TangoJuliet
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- Jun 26, 2016
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I grew up in New Haven, IN, and like most kids I started with a few plastic airplane models, then somewhere around 8-9 years old got an Estes Alpha III rocket and got hooked on rockets. I had bigger aspirations of building and flying R/C airplanes, but that was way out of my parents budget - I'm the oldest of four kids and Mom and Dad weren't blessed with high paying jobs. I think maybe early or pre-teens I got in touch with the Summit City Aerospace Modelers (SCAM; guys like Bob Hart and Tom Hoelle were my mentors - whatever happened to them? I even remember guys like George Gassaway coming to compete) in Ft. Wayne, IN, and after joining the NAR, I began to compete in a few sanctioned events, namely the Mad Anthony Regional held each summer. At one point I think I was even a ranked competitor nationwide in my age class, but I never had the opportunity to go to a NARAM. I did make it to another regional event held at the old Chanute AFB in Illinois - maybe 1987?
After graduating High School in 1989 I was off to the USAF. Finally I could afford R/C - barely - and I didn't do much with rockets anymore. I think my last launch was an Estes Phoenix Missile in 1991, that had an engine CATO about 20' above the pad. The blowout was forceful enough to dent the blast deflector even from that distance! We had it on video then, but that was way before YouTube, 1 divorce, and 18 moves ago, so it no longer exists.
I still enjoy my R/C building and flying, though I haven't been as active in it for the last three years as I once was. A Middle School teacher friend of mine recently posted photos of an autographed copy of "Rocket Boys" and it got me to reminiscing a little. So... Last Friday I ordered a Laserhawk from Apogee and will be making a return to the hobby :wink:. Maybe I'll help that teacher friend of mine introduce it to a younger generation. She said she teaches it to her students.
After graduating High School in 1989 I was off to the USAF. Finally I could afford R/C - barely - and I didn't do much with rockets anymore. I think my last launch was an Estes Phoenix Missile in 1991, that had an engine CATO about 20' above the pad. The blowout was forceful enough to dent the blast deflector even from that distance! We had it on video then, but that was way before YouTube, 1 divorce, and 18 moves ago, so it no longer exists.
I still enjoy my R/C building and flying, though I haven't been as active in it for the last three years as I once was. A Middle School teacher friend of mine recently posted photos of an autographed copy of "Rocket Boys" and it got me to reminiscing a little. So... Last Friday I ordered a Laserhawk from Apogee and will be making a return to the hobby :wink:. Maybe I'll help that teacher friend of mine introduce it to a younger generation. She said she teaches it to her students.