Tonight's Mythbusters

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gpoehlein

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Anyone see this evening's episode of Mythbusters? At the end of the credits was a slide that said:

In Memory of Erik Gates
A true, honorary Mythbuster
1962 - 2009

I was hoping they would do something like this! :)
 
Anyone see this evening's episode of Mythbusters? At the end of the credits was a slide that said:

In Memory of Erik Gates
A true, honorary Mythbuster
1962 - 2009

I was hoping they would do something like this! :)

I kind of wonder if they even know

Ben
 
Huh? Who "even know"?

sorry my english took a dive :p

I meant to say I was kind of suprised that they even knew about it. Don't get me wrong I think its great that they did it, it was just a suprise.

Ben
 
sorry my english took a dive :p

I meant to say I was kind of suprised that they even knew about it. Don't get me wrong I think its great that they did it, it was just a suprise.

Ben

Why are you surprised? He was actually considered a cast member. It said "A true honorary mythbuster." He assisted them on a few epidsodes of the show.



If anyone is interested. I found two emails from him talking to me about his BASE jumping. If anyone would like to see them. I knew he was a skydiver andn base jumper. When I heard he I died I was almost sure that's what caused it.
 
I don't watch Mythbusters as much as I would like, and I can only think of one episode that I've seen that was rocket related. Did Erik help on the episode with the rocket-powered swingset? They were trying to see if it was possible to swing 360 degrees, and they tried it with rocket power.
 
I don't watch Mythbusters as much as I would like, and I can only think of one episode that I've seen that was rocket related. Did Erik help on the episode with the rocket-powered swingset? They were trying to see if it was possible to swing 360 degrees, and they tried it with rocket power.

Yes, he worked on that episode. The episodes he worked on were:

  • Jet-Assisted Chevy/Pop Rocks and Soda (2003)
  • Ming Dynasty Astronaut (2004)
  • Bullet Proof Water, 360 Degree Swing (2005)
  • Confederate Rocket (2005)

He also appeared in the "Master Blasters" TV show and he worked on the rockets for the recently-aired "Ancient Rockets" episode of "Lock 'N' Load."

-- Roger
 
I think that tribute was very nice. Maybe they should do a whole episode on rockets as a memorial.
 
It was a very nice gesture.

You also saw a new member of the team. Jesse Combs filling in for Kari while she's on maternity leave.
 
Yes, he worked on that episode. The episodes he worked on were:

  • Jet-Assisted Chevy/Pop Rocks and Soda (2003)
  • Ming Dynasty Astronaut (2004)
  • Bullet Proof Water, 360 Degree Swing (2005)
  • Confederate Rocket (2005)

He also appeared in the "Master Blasters" TV show and he worked on the rockets for the recently-aired "Ancient Rockets" episode of "Lock 'N' Load."

-- Roger

Didn't he also work on the rocket car revisit where they put the rockets in the tail of the car and tried to send it off a ramp - result was a huge CATO?
 
I believe he worked on the original rocket car episode, and not the revisit with the cato.
 
We saw that last night, didn't know the significance of it. Sorry to see such a thing happen.
 
I believe he worked on the original rocket car episode, and not the revisit with the cato.

correct. The revisit motors were made by some other TRA members who like to fly big rockets on the east coast. They used stainless steel bolts in the frankenstein motors instead of black oxide steel. Thats why they failed.

Ben
 
Why are you surprised? He was actually considered a cast member. It said "A true honorary mythbuster." He assisted them on a few epidsodes of the show.



If anyone is interested. I found two emails from him talking to me about his BASE jumping. If anyone would like to see them. I knew he was a skydiver andn base jumper. When I heard he I died I was almost sure that's what caused it.

I'd love to see them...(I did some skydiving for several years with my buddies in College, and my girlfriend later on). I never went base jumping or repelling - I'm afraid of heights..LOL.

Strange how Erik did all that and looses his life in something relatively mundane, like on a roof at work.

Reminds me of Pete Conrad...after all the test pilot flying, Gemini, Apollo, and Skylab missions....and how he finally met his fate.
 
Yes, he worked on that episode. The episodes he worked on were:

  • Jet-Assisted Chevy/Pop Rocks and Soda (2003)
  • Ming Dynasty Astronaut (2004)
  • Bullet Proof Water, 360 Degree Swing (2005)
  • Confederate Rocket (2005)

He also appeared in the "Master Blasters" TV show and he worked on the rockets for the recently-aired "Ancient Rockets" episode of "Lock 'N' Load."

-- Roger
And the Hwacha episode.
 
Regarding the JATO car revisit (“supersized”) I think that Erik was involved with the “small scale” tests using a model car. Not with the big one that “blowed up”, but those model tests.

The white plastic shell from those tests sits on a shelf in Erik's office, autographed by Jamie and Adam.

-Kevin
 
The very first Mythbusters show was the JATO car. They couldn't get a real JATO unit so they used 3 AMW N4000s firing in sequence to approximate the thrust curve of the real JATO.
 
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