New to LPR Forum

[joe_cool]

Hi all.
Long time reader, but first time poster. I have thoroughly enjoyed all GN expertise and fun shared on the forum.
I got back into the hobby since leaving it at age 19. My wife and I are now empty nesters, and I bought the Tandem X kit a year ago to get started again.
I have attached a photo of my finished models. You will note I used Little Joe II decals on the Metallizer, and my own cot scheme and Der Red Max decals on the Crossfire.
You will also note my made from scratch popsicle stick aircraft I build in parallel with the rockets.
Looking forward to sharing more and communicating with you in the future.
Take care, Joe

 

[blackbrandt]

Welcome aboard! Looks cool.

 

[Bat-mite]

Howdy.

 

[milehigh]

Welcome back!!
I, too, am a BAR coming off of a 33-year hiatus from model rocketry. I think I'm enjoying it way more now than I did back in the 70s-80s! Strictly sticking to LPR Sport flying and steering clear of the expensive stuff (MPR/HPR) and the whole contest thing. Having a lot more maturity and life experience under my belt certainly helps temper this whole business. I'm sure you are going equally enjoy your return, as well. Nice fleet of birds. Superb paint jobs! Also like the small wood models.

 

[KennB]

Welcome back to rocketry. Lurking around as you have, you knew that pictures are always welcome and you came right out of the gate with some great examples.
Let us know where you're located; maybe there is a club nearby (or near enough) so you can get some direct contact with like minded people.
With your modeling skills, you should look at the offerings from Fliskits (as I write this, the site seems to be down but I've alerted Jim so it should be fixed sometime today).

 

[Micromeister]

Welcome to the forum:
some nifty looking rockets.

 

[K'Tesh]

Nice! Welcome to TRF!

 

[MALBAR 70]

Welcome to TRF and back to rocketry, it never really leaves your system ( I'm a 3rd time BAR) You will be amazed at all the cool stuff that is available now. As Ken mentioned, there's FlisKits as well as ERockets (Semroc), Sirius and a host of other great rocket vendors.

 

[joe_cool]

Guys:
Thanks to all of you for the wonderful welcome!
I go by Joe and I was born, raised and live in West Virginia. I attended and received my engineering degrees at WVU, and have worked as an IE for the past 30 years.

The first rocket I ever built was at the age of 12 in during the glorious summer of 1976. It was the Big Bertha. I will never forget the sight and smell of that first launch. I still have that 1976 Estes catalog. Oh, how I wish all of those rockets were still available at 1976 prices. I would buy the whole lot tomorrow!!

Thanks for the links to the other vendors. This all new to me and very exciting.

I have a quick question to you all. What is the best way to track down and hopefully purchase vintage LP models. Specifically from the 1976 catalog, the Little John and the Nike Ajax.

Thanks also for your very nice compliments on my "Popsicle Fleet".

Joe

 

[NJRick]

Joe welcome to the TRF!! love the pictures you posted. The Estes Nike Ajax was one of my favorite rockets when I was a kid! (and the Estes Mercury Redstone too)

 

[Marc_G]

Welcome Joe! And by the way I still have my Nike Ajax from long ago. One of two surviving rockets of my childhood.

 

[joe_cool]

Thanks, Rick and Marc.

The Nike Ajax is one that I would love to track down and build.

Is the best test to find via ebay? I realize it is long out of production, but there had to be some kits around, even from another vendor than Estes.

I just preordered the Nike Apache and Surveillance Vehicle kits.

Joe

 

[hcmbanjo]

Hi Joe,
Welcome! Your Popsicle stick planes look great.
The Nike Apache is a good kit, I flew mine this last weekend.



I assembled it on my blog, if you want to get a better idea of parts and assembly -
https://modelrocketbuilding.blogspot.com/search/label/E Nike Apache

 

[NJRick]

Joe I have periodically searched eBay for the Estes Nike Ajax but never had any luck. I always wished they would re release that kit.

Thanks, Rick and Marc.

The Nike Ajax is one that I would love to track down and build.

Is the best test to find via ebay? I realize it is long out of production, but there had to be some kits around, even from another vendor than Estes.

I just preordered the Nike Apache and Surveillance Vehicle kits.

Joe