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  Model rocketry, firecrackers and a teenage boy

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Author Topic:   Model rocketry, firecrackers and a teenage boy
JimSchultze
Member

Posts: 17
From: Omaha, NE, USA
Registered: Nov 2012

posted 05-31-2018 02:55 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for JimSchultze   Click Here to Email JimSchultze     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Model rocketry, firecrackers and a teenage boy — now that sounds like a prescription for trouble! In the late 1960s, I was into model rockets (Centuri and Estes) and made the awesome discovery that the diameter of an M-80 firecracker matched the diameter of a C-sized booster engine casing. Coincidence or divine providence for a teenage boy?

Either launch it a half-mile skyward, or you could angle the pad for an aerial burst over a nearby subdivision.

Did anybody else do stuff like this back then? In case you think I was a juvenile delinquent, my friend and I also launched mice with their own parachute harnesses. Never lost one.

Ah, memories...

damnyankee36
Member

Posts: 37
From: Alamogordo, NM USA
Registered: Aug 2017

posted 05-31-2018 03:09 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for damnyankee36   Click Here to Email damnyankee36     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
This sounds fun...

My first memory, also dealing with model rockets, was attempting to ignite a C motor on my Estes Orbital Transport. I ran out of igniters so we managed to insert a makeshift fuse into the nozzle. After several tries, and almost getting my head speared after getting impatient waiting for ignition, it launched!

It was also very windy that day and the launch angle was more horizontal than vertical. But my rocket and I lived to launch another day!

Very imaginative on the mouse parachutes, by the way! All I ever did was put insects in the clear payload compartment of my Constellation.

JimSchultze
Member

Posts: 17
From: Omaha, NE, USA
Registered: Nov 2012

posted 05-31-2018 03:19 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for JimSchultze   Click Here to Email JimSchultze     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
The mouse flights were on a two-stage with "D" or "E" engines. Weight placement was also important for the proper COG. We had two recovery teams: one for the booster and one for the mouse.

The G-force was insane!

JBoe
Member

Posts: 959
From: Churchton, MD
Registered: Oct 2012

posted 05-31-2018 03:29 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for JBoe   Click Here to Email JBoe     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Thank you all for sharing your childhood memories. I too was into model rocketry (and still am) and used Estes as my primary means. I remember walking off some "theoretical" distance so to keep it from going into the woods. I also made a hold-down contraption made with pvc piping to do engine tests like SRB QM/DM firings.

Those were mainly kits, but when I was into the Science Fair I made hybrid Estes rockets from various kits for my experiment. I ended up winning second place and receiving an award from NASA and medal from the Air Force.

kosmo
Member

Posts: 388
From:
Registered: Sep 2001

posted 05-31-2018 08:57 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for kosmo     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I was into model rocketry in the mid 60's. Built a beautiful 1967 Saturn 1B that I got for Christmas. When I launched it, I failed to wire up the four engine cluster properly (only two went off), it went up about 20 feet, arched over, and came back to earth, the parachute charges went off just before hitting the ground and needless to say, it ended up like an accordion.

I also had a white mouse that made countless trips in a three stage Estes Farside-X that went up to 2500 feet, incredible rocket. I use to tether model cars to the street, that had a rocket engine sticking out the back window, and launch them down the street. Great fun!

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