's still waiting for the model. :mad:
 
pyrobob said:
Oh yes, the Energion L1100. That motor was one of my earliest memories of HPR. Take a look here: https://www.buyrocketmotors.com/blog/the-magazine-that-started-it-all/, it was launched in the Mars Lander shown on the cover. However, I'm pretty sure it was spelled "Energon". I'll take a photo and post it later. I'm pretty sure that was the first and last time I'd heard or read about that particular motor or manufacturer. I don't ever recall seeing it in any of the Earl Cagle videos I have, although I never owned them all.... Would love to learn more; maybe I'll post a new topic sometime.
Click to expand...


Yeah, you're right, I was kinda guessing about the spelling. If I remember it right it was one of the motor types used in 'Down Right Ignorant'. Can't remember if it was 6 or 8 they used.
 
Energon motors was Mike Ward out of Florida. I witnessed several of the L1100's including the one in the Mars Lander.

Dave Gawlik (sp) of Dangerous Dave fame made some nice quality composite kits for the time. Remember how long ago this was, a K motor was pretty big back then! I bought some of his parts for a minimum diameter rocket. In person he was very nice but he got 'addicted' to the internet scene pretty badly...
 
Was looking for the Energon motor pics and came across this:

20140630_090825.jpg


I'm guessing this was pretty much the Dangerous Dave line up. If anyone has any pictures of actual Dangerous Dave kits then fire away!
 

Similar threads

MjekuMati
Childhood interest starts again
Replies
8
Views
439
MjekuMati
MjekuMati
markschnell
Rocket Storage in Florida Question
Replies
11
Views
537
SolarYellow
SolarYellow
S
What do i believe
Replies
2
Views
489
neil_w
neil_w
novahobbies
Apogee Rockets Peregrine Jr quick-build
Replies
27
Views
785
bjphoenix
B
Wayco
Wayco and Hardline's Northern exposure
Replies
13
Views
464
Wayco
Wayco

Latest posts

Back
Top