RIP Jerry F. Dyben

[TomBroad]

After successfully using a Firestar Electric Match kit that had been in storage for nearly 25 years, I wanted to write Jerry Dyben to thank him for making such an amazing product. After a bit of searching, I was saddened to learn that he had recently died, at age 89, on October 14, 2021 in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Jerry was a prolific inventor, holding several patents (see https://patents.justia.com/inventor/jerry-f-dyben) for his igniters, among other inventions. His son Greg carries family torch at Rocketflite, with very similar igniter kits. I don't know if his other son, Scott, is still involved in supporting pyrotechnics and rocketry, but perhaps someone knows more details.

THANK YOU, Jerry F. Dyben, for your efforts in making accessible products for HPR.
May you rest in peace!

 

[prfesser]

Rocketflite is best known among us olde fartes as the producer of very large---F, G, and H class---BP motors. Among these were the famous "Silver Streaks", early sparky motors. Best known of these was probably the 38mm H-330 SS. (In)famous for the occasional impressive CATO.

[First HP launch I attended was Spears II in Manchester TN, in 1994, I think. The LCO announced an F Silver Streak flight; "If you haven't seen one of these, they're spectacular!" He was quite right. BOOM! ]

Pulled out my old TMT motor listing from the 1990s. Rocketflite motors had specific impulse of 97-100 seconds, rather high compared to QuEstes motors (~80 s). Probably because Rocketflites used an aluminum case and could operate at higher pressure than a paper-cased motor. I heard that the motors were individually hand-pressed rather than being made by automated machinery, but cannot confirm.

For anyone out there who has a Rocketflite motor: Was there a thin paper liner inside the aluminum case? I thought that BP wouldn't bond well to aluminum, not to mention the corrosion that would occur at the interface.

Thanks to Jerry Dyben for all of his contributions to the high-power community. Rest in peace.

 

[cwbullet]

RIP - He will be missed.

 

[aerostadt]

I corresponded with Greg Dyben back in 2017. Is this the same person? I had two G160 Sparkies that I inherited from from the Frank Hunt estate. One of them I fired at Hellfire-22. Both motors worked great and were a sight to see!

 

[TomBroad]

I corresponded with Greg Dyben back in 2017. Is this the same person? I had two G160 Sparkies that I inherited from from the Frank Hunt estate. One of them I fired at Hellfire-22. Both motors worked great and were a sight to see!

Greg is Jerry's son.
He runs Rocketflight.

 

[aerostadt]

Greg is Jerry's son.
He runs Rocketflight.

OK, Thanks. I have some of the correspondence from Greg in this TRF thread.
https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/g160-silver-streak-flight.141934/