Model Rocketry fans?

sci-fi-dude

1963, 1899 called they want every thing back....
Me and a buddy have been buds for 30 years. I have been building and flying model rocket kits since the 70's. My bud is now a "large scale" licenced rocketeer. The big boys! I use my favorites Estes, and I have 1 or 2 rare Centauri kits. Some kits have Star Trek and Wars kits also, I think there was even a bstg viper kit? Chime in if you are a fan.
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I used to do rocket launches with my kids. I got them the kits and they put them together and we would go out on the weekend family picnics and launch them. Even experimented by strapping engines to toy cars and boats, lol, that was interesting.
 
Toy cars is a good one, I had some buddies that did that. Estes or Centari did sell some neet rocket powered drag racers, I bet they would have a collectable value today. Cool Tom, rockets are a neet hobby.
 
@Verna and her husband (author of the "Rocket Babe" series of books) are into model rockets.

What's pretty cool is that they even made a model of the fictional ship from their series. From reading the comments it looks like you already came across some of her pics. "Verna Starr" is the name of the lead character from the books and the Cestris is one of the ships.

 
@Verna and her husband (author of the "Rocket Babe" series of books) are into model rockets.

What's pretty cool is that they even made a model of the fictional ship from their series. From reading the comments it looks like you already came across some of her pics. "Verna Starr" is the name of the lead character from the books and the Cestris is one of the ships.

Yes, those are some impressive kits she has, lol@ my goofy but funny comments.:D
 
Thanks for the Rocket Babe series mention Kevin!

Randy has been flying since 1968, I started in 2000.

To answer an earlier question, it's still possible to build a BSG Viper. There's a page dedicated to it on our rocketry website called Verna's Vipers, here: Verna's Vipers

There are several pages with lots of photos of all kinds of model rockets many clustered and stage or both, including a 3 stage 11 engine cluster Saturn V.

You'll find several versions and a complete list of parts and where to get them. If you need help or have questions you can email me: vernarockets@hotmail.com

There are also many photos in my media section here on Aliensoup.
 
My apologies for taking so long to respond to this thread. I have been extremely busy at work recently averaging 84-90 hours per week, so I haven't been able to really check the forum in about a month.

Thank you Kevin and sci-fi-dude for the positive comments! :smiley:
 
For the BSG fans. All of the Vipers you see here have flown. To date I've built and flown 10 and at some point in the near future hope to launch them all at once. The largest mass launch so far was 5. My favorite is the Hyper Viper 4 engine cluster.
 

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I checked out your website, Pretty impressive also, I had a viper a long time ago, it was a great kit. I know of a hobby shop in Dallas that has full scale rockets, its called Mikes off of I-35, he used to have a huge rocket called sudden impact, I'm not sure if he still has it? Verna, do you remember a liquid propelent fueled rocket kit back in the 70's, I saw the kit when I was a youngin' but I didn't have enough dough to buy it, the body was light metal, and it had wooden fins and it was pretty cool, but alas the kit was not in production anymore...
 
This might be a photo of a liquid propellant rocket kit from back in the day...
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Or something like it, I remember seeing a kit back in the 70's, that was probably 2 feet in length, it was pretty cool...
 
I do remember liquid propellant rockets and some that used pressurized R-12 refrigerant. But those disappeared in the late 80's or early 90's. Randy bought the last one in B'ham about 2002 at an old hobby shop that burned down a few weeks later. Of course, he couldn't fly it. I think he gave it to another flyer who collects rockets.

There are a few people and clubs doing HPR (high power launches) "Hybrid launches" that use a highly pressurized liquid for power but I can't remember what the liquid is at the moment. I'll have to ask. I know it's not Lox or kerosene.
 
I do remember liquid propellant rockets and some that used pressurized R-12 refrigerant. But those disappeared in the late 80's or early 90's. Randy bought the last one in B'ham about 2002 at an old hobby shop that burned down a few weeks later. Of course, he couldn't fly it. I think he gave it to another flyer who collects rockets.

There are a few people and clubs doing HPR (high power launches) "Hybrid launches" that use a highly pressurized liquid for power but I can't remember what the liquid is at the moment. I'll have to ask. I know it's not Lox or kerosene.
Thanks Verna, it was fascinating to me as a kiddo to see the liquid propellant rocket kits, I know there probably other issues mainly safety that would have contributed to its demise, but I figured there might be a kit or 2 out there. I'm not interested in it, ill stick with the tried and true kits, I bet the remaining kits are with scientists, or something. Or a collector. R-12 for a rocket kit, wow. Thanks for the heads up.
 
Thanks Verna, the Uk rocket man site was fascinating, those seem huge to the one I saw, but its cool non-the-less. For a kit like that you would probably need a certification, and it should be launched really-really remotely, like west Texas or Arizona. Absolutly Cool factor of 100. I will leave er' to the pro's though, safety first. I saw your mega Saturn post, very impressive!:cool:
 
The more you guys post BSG pics, the more I'm going to be inclined to break out my wallet and start up a new hobby on the spur of the moment! {No, Kevin, you must resist the urge. No, no... don't do it, try to find some local launches instead. :whistle:}
Have you checked out the NAR website? National Association of Rocketry There are clubs around the country that would love to have you fly with them.
Thanks for that link; I'm curious now about finding if there any launches in my area I can view.
 
The big boys!
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<<<Vern Estes would be impressed!
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<<<I have the smaller verson of this giant.
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wow! 2 stager!
 
Neat! We've actually featured the Hillbilly on our website in the past. When they're that big it's called High Power Rockets. They're still models, just very BIG models. They usually fly on ammonium percolate, the same thing as the NASA shuttles.

Here's a YouTube link to my favorite HPR rocket from a few years back. It's a 1/10th Saturn V built by Steve Eves that flew on a 5 engine cluster of M & N motors. FREAKIN' AWESOME!

 
Neat! We've actually featured the Hillbilly on our website in the past. When they're that big it's called High Power Rockets. They're still models, just very BIG models. They usually fly on ammonium percolate, the same thing as the NASA shuttles.

Here's a YouTube link to my favorite HPR rocket from a few years back. It's a 1/10th Saturn V built by Steve Eves that flew on a 5 engine cluster of M & N motors. FREAKIN' AWESOME!

The big boys toy! Jimminey cricket, that is a true monster! Love it!:cool:
 
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