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peter_stanley

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Does anyone know the status of US Rockets? https://v-serv.com/usr/ I tried to place an order a couple days ago but getting bounced email on [email protected], with a dns error:
Technical details of temporary failure:
DNS Error: Timeout while contacting DNS servers

I think sending an email to [email protected] is the only way to order from them. I didn't see any other contact information.
 
Ohnoez...another USR thread.

Word of advice...if you want a USR product bad enough then buy it from a dealer - assuming you can find any dealers that have USR kits. Otherwise you are wasting your time and money with one of the most infamous individuals (who's name shall not be mentioned) in rocket history.

Or, bop on over to Rocketry Planet and sign up for the forums there and get in touch with a user by the name of "Just Jerry." :y: I wish you the best of luck.

-Dave
 
Both the above are accurate.

FWIW, I have been trying to get an order in for about 2 years now.
 
I have several US Rockets in my fleet. The rockets for the most part are excellent.

The messenger however...................................
 
Just cant beat them Firestarters,the original,and in my mind,the best sparky motor ever produced.
 
The IGA supermarket in Lucerne, CA, has a few USR kits on the shelf.
 
I have several US Rockets in my fleet. The rockets for the most part are excellent.

The messenger however...................................

I'd like to have some in my fleet but I can't get him to sell me any.
 
Okay I've been in the hobby since '04, but I must've missed something here . . .
 
Okay I've been in the hobby since '04, but I must've missed something here . . .

I think its a combination of his having ilegally sold some motors and the fact that he does not service his site or ship the goods. Occasionally I have exchanged emails with him but to date have never received anything. Once I even made a phone call and was told that they would get to my order when they got back from vacation.

Fortunately, in accordance with USR policy, I have never sent any money...until I recieve the merchandise. I am still willing to pay for some of it if I ever get it.
 
Performance Hobbies lists a few USR items as being in stock. But from what I hear Ken is best purchased from at a launch. Folks in the past have reported online sales as being somewhat difficult.

For all the criticism leveled at Jerry Irvine I've never heard anyone criticize the quality of his designs or how well they flew. I HAVE heard that the kit parts are all adequate but nothing outstanding. I also understand that he believed that virtually all his kits could be built with white glue alone.
 
Gus You're spot on about Ken Allen. If you're interested I left a thread about my mail order purchase from him on ROL. Ted
 
For all the criticism leveled at Jerry Irvine I've never heard anyone criticize the quality of his designs or how well they flew. I HAVE heard that the kit parts are all adequate but nothing outstanding. I also understand that he believed that virtually all his kits could be built with white glue alone.

Most of the time, that appears to be the case.

However, I have a friend who received a kit where "die crushed" is the best way to describe the fins. It looks like they were cut with a dull bread knife, they were that bad. And the tubes weren't the best, either.

Some folks have been very pleased, and have shown photos to document the quality.

Others have receive complete garbage, and have shown photos to document the quality.

I've held two, personally, in my hands, and I'd call those two "okay". I've seen worse, but I've seen a whole lot better.

Personally, I won't do business with the individual behind the company, nor would I ever recommend anyone else do so.

-Kevin
 
Personally, I won't do business with the individual behind the company, nor would I ever recommend anyone else do so.
Kevin,

From everything I've read, I'm the same way.

I do have a U.S.R. Fire & Forget packed away somewhere. I acquired it in a group lot. The parts seemed nothing special but not bad.

I got into online rocketry as RMR was building to a crescendo of "Irvine-ism". For those who missed it, every thread, no matter how innocuous would almost immediately devolve into an attack on or by Jerry Irvine. It was pointless to post anything rocketry related there since 95% of the posts immediately became about Jerry. When he finally left a couple of years ago it seemed like the place had little left to talk about since most of the folks really interested in talking rockets had already moved elsewhere. (By the way, I am not the "Gus" on RMR).

Subsequent to that, Jerry would show up periodically on various forums and end up getting banned.

So I've been really surprised over the last 6 months to see Jerry posting on YORF about rocketry history and staying fairly on topic. There is no doubt he played a significant role in the early days of high power rocketry and his reminiscences have been quite interesting and, for the most part, diatribe free. I also thought he asked one of the best questions of Barry Tunick, about his suggestion for a D20 motor in the Estes lineup. Very well reasoned argument from someone with a manufacturers perspective.

Anyway, I agree with you regarding doing business with him. In all the stories about him it's hard to tell where the smoke ends and the actual fire begins, but there's enough smoke to make me want to steer way clear.
 
I have talked many people in person and online regarding good 'ol Jerry. After hearing what they said and their personal testimony I have no reason to believe the stories about "Just Jerry" are fables. They are true. On the Rocketry Planet forums Jerry will try to spin something about how TRA is out to get him for no reason...government conspiracy...let's sue the FAA, DOT, NAR, TRA, etc.

I built one of his kits that I got in a give-a-way on EMRR and it really wasn't anything to write home about. If you see a JI design you really like you are better off scratch building it than dealing with trying to order it.

The one over-riding theme about JI is that if you do business with him, do it in person. Get product THEN pay - with cash.

-Dave
 
Hi Guys,

I am a hobby dealer in Ohio and Great Planes, Horizon Hobby, Sig Manufacturing, along with Stevens International are a few of my distributors.

Stevens says they carry the full line of US Rockets. None of my other distributors do. Let me know which ones you want and I'll order them. If i can get them I'll let you know and will ship to you if you still want them. I'll sell at retail price and ship for free.

I have built a couple of these kits and found them to be difficult to get a really good finish on the body tubes but they flew very well.

Don't know Jerry personally but don't know most of the other manufacturers either.

Which kits do you want me to try to get? Here is the listing of what they say they have in stock.

USK-1002 Hi-Test 2225 Model Rocket kit (Skill 3 57"L) (D) $49.95
USK-1003 Aero-Roc Model Rocket Kit (Skill 2 35"L) (D) $35.95
USK-1005 Aero-Roc 3 Model Rocket Kit (Skill 3 44"L) (D) $37.95
USK-1013 All Weather Model Rocket Kit (Skill 1 24"L) (D) $29.95
USK-1014 Piston Stager Model Rocket Kit (Skill 4 74"L) (D) $59.95
USK-1027 Start Model Rocket Kit (Skill 1 23"L) (D) $29.95
USK-1032 Sonic 2200 Model Rocket Kit (Skill 4 51"L) (D) $49.95
USK-1062 AR2B Model Rocket Kit (Skill 4 51"L) (D) $49.95

I'll be glad to see what I can do if you want. If not that's OK too. It's really not a big deal.

Just thought I would offer.

Joe
 
The really fun part of this? Page 2 of the filing......

I like the entire paragraph:

"In the appeal letter, [name deleted by me] acknowledges that he is the “manager” of Dynamic, “an active California LLC,” which has “under 2 employees” and less than $10,000 net income per year. [name deleted by me] asks to be “stricken” from this case on the ground that he “was acting as an agent or employee of Dynamic” and not “in his individual or personal capacity.” He also states that U.S. Rockets does not exist “now [and] has never existed.”

Not just that U.S. Rockets does not [and supposedly never] existed (lie, lie, lie. It sure DID, and the USR webpage does not indicate otherwise), but such so-typical-of-him word torture of the truth like "less than 2 employees" (in the real world, that would be ONE employee, even if he was owner/employee, but not in his world). And that he was acting as an agent or employee (uh, which one????) and not in his individual (OWNER!) or personal capacity.

It's like, someone in his company did wrong (though one of those companies never existed, except for the fact that it did exist). But it was the other guy with his name, that "employee guy", or the "agent guy", not him as "owner" of whichever company he acknowledged or claimed to exist.

- George Gassaway
 
As a follow up..... I went ahead and ordered one of each of all the US Rockets kits listed at Stevens international. Here's what I received.

USK-1002 Hi-Test 2225 Model Rocket kit (Skill 3 57"L) (D) $49.95
USK-1003 Aero-Roc Model Rocket Kit (Skill 2 35"L) (D) $35.95
USK-1005 Aero-Roc 3 Model Rocket Kit (Skill 3 44"L) (D) $37.95
USK-1013 All Weather Model Rocket Kit (Skill 1 24"L) (D) $29.95
USK-1032 Sonic 2200 Model Rocket Kit (Skill 4 51"L) (D) $49.95
USK-1062 AR2B Model Rocket Kit (Skill 4 51"L) (D) $49.95

Apparently the others are not available.

These have been in the warehouse for a loooooooooong time. Most of the body tubes are discolored. The rest of the kits look fine and the body tubes are not flattened or bent. Just been in the bag a while.
On a first come first serve basis I will sell these for 10% off retail and free shipping. Paypal only. I only have one of each so email me if you are interested and I will confirm availability and give you the paypal address.

If no one is interested i will put them in stock here in the store.

Joe
 
I have a few to move also.....

USK-1003 Aero-Roc Model Rocket Kit (Skill 2 35"L) $31.95
USK-1005 Aero-Roc 3 Model Rocket Kit (Skill 3 44"L) $32.95
USK-1013 All Weather Model Rocket Kit (Skill 1 24"L) $27.95
USK-1014 Piston Stager Model Rocket Kit (Skill 4 74"L) $45.95
USK-1032 Sonic 2200 Model Rocket Kit (Skill 4 51"L) $39.95
USK-1062 AR2B Model Rocket Kit (Skill 4 51"L) $39.95

Please email for USR orders as they are not listed on my website....
[email protected]

Also have

AEROTECH Interlocking Launch Controller $39.99 6 units Available<br>
AEROTECH ISQY TOMAHAWK Model Rocket Kit $39.99 25 Units Available<br>
AEROTECH WARTHOG Model Rocket Kit $49.99 3 Units Available <br>
AEROTECH HV Arcas Model Rocket Kit $49.99 2 Units Available<br>
AEROTECH Barracuda Model Rocket Kit $49.99 2 Units Available<br>
AEROTECH F-39-9T 3pak 24mm reloads 2 paks for $39.99 6 Available<br>

www.hangar11.com
 
It's a real shame that there is such a hubbub over this manufacturer. I really like some of the thrust curves on those motors! The F007 and G008 especially. When I first saw the listing my mind nearly exploded because I never thought I'd see a motor like that. Apparently I was right :(.

(Just want to point out that all of this was before my time. I only flew my first APCP motor 4 years ago, and only got serious maybe 2 or 3 years before that.)
 
It's a real shame that there is such a hubbub over this manufacturer. I really like some of the thrust curves on those motors! The F007 and G008 especially. When I first saw the listing my mind nearly exploded because I never thought I'd see a motor like that. Apparently I was right :(.

(Just want to point out that all of this was before my time. I only flew my first APCP motor 4 years ago, and only got serious maybe 2 or 3 years before that.)


I agree and know the feeling. There are a few of his kits I would very much like to have. WHenever I would visit the site, I would see refferences to motor sales in the past but nothing current. Then today comes along and I noticed those same 2 motors. I want them BAAAAAAAAAAAAAD1
 
Just following up. All of my US Rockets kits are sold.

See bobby at Hanger 11. If he runs out and you can't find them let me know and I will see if I can get more but I will not promise anything unless I have them in my clammy little hand.

Thanks,
 
Just some additional information: there are RockSim files for quite a few USR designs posted on EMRR. Like any other RockSim files, these list part numbers, dimensions, fin templates, etc. If anyone really wanted to do so, they could probably clone many of these designs.

Here is a somewhat undisciplined thread from last year on YORF about USR. It strays a good distance off topic for a few posts, but then gets back to the point. The posts are free of jeremiads (or "Jerry"-miads :rolleyes: ), and contain some good information that is relevant to this discussion:

https://forums.rocketshoppe.com/showthread.php?t=2715

MarkII
 
Here is a somewhat undisciplined thread from last year on YORF about USR. It strays a good distance off topic for a few posts, but then gets back to the point. The posts are free of jeremiads (or "Jerry"-miads :rolleyes: ), and contain some good information that is relevant to this discussion:

https://forums.rocketshoppe.com/showthread.php?t=2715

Interesting reading.

I love the folks who say they just want an open, honest answer about the status of the company. People have been trying to get that ever since I got back into rocketry, 10 years ago. Vague, evasive answers are all that ever seem to appear.

-Kevin
 
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Quite a few of us newer BARs, especially those of us who have not been active in the hobby for quite some time, are unfamiliar with Mr. X and his whole back story. It's not exactly something that you will find in a standard FAQ. The site has never shown motors since I have been visiting it, but it shows quite a few pretty interesting and impressive kits at good prices, so that it why you keep seeing inquiries about it on the forums every so often. If you can imagine seeing the kits on that site for the first time, and imagine that you are someone who knows nothing at all about the history, don't you think that you would be interested?

Interesting reading.

I love the folks who say they just want an open, honest answer about the status of the company. People have been trying to get that ever since I got back into rocketry, 10 years ago. Vague, evasive answers are all that ever seem to appear.

-Kevin
Has that always been the case, or was there ever a time when this individual was a more or less mainstream vendor who actually sold rocket kits and motors on an ongoing basis? I am not looking for an extended discussion of any of this or a detailed rehash of the history, because I understand that absolutely no one is interested in revisiting the matter. (And I would not be interested in the whole back-and-forth anyway. I started to read the r.m.r. archive, but I had to stop pretty quickly because it was giving me a headache.) Yet we innocent lambs should be brought up to speed somehow; I'm just not sure how.

MarkII
 
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Has that always been the case, or was there ever a time when this individual was a more or less mainstream vendor who actually sold rocket kits and motors on an ongoing basis?

I've been back in the hobby for just a smidge over 10 years, now, and during that entire time, he's been a pariah.

I've heard mixed prior to that, but don't have first-hand knowledge beyond the past 10 years.

-Kevin
 
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