Preparing for NARAM-50

[foose4string]

I'm sitting in my hotel room in Chantilly waiting to get this show on the road. Found a super cool hobby shop a block away from where we are staying. Hobby Hanger? Ring a bell with anyone? Picked up a few AT reloads and some spare igniters(they had a LARGE asst. of AT stuff). Kit selection of various types was good too, and more RC gear than you could shake an antenna at. Prices don't seem too terribly out of line. Nice to know if I need something last minute, I can swing in there.

Today we visited my sister who lives in the DC Metro area and did some walking/sightseeing downtown. Not sure what's on the menu for tomorrow.... wife mentioned the little waterpark in Manassas for the kids. We're too close to Udvar Hazy not to go...we might try to slip in there for an hour or two.

Scott, what's the word on those RC test flights? Are we a go for NARAM? I finished up the paint last minute on my Fake Wulf. I was literally spraying the clear while the family was sitting in the idling van, waiting for me to get in. Good thing Krylon dries fast. I'm anxious to see what this one does.....on a B6-2.

Brought two plastic totes with full of rockets. Waaaay more than I'll get to fly, I'm sure.

 

[Initiator001]

Well, I've finished packing my suitcase and my rockets have arrived safely.

I'll be checking into the 4 Points sometime after 5:00 PM local time on Friday.

I look forward to seeing everyone.

 

[ben]

Can't wait to meet up again with you Craig!! After seeing you last time I figured you would be L1 by now

Ben

 

[Adam Selene]

Sweet!! I will be there Saturday. My friend drives a silver something. Looks like a Subaru 4 wheel something-or-another. How can I find you?

Ben

um, how can you find me? hmmmm, let's see maybe ... oh, I know! you could look for the big RocketTshirts.com banner! :surprised:


I'll be somewhere in the big tent, I'm not sure where Mark has put me.

 

[JRThro]

Speaking of which, I've managed to misplace the decals for my Golden Scouts, so they may end up having their flight numbers (#635 and #636) handwritten on them with a Sharpie.

I found them as I was packing tonight. I hope I can re-find them once I'm in Virginia so I can apply them.

Meanwhile, I got all of my rockets and some wadding and my fin alignment guide and a bunch of other stuff like tubes, nose cones, etc., packed into a not-too-big cardboard box. It's marked with my name and phone number and "Contains Toy Models," so I hope the TSA doesn't give me a hard time about putting it into checked baggage. And all of my clothes (including several changes of undies!), a couple of rolls of tape and stuff like that, all fit into a fairly small suitcase. Since my wife mentioned that I always overpack, I deliberately cut back on the amount of clothes I'm bringing, and will launder stuff as needed.

My flight leaves Houston at 7:50 this morning and gets into Dulles (IAD) airport around noon. I may spend some time in DC, since I've only been there once before, before heading down/out/over to Manassas.

 

[terryg]

For those of us that cannot attend due to time/distance/cost restraints the following site is a great way to follow the events from a distance.

https://www.nerys.com/naramlive/index2.html

 

[zog43editor]

Thanks to Kevin Johnson for taking some great pictures while launching my models with his toe!

Yep. You read that right..

 

[FredT]

The van's packed and I'm heading out in just a few minutes to my first NARAM. Will be checking in at the Four Points later this afternoon. See everyone at the field, if not before.

...FredT

 

[Balsa Bob]

Yep. You read that right..

Umm... you don't bite your toenails, do you?

 

[Adam Selene]

I'm in town. I swear I made my reservations at the super 8 next to the hwy but when i tried to check in they sent me way into town on 28.

 

[ben]

I'm in town. I swear I made my reservations at the super 8 next to the hwy but when i tried to check in they sent me way into town on 28.

heh. Well, I appreciated the case rental offer and I will be sure to look you up, and get some T-shirts

Ben

 

[Adam Selene]

judging by the labels on the tables, Mark has me in the corner of the big tent closest to the ranges. by closest I mean not in anyway close. It's a long walk folks. I may end up moving outside under an easy up, the space is much smaller than advertised.

 

[rokitflite]

I'll be tagging onto the end of the NARTS table with Rokitflite, Neubauer Rockets and the Quest Aerobee kits... I had no time to make a sign for my table so you may have to squint to see me!

 

[ben]

I'll be tagging onto the end of the NARTS table with Rokitflite, Neubauer Rockets and the Quest Aerobee kits... I had no time to make a sign for my table so you may have to squint to see me!

Squint? Did you mean stand back?........ WAAY back ?

hehe, just hassling ya scott, Its been over 1.5 years since I flew an Estes motors, you guys might just bring me back down today from APCP HPR to Estes B and C.

Ben

 

[Chrisn]

NO! ben. then we wont get to see the saturn v and N1 drag race (unless you do it in 18mm)

 

[ben]

NO! ben. then we wont get to see the saturn v and N1 drag race (unless you do it in 18mm)

Well, I did get a lead on a few (10-12lbs) of AP

Ben

 

[chanstevens]

Well, I've taken this about as far as I can take it, overcome a number of problems related to a major airline losing me, then losing my bag, and damaging components in the process, ultimately resulting in me arriving home midnight Friday with 3 hours to paint 4 different colors and pack up to head back out for NARAM. Crappy paint job, clear coat's smelling up my room now, but the final product is viewable online at

Rocket buildin' machine is in dire need of an oil change and some serious downtime...

https://picasaweb.google.com/chanstevens/SoyuzTM11

--Chan Stevens

 

[rokitflite]

Just stopped home to take care of the critters... I am having a BLAST at NARAM! I wish they did this NARAM 50 thing every year!

 

[chanstevens]

Well, I've taken this about as far as I can take it, overcome a number of problems related to a major airline losing me, then losing my bag, and damaging components in the process, ultimately resulting in me arriving home midnight Friday with 3 hours to paint 4 different colors and pack up to head back out for NARAM. Crappy paint job, clear coat's smelling up my room now, but the final product is viewable online at

Rocket buildin' machine is in dire need of an oil change and some serious downtime...

https://picasaweb.google.com/chanstevens/SoyuzTM11

--Chan Stevens

Well, I thought I was done. Ran into Sandman while waiting out the brief lightning show, and he was toting around his prototype Soyuz. I had fun picking apart the errors (OK, insanely trivial differences between sport scale and scale--his model looks great), then noticed he only had one Russian flag, but mine had two. Hmm...ROTW drawings not terribly clear on that, Minakov print only shows one, but doesn't show 2 of the 4 views colored, so also not clear. Gordon supplied two Soviet flags and one each British/Japanese depending which mission the modeler chooses.

Bonehead that I was applying decals with no sleep, I had blown it and applied an extra flag. Micro-sol'd the suckers, too, so no chance to wet it down and remove one/relocate the other.

Dean Fox, if you're out there, I owe you a brew or a kit or deepest gratitude or all of the above. I sweet-talked Gordon into "forgetting" to include the decals in the kit he's got for you until a replacement set can be quickly procured. Your decal is now prominently affixed in the right location on my model, a solid 4 hours ahead of the deadline for turning in. I think that sets a Stevens record for earliest finish .

I swear, the title of my autobiography is gonna be What Could Possibly Go Wrong? Either that, or Seemed Like a Good Idea At The Time.

--Chan Stevens

 

[jflis]

I've had a ball explaining to folks, as different events come up, that I'm *still* getting ready for NARAM...

...The interesting thing is that EVERYone I've said that to knew exactly what I meant... LOL

It's been a good show and being a able to spend quality time with the McLawhorns, Estes' and many others is just wonderful!

More later...

...and as the song says "I can sleep when I'm dead"... LOL

Now to get ready for the auction. I am looking forward to the auctioning of my seemingly famous cowboy hat... (got it autographed by a bunch of folks including Walter Cunningham so....

More later!
jim

 

[ben]

I've had a ball explaining to folks, as different events come up, that I'm *still* getting ready for NARAM...

...The interesting thing is that EVERYone I've said that to knew exactly what I meant... LOL

It's been a good show and being a able to spend quality time with the McLawhorns, Estes' and many others is just wonderful!

More later...

...and as the song says "I can sleep when I'm dead"... LOL

Now to get ready for the auction. I am looking forward to the auctioning of my seemingly famous cowboy hat... (got it autographed by a bunch of folks including Walter Cunningham so....

More later!
jim

It was great meeting you Jim and Scott and Thomas (again) and Andy (again ) Sunward, Adam Selene and a whole bunch others.

I'll have to let you know when I get working on that Borealis. Right now its looking like 11.1X upscale wth a 76mm and 8 38mm for affect.

Ben

 

[JRThro]

It took me almost as long to pack to come back home as it did to pack to go to NARAM.

So... a few highlights of many great experiences from NARAM:

Finally getting up the nerve to introduce myself to Vern Estes, and having him tell me, "I recognize your name from the forums." Wowza! What a nice man he is.

Meeting Scott Branche (rokitflite) and spending time hanging out with him for parts of 4 days, and watching him fly his upscale R/C Mach 10 Plus, one of his Fake Wulfs, and his upscale R/C Fake Wulf. He is, btw, very knowledgeable, very generous, and very crazy, in case any of those were in doubt.

Telling Peter Alway, when he was looking for the field registration table under the tent at the sport range on Saturday, "I'm sure they'll be willing to accommodate you." I didn't realize at the time that the registration table was over by the NARTS trailer under the big tent, and apparently neither did he.

Having Lee Piester say to me, "I'm Lee," when I happened to walk by him. I told him I knew who he was, and reminded him that we met briefly at NARCON 2006 in Wisconsin, but I didn't expect him to remember me.

Having dinner with a large group of TRF'ers on Monday evening. Now *that* was fun!

Meeting Jim Flis, Sheryl McLawhorn, Bill Stine, John McCoy (micromeister), Fred Shecter (shreadvector), Jennifer Ash-Poole, James Gartrell, James Duffy, Roy Green, Doug Holverson, Jack Hagerty, Al Swackhammer, Craig Zicafoose (foose4string), Tony Vincent (tonypv), Mark Mayfield and Deb Martin of Launch Magazine, and so many others that my mind is a blur. If anyone notices that I left them off the list, please don't take it personally, and/or mention here that I met you.

Never getting up the nerve to say anything to Walt Cunningham.

 

[foose4string]

Very nice meeting you John! Sort of awkward how we were forced to meet there at pad #13. I'm still not sure how that one got screwed up. :lol: At any rate, thanks for the spot. Sure wish I could have attended the TRF meeting on Monday night, but still had lots of fun at the ORR and on the range. I'm hoping we will all get a chance to be together in the future, and I already have the go from my lovely wife to attend next year's NARAM. Woohoo!

 

[rokitflite]

John!
It was great meeting and hanging out with you in person finally too! I am so sorry I did not get a chance to say "bye" after the auction! That went waaaaay later then I expected, and since I promised to help, I could not just walk out... There was a lot of stuff!!!:surprised:

Other folks from the forum who I was happy to discover were really great people: Sandman, Astronboy, Gus, Tonypv, RoyGreen and Starcommander. (Don't be offended if your name is not on the list if I met you BEFORE this NARAM and already determined that I liked you!)

I could not identify Skycopp and MarkH there

 

[ben]

John!
It was great meeting and hanging out with you in person finally too! I am so sorry I did not get a chance to say "bye" after the auction! That went waaaaay later then I expected, and since I promised to help, I could not just walk out... There was a lot of stuff!!!:surprised:

Other folks from the forum who I was happy to discover were really great people: Sandman, Astronboy, Gus, Tonypv, RoyGreen and Starcommander. (Don't be offended if your name is not on the list if I met you BEFORE this NARAM and already determined that I liked you!)

I could not identify Skycopp and MarkH there

I know you didn't list me for legal reasons

And you are in the lucky catagory for not meeting skycopp

Ben

 

[TWRackers]

If anyone notices that I left them off the list, please don't take it personally, and/or mention here that I met you.

:beer:

 

[rokitflite]

I know you didn't list me for legal reasons

And you are in the lucky catagory for not meeting skycopp

Ben

I've met you before Ben... At Red Glare.

 

[ben]

I've met you before Ben... At Red Glare.

Glad you remember that Must have been that O motor Ap in the air :lol:

Ben

 

[jflis]

John,

Good to have met you too Isn't it great to discover that rocketry folks that you read about are really just normal people after all?

Well, for rocketry folks, that is...

Well, 'cept for Scott, that is...

LOL

It has been a good week. Scott I missed you today. We're leaving in the morning so I probably won't see you till NARCON (unless you want to scoot up for NEMROC... )

I met so many folks, old and new friends, that I will never keep it sorted out in my head so I am not even going to TRY to make a list ...

An incredible NARAM though, that is for sure!

jim

 

[ben]

Yeah I don' have that "great Jim Flis" feeling anymore Its just "Jim, at flis kits "

Ben