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gillette23

gillette23

Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2022
Messages
9
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Location
Missouri
Hello my name is whitney Gillette,
my father, (Mike Gillette) was very much into building rockets and back in 2000's was former owner of RDS. I've heard a couple stories of some of the launches like balls 98 I believe was the name and his rockets the Hercules. Just wanted to say hi as I'm a nee member on here. If you ever met my dad or have any stories with me you would like yo share feel free to do so.
Thank you
 
Welcome, Whitney!

I didn't know Mike, only talked to him on the phone a time or two. But a couple of his kits were really high on my want list and was never able to swing one. I still want a Quasar and may have to clone it. I have a couple of magazine ads from back then and a sim file with measurements. I can't find my old catalogue.

Do you have any of the old RDS lit, and do you fly rockets?
 
tsmith1315 said:
Welcome, Whitney!

I didn't know Mike, only talked to him on the phone a time or two. But a couple of his kits were really high on my want list and was never able to swing one. I still want a Quasar and may have to clone it. I have a couple of magazine ads from back then and a sim file with measurements. I can't find my old catalogue.

Do you have any of the old RDS lit, and do you fly rockets?
Click to expand...
Mike had 2 kids, my older brother Matt and then my mom left him when she was pregnant with me, then divorced him. He never claimed me even though my older brother would go out to California every summer when we moved to Missouri, and even after paternity was established he is my dad.... I never got to meet him nor really talk to him. When he passed away my brother got some things of his. My brother Matt passed away 2017 from complications with diabetes as well as I got it when I was 7yrs old, type 1 I got a box of my dad's things. I have blue prints of some of his rockets, contracts he had with building a rocket for someone, I have original magazines with his rockets, alot of pictures of some launches he did. I have a movie script someone wrote about rockets, lol
My brother's wife has one of his rockets not sure which one, believe a smaller one. I've never got to launch/ see any rockets in action like my brother, but I am very much interested into space,rockets, universe type stuff. I've only heard stories of my dad from my mom, brother, or forums I've read online so wanted to maybe hear some more from people of the rocket communities. I know my dad was very respected in the community and now that I'm getting much older just been wanting to know more about him.
 
Your dad was an absolute legend in the HPR world. I got into HPR in 1991 as a teenager and drooled about one day being able to afford one of his rockets that were in the ads in HPR magazine.

I am sure there will be many that will chime in that knew your dad.

Welcome!!
 
It's cool that you have interest in the field, and it happens that you're in a pretty good area for some real rocketry activities.

There are quite a few folks here in the forum from CA, and there are quite a few of us old guys here who like to reminisce about old times. Hopefully someone who flew with Mike will see your post and speak up with stories. A good place to start would be posting scans of pictures, magazines, blueprints and pictures of the rocket your brother's wife has. Be sure to mention his name and either Rocket Dyne Systems or Rocket Dynamic Systems in the title for exposure.

There are clubs in MO and KS, and some of the best rocket action happens in Kansas. Do yourself a favor and check the club websites out, you can locate them through the Tripoli Rocketry Association website:
https://www.tripoli.org/content.aspx?page_id=225&club_id=795696
 
tsmith1315 said:
There are clubs in MO and KS, and some of the best rocket action happens in Kansas. Do yourself a favor and check the club websites out, you can locate them through the Tripoli Rocketry Association website:
https://www.tripoli.org/
Click to expand...
Welcome to the forum! If you happen to be in the Argonia KS neighborhood, check out a Kloudbusters launch sometime.
 
Whereabouts are you in Missouri?

There are high power rocket clubs in St. Louis, Springfield and I think there is a model rocket club in Kansas City. So unless you're in north central Missouri, you have some good opportunities to see some launches, and we always welcome spectators!
 
Whitney: why don't you go to your local hobby store and buy an Estes kit that you like the looks of and build it for starters, and then go out and find a place to launch it and see what it's all about. Then I'm sure that you will be a lot more interested in acquiring one of your dad's Rockets from somebody. And most likely here on the forum someone who has one that they've never built, can probably make arrangements to get it to you. I'm sure if you put out the request to get one of your dad's rockets that somebody would part with one of theirs.
 
gillette23 said:
Hello my name is whitney Gillette,
my father, (Mike Gillette) was very much into building rockets and back in 2000's was former owner of RDS. I've heard a couple stories of some of the launches like balls 98 I believe was the name and his rockets the Hercules. Just wanted to say hi as I'm a nee member on here. If you ever met my dad or have any stories with me you would like yo share feel free to do so.
Thank you
Click to expand...
Hi Whitney, I met your dad on several occasions at launches quite a few years ago. Unfortunately I don’t remember many details.
 
Kansas city
mrwalsh85 said:
Whereabouts are you in Missouri?

There are high power rocket clubs in St. Louis, Springfield and I think there is a model rocket club in Kansas City. So unless you're in north central Missouri, you have some good opportunities to see some launches, and we always welcome spectat
Click to expand...
 
gillette23 said:
I got a box of my dad's things. I have blue prints of some of his rockets, contracts he had with building a rocket for someone, I have original magazines with his rockets, alot of pictures of some launches he did.
Click to expand...

Another place you might want to check around is YORF. https://forums.rocketshoppe.com/ That place exists to talk about the old stuff.

Definitely hang onto the documentation of the old rockets. As the hobby is progressing, there is a lot of enthusiasm for documenting and accurately recreating the rockets of the past.

Also, the book Large and Dangerous Rocket Ships: The History of High-power Rocketry's Ascent to the Edges of Outer Space by Mark Canepa, is well regarded as a history of HPR. Might have a mention or your dad and his stuff in it. I haven't gotten into it yet, so just guessing.

Welcome, and have fun!
 
I ordered on the the last kits he shipped. He was upfront and communicated that it would take several months due to an illness in the family. It was a 3 inch pulsar. He was great to deal with. I had several emails with him during the build and he was very helpful. I never met him face to face, but he seemed like a great guy on email and the phone.
 
gillette23 said:
Hello my name is whitney Gillette,
my father, (Mike Gillette) was very much into building rockets and back in 2000's was former owner of RDS. I've heard a couple stories of some of the launches like balls 98 I believe was the name and his rockets the Hercules. Just wanted to say hi as I'm a nee member on here. If you ever met my dad or have any stories with me you would like yo share feel free to do so.
Thank you
Click to expand...
You might try to contact Jerry Irvine. Your dad and Jerry were pretty close back in the early days of Tripoli. PM'ed you the email address.

Welcome to the Forum..
 
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