Another happy BAR signing on

[Kitch]

It's great to be back! After finding this forum through a link from the EMRR site I've been blown away by how far my old hobby has come.

I started in the late '70s through school mostly with (from what I remember) a Super Flea, Streak, a small V-2 that went horizonal as I recall and some other basic rockets that I never got to fly much because in NJ at the time it was hard to obtain engines.

I really got going with it in the early 80's once my Mom got a permit and I had a blast in those times starting with an Alpha III starter set and then much more ...some of that fleet I still have.

My girlfriend's kids (or my young padawans as I call them since we are all big Star Wars fans) were my kick start to get back into it. They are aleady working on a fleet of their own (RTF and E2X stuff so far).

Finally got to fly some last month for the first time in almost 20 years (sorry no pics....I know...I should invest in a digital camera). The big difference now is that the padawans hit the button and I supervise.

I've already printed up reams of great info from this forum that I'm still sifting thorugh! On to My Fleet:

The Classic Fleet (What's left of it anyway):

USS Andromeda (My flagship....My baby. Recently rejuventated and flying again)

Bull Pup 12D (from the tail end of the old days)

Honest John (the small one)

Space Shuttle Columbia (beat up and never flew well to begin with...any advice?)

Photon Disruptor (Now that I've learned that decals are available, I'll probably restore it)

Mosquito (retired conversation piece)

The "New" Fleet (including kits that I obtained in the ensuing years):

Sentinel (In Progress)

U.S. Army Hawk (In Progress)

Awaiting Construction: As you'll see, some of these are the rockets I always wanted (virtually drooled over them in the old catalogs) as a kid but never had the money, time, or skill. I Love Ebay!!

Maxi Honest John Reissue

Orbital Transport Reissue

USS Enterprise (anniversay edition)

Klingon Battlecruiser (anniversary edition)

Commanche 3, Solar Sailer II (my younger brother had the first vesion, that parachute was awesome!), Quest Shuttle Intrepid, Paveway III, Apogee's Texas Twister, and three Star Wars rockets slated for the padawans: X-Wing, Darth Vader's Tie Fighter, and the Imperial Star Destroyer.

I've got a lot of work to do......

-Kitch

 

[brianc]

Originally posted by Kitch
It's great to be back!

Finally got to fly some last month for the first time in almost 20 years (sorry no pics....I know...I should invest in a digital camera).

Welcome back (and to the forum)!

You'll quickly find folks around here expect pictures. If you don't post some
eventually, someone will send out Vinnie and Tony.

Nice collection of rockets, too!

 

[kelltym88]

Welcome!!! You'll find that this is a great place. You should be able to find answers to just about any question, I know I have. I recently cloned the Photon Disruptor and thanx to this forum was able to upscale it. Excelsior has the decals too. Check out this link and once again, welcome!!!.


https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=10161

 

[astronboy]

Welcome back!!

I started flying again a few years ago, and the great rocketeers on THIS forum have helped me so many times, I simply cannot recall....

Take a look around. This is a great time for model rocketry.

But one word of advice: before you go and spend a pile of dough on ebay for an original kit to build: clone one yourself for only a fraction of the $$ it wold cost to buy it on ebay. Not only can you clone the old kits you lusted after as a kid, but there are GREAT new designs from companies such as Fliskits, Squirrelworks, Apogee, and many others.

Here are some cloning links:

Plans
https://www.dars.org/jimz/rp00.htm
https://www.rocketshoppe.com/

Old catalog parts lists:
https://www.ninfinger.org/~sven/rockets/custom_estes/custom_estes.html

Clone parts suppliers:

https://www.balsamachining.com/
https://www.wooshrocketry.org/misc/tt.htm
https://www.semroc.com/Store/scripts/WebCatalog.asp

Decals:

https://www.tangopapadecals.com/
https://excelsriorrocketry.com

AND some of the the NEW companies with great NEW designs:

https://www.fliskits.com/
https://www.squirrel-works.com
https://www.apogeerockets.com/
https://www.qmodeling.com/Prod - Rockets.htm

It is a wonderful world of model rocketry out there....

Phred

 

[BobH48]

Welcome back to the hobby and to TRF.

You'll find a lot of good information here and lots of helpful people.

I just returned to the hobby this year after 30 years and things aren't going quite as planned.

I was just going to clone some of the rockets I had from the 60's and 70's and a few that I wanted but never got. I wasn't planning on buying kits, but just parts to make my own.

BUT....... There are a lot of vendors out there making kits that I decided that I wanted.

I had to have a Fliskits Duece's Wild.

Then I got some decals from Sirius Rocketry so I can make an Outlander with the Mars Lander paint scheme so I had to get one of those too.

AND.... Astronboy is making all these Goony's that use Baby Bertha kits so I have to buy a couple of those.

THEN..... Sandman is making Saturn 1B kits and some Micro-Maxx kits that I have to have.

Etc, etc, etc.

Good luck and stay away from the RET's (rocket eating trees).

 

[jflis]

Welcome back to the hobby and welcome to TRF Yer gonna like it here!

jim

 

[powderburner]

Welcome to TRF!
(with that list of rockets that you posted, it sounds like WE GOTCHA now!)

Before you break the bank getting more toys for your gang, be aware that Hobby Lobby is probably going to be running a half-price sale on rockets in the next few weeks. Their last sale was about a month? month-n-a-half? ago, and they seem to hold sales about every two months or so.

Also check your Sunday paper to see if your local Michaels M. J. Design stores have a 40% off coupon. You can go to many of those stores and find an Estes 24 motor 'Flight Pack' for about $48 (regular), use your coupon, and get a bunch of 18mm A, B, and C motors for almost $1 apiece. It don't get much cheaper than that!

 

[jetra2]

Welcome to TRF, Kitch! I'm in total agreement with powderburner - the bulk packs of ABC Estes motors at 40% off or the golden 50% off coupon is the best way to go for modroc motors. Also, check your local Wal-Marts - they usually have 3-packs of motors with igniters and wadding for only $4.97! Heckuva way to stock up, if you ask me!

If you want to get into clusters and larger motors, I'll recommend several rockets. For a nice mid-power cluster, you can't beat Thrustline's Smoke n' Fire! It's a big rocket at over 30 inches tall, and it flies great on a cluster of C11-5's or D12-5's. Another great BIG cluster rocket is the Fliskits Richter Recker. This is a HUGE rocket at 7.5 feet with a three D or E cluster. Drooool. You'll get great flights on 3x E9-6! AND, you don't need any sort of FAA clearance or nuthin. Good stuff, it is! Buy two of them, one to build, and the other to steal parts from! It comes with 5 BT-70 (2.217" OD) tubes, so you're pretty much set when it comes to tubes.

If you're more into scratchbuilding, you can't beat Fliskit's Parts Department prices. Jim's got a bunch of great prices, but at the moment, a somewhat limited selection (only a few cones, and not much in the way of transitions.) But at just about $4 for a 3-pack of BT-60 tubing (same as the Mean Machine), that's a price you can't beat. Their very reasonable shipping prices make a bunch of smaller orders possible!

Whew...I got sooo much to tell...but I'd like to know what kind of rockets you're doing at the moment so I can guide you better.

Jason

 

[Planet Andy]

Kitch

I also am a NEWBIEBAR here <3 wks. and these guys are great. Welcome. Have been on vacation this week. Just returned from thwarted launch attempts by practicing football teams at the high school and can ya believe it... An actual busload of tourists were dropped off at the Vassar College athletic field/nature preserve just as I was pullin' in. That's a first! Early tomorrow may be a better window. It's off to the Dutchess County Fair (the fair for all and no fair to anybody). Enough about me. I recommend posting flight logs on rocketreviews.com. It's an great service to establish a database of your flight data and it automaticly calculates all kinds of stats. Again Kitch Welcome... you've got quite an impressive fleet!

Andy

Below is a lift off video of my FREE Midnight Express courtesy of the fab Jim Flis!

 

[sandman]

Welcome to the Forum!

If you need custom made nose cones just give me a PM or send me an email of what you want.

 

[jflis]

Originally posted by Andy Turits
It's off to the Dutchess County Fair (the fair for all and no fair to anybody).

very cool, i will have to tell Kathy She grew up in Hopewell Junction and spent every year at the Dutchess County Fair. Here uncle Ed Britton used to drive the fire truck there

 

[rocket trike]

Welcome to TRF. You will find information here then you can anywhere. If you need something answer just ask and you will get a answer in a few hours if not minutes.

If you need parachutes go to www.rocketheadrockets.com We sell great Mylar parachutes at a very good price.

Tom

 

[sandman]

LOL! Lots of shameless self promotion at the expense of the new guy!

 

[Stymye]

really...lol, kinda like entering a used car lot

 

[Kitch]

Thank you all for the warm welcome, kind comments, links and suggestions!

I had a much larger response at the ready but it just got lost I went to review my post and I was prompted to log in again and couldn't retrieve my post...oh well.

I forget to add one more to the Classic Fleet list: Mercury Redstone (My last pre-BAR build...still intact, but the escape tower is broken off and missing)

Thanks Again!

-Kitch

 

[Missileman]

Hi Kitch,
Welcome aboard.
I sometimes have the same problems with long posts.
For some reason if I take too long typing it logs me out.
I have found when this happens I can page back and my typed post is still there, I then copy, log in, then all I have to do is paste it in.

 

[not a lib]

We are all :BORN-TO-BE-A-BAR! Enjoy!
not a lib