Introducing myself to the forum

[prfesser]

So here come the pics!

First up are a couple pics of my true original collection. These are the rockets I built as a child which my wonderful mother saved from the trash bin. A couple of note: The MX Missile and Titan II are from my VERY first order, along with an Alpha III starter set. The Alpha III is no longer with us... well not the original one at least! The black fin units on the MX missile and Titan II are from the Estes Crayon rockets. It is physically identical to the clear fin unit originally included. Fun Trivia: What do the Estes Mini Mars Lander, the MX Missile, and the Geo Sat LV all have in common? Answer (I hope this is right): They are the three rockets that used the Estes tri-conic nose cone. And no, that's not the original escape tower on the Mercury Redstone. I scratch built that one from dowels and misc stuff I had around. It isn't tall enough, but good enough for me.
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And here are the rest. These were all built since re-discovering the hobby with my son (he's now 18... time sure flies). Rockets of note:
* The Mega Mosquito is in primer after replacing the upper body tube and a fin which was damaged from an Estes E cato (two in a row)
* The Big Bertha is a clone
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Rockets of note:
* Mars Lander is the Semroc reproduction. I have the original (not in pictures) currently under restoration.
* EAC Viper is a clone to replace my lost original
* The Sprint is a clone
* The orange Alpha III rockets are mine and my wifes from college days. We helped launch rockets with middle school kids through the Michigan Space Grant Consortium while we were students at the University of Michigan (I'm a real aero-engineer!)
* Big Daddy is about 3/4" shorter than a normal one due to a failed nosecone deployment which resulted in a lawn dart. Only crushed the very top of the body tube. Nose cone has been modified to cut off the shoulder per the many thread on the topic.
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Interceptor E on custom stand... enough said! (this is one of my favorites)
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Rockets of note:
* Saturn V with 29mm mount (old kit, custom mount)
* Estes Mongoose... I can't figure it out, something went wrong with the paint and decals. (LOL!) This was to replace my lost original Scorpion from childhood.
* Cloned Omega with payload section (Semroc nosecones)
View attachment 449552

My son and wife attended Parent / Child Spacecamp (it was both of their childhood dreams to go to spacecamp, we made it happen in one shot!) The middle two rockets are the SCRV Eagles they built at camp, and the outboard two are clones I made using salvaged parts. NOTE: I painted their fins with white spray paint when they got home, as they weren't given the time to paint the fins at camp. I couldn't let them remain bare balsa. They are otherwise "as-built".
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And finally, the big boys:
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Ok, the elephant in the room: I gratuitously posed the rockets in front of one of my other hobbies: fixing/restoring old 80's arcade games. Q*bert on the left (complete restore) and Donkey Kong JR on the right (just maintained in original condition). As far as my hobbies go, if it's from the 80's, it's good!

Hello Frank,

Welcome to the forums (fora? Is there a doctorate in Latin in the house?)

And with your collection, I think most here will agree that you've won the internet. Or at least the rocketry internet.

Best -- Terry

 

[wonderboy]

I’m trying to figure out what that Radio Shack looking thing in the corner is.

View attachment 449665

The Radio Shack contraption is a "Plug and Power" controller. It is basically a way to turn things on and off remotely (or on a timer, clock, etc). It uses the X10 protocol which allows communication with devices over the power lines themselves during the zero crossings portions of the AC waveform. I plug the arcade games into one of these modules to more easily turn them on and off. The power switch is usually in a remote, hard to access location. So when I want to play, I can just go up to that Radio Shack box and hit "All Lights On" switch and everything is powered up (There may be a "few" other games in the room other than those two... )

X10 devices are still made, and the Radio Shack branded "Plug and Power" devices are pretty common on e-bay. I use these same modules to control my Christmas lights. I have another controller that is basically a clock. It allows you to program the on and off times for the devices. There is a way to set a unique ID for your modules so that you can control many different things in your house separately (Christmas lights can be independent from the Arcade games)

...and yes, the modules I'm using are from the 80's. Like I said, if it is from the 80's, it's gotta be good!!

Thanks for all the other nice comments guys!

 

[tsmith1315]

Welcome to the forums (fora? Is there a doctorate in Latin in the house?)

ablative plural... foris

 

[wonderboy]

I dig your Astrocam110 with the scars of life.

I was pretty bummed about the Astrocam. I was launching rockets with our local Cub Scout pack several years ago (an annual thing I do with them in the spring to help with recruiting) and had a parachute malfunction (operator error) and it came in hard on a rooftop. I have to admit, I've tried many times, but never had success getting photographs from this old 110 film camera including this occasion with the scouts. Even finding a place to develop film, let alone 110 film, is becoming increasingly difficult. Any future aerial photography attempts will simply be made using the cheap keychain cameras. Despite the lack of results though, I still like the rocket.

 

[K'Tesh]

Nice collection you got there. You might be able to replace that damaged camera. The Astrocam 110 often comes up for sale on eBay, often just the camera. I've got all of the cameras of that version I need for a while. So, I won't be bidding against you. The damaged one might be a candidate for conversion into a look back version.



https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/kteshs-openrocket-files.123564/page-5#post-1572800

 

[K'Tesh]

I'm hoping one day to modify the camera to be a digital camera, yet maintain the lines of the original.

 

[wonderboy]

I really like that idea! I'm such a fan of the aesthetic of the older rockets, it would be really cool to package a digital cam inside the original shell.

 

[K'Tesh]

I really like that idea! I'm such a fan of the aesthetic of the older rockets, it would be really cool to package a digital cam inside the original shell.

Here another variation I simmed up...


Two stages, D/E powered, and classic markings.

 

[Ronz Rocketz]

The Radio Shack contraption is a "Plug and Power" controller. It is basically a way to turn things on and off remotely (or on a timer, clock, etc). It uses the X10 protocol which allows communication with devices over the power lines themselves during the zero crossings portions of the AC waveform. I plug the arcade games into one of these modules to more easily turn them on and off. The power switch is usually in a remote, hard to access location. So when I want to play, I can just go up to that Radio Shack box and hit "All Lights On" switch and everything is powered up (There may be a "few" other games in the room other than those two... )

X10 devices are still made, and the Radio Shack branded "Plug and Power" devices are pretty common on e-bay. I use these same modules to control my Christmas lights. I have another controller that is basically a clock. It allows you to program the on and off times for the devices. There is a way to set a unique ID for your modules so that you can control many different things in your house separately (Christmas lights can be independent from the Arcade games)

...and yes, the modules I'm using are from the 80's. Like I said, if it is from the 80's, it's gotta be good!!

Thanks for all the other nice comments guys!

That's awesome. I thought I recognized the style.

 

[KILTED COWBOY]

Nice fleet you have there. My rockets from the '60s are long gone. Mom did not have to save them for me I think they all got lost in trees or crash landed. You got some talent in the building department.

 

[messedupryan]

Woah, woah, whoah. What is this, and how do we become best friends?

 

[Adam3836]

Hi All,

I've lurked on the forum long enough, I think it is time I finally introduce myself. I've seen some recent posts that I'd like to comment on and feel maybe it's better if I introduced myself.

I am your typical cookie-cutter BAR. I ordered my first rockets through the mail from Estes as a child. I am fortunate that my mother saved all my rockets for me (unlike many of my other toys) while going off to college and "growing up". Once I had kids of my own, I jumped back in with both feet. I am so grateful to her for saving these childhood memories for me all these years. My collection today is a nice combination of my original rockets built in the mid '80s and all the new acquisitions since jumping back into this with my son.

I've joined a local club (Michigan Team 1) and certified level 1 (Rocketman Miss Riley) and level 2 (LOC Doorknob) in 2020.

For fun, I'll try to capture some pics of the original rockets in my collection and post them here. It's not a large collection, but I have some fun ones in there like the Geo Sat LV (one of my favorites) and a Crusader Swing Wing. I've also begun cloning many of the rockets from my childhood that didn't make it such as my Scout, Scorpion, and EAC Viper.

I'll close by expressing my appreciation for the members of this forum and the moderators who do such a great job (in my opinion) on keeping this a very fun and informative site. I know that moderators take heat sometimes for their decision on any forum, but I really think this is one of the better forums, if not the best forum, of the many hobby related forums I belong to.

Thanks all!

Welcome aboard !!!!
Enjoy
your right this is truly a great forum lots of good information and plenty of people willing to help and answer questions !

 

[David Schwantz]

Haha, yea I guess that was a pretty poor introduction! My name is Frank. The screenname "wonderboy" originated many years ago on an RC airplane message board and is a reference to my favorite (at the time) plane, a Sig Wonder. RC planes is just one more of the too-many hobbies I enjoy.

Hi Wonder, glad you made it over. I too fly RC, 40 some years now. Rockets, longer. But I just recently combined the two, I found a ME 163 Comet, RC, that has a 24 mm rocket in its butt. I also had a Sig Wonder. Do you still fly RC? Dave.

 

[B_RadB]

Hey Frank - nice collection! You make me look bad with your introduction and collection pictures, haha! I may have to do something similar one of these days, since I too have been lurking about for a while now while getting back into active flying.

 

[DigBaddy]

Welcome, from another newbie! You collection is definitely something to be proud of. Thanks for sharing the pics!

 

[neil_w]

Woah, woah, whoah. What is this, and how do we become best friends?
View attachment 452720

Fliskits Acme Spitfire.

 

[wonderboy]

Hey guys, thanks for the kind comments!

Yes, neil_w posted the link to the "crooked" rocket: the Fliskits Spitfire. There a many threads here about decorating this rocket. It was inspired by the Far Side cartoon showing the scientists who built a complete crooked rocket. The caption reads: "Well, I guess were not exactly rocket scientists", or something to that effect. There are some REALLY creative decorating options for this kit you'll find on this site. Building it will expand your skill-set quite a bit. You have to cut the body tubes (with very nicely produced templates) in order to produce the crooked sections. It is sturdy though due to a central body tube that keeps everything aligned (crookedly). It was a really fun build.

With regard to flying RC, last time I flew was a couple years ago. My hobby interests ebb and flow a bit. I'm currently focusing mostly on rocketry for the last couple years. But, I'm also a hoarder, and still have all my RC planes (no chance of those going away) plus a few unbuit and in-process planes in the hobby room in the basement. I also built and flew a few RC heli's, but the stress level on those is too high. I can fly an RC plane and actually relax and enjoy it. With the heli, it was non-stop tension and fear. I got to nose in hovering and some basic pattern work, but not much beyond that.

 

[wonderboy]

Hey Frank - nice collection! You make me look bad with your introduction and collection pictures, haha! I may have to do something similar one of these days, since I too have been lurking about for a while now while getting back into active flying.

As it was stated in this thread, we all love pictures! Definitely make a post and show off the fleet.

 

[Wally Ferrer]

Welcome, Frank! Nice collection...