Rockets & Planes

[n2ize]

I was going through a closet and I found two never used items that I forgot I had. One was a model rocket kit, complete with engines, 2 rockets, parachutes, electrical launcher, launch pad, etc. The rockets are even sealed in their original packages and were never assembled. I must have been around 17 whhen I bought this kit.

I also found a wooden Cessna 172 model airplane, still in the box, never opened or built. Must have got it back when I was around 14. I think the reason I never built it is that it is designed to be rubber band powered and at the time I was getting into gas models.

I am tempted to assemble and fire the rockets. I wonder if those engines would still fire after all these years. However, I think I'll just keep it as iut in it's pristine mint condition.

[N7YA]

Dispose of those old engines, and double check the parts on the rockets for deterioration...if everything looks good, go get some new engines for that class of rocket and fire 'em off! I got into that as a kid. My favorite rockets were payloaders and those tall, skinny rockets. Lots of fun. But treat those old engines like explosives. The propellant may be unstable, you dont want any trouble in handling them.


I used to go to the hobby stores and buy a whole bunch of those balsa planes and make big, multi engine flying contraptions out of them. It was tough winding and releasing numerous rubber band engines at the same time but i figured it out, and i had to get an Exacto knife and tape to cut out makeshift rudders, flaps and ailerons...and even trim tabs...to make it fly somewhat straight, which was rare. I used to do this on the airbase when my dad worked in the Elmendorf inbound terminal. The place was empty most of the time, so i just flew my planes in the large indoor area. One time, a P-3 Orion flight crew was watching me, so they decided to try flying my plane themselves...off the wing of their Orion. That was pretty cool.


They thought i was going to grow up to be a pilot or flight engineer...i became a musician. :-|

[K7SGJ]

Dispose of those old engines, and double check the parts on the rockets for deterioration...if everything looks good, go get some new engines for that class of rocket and fire 'em off! I got into that as a kid. My favorite rockets were payloaders and those tall, skinny rockets. Lots of fun. But treat those old engines like explosives. The propellant may be unstable, you dont want any trouble in handling them.


I used to go to the hobby stores and buy a whole bunch of those balsa planes and make big, multi engine flying contraptions out of them. It was tough winding and releasing numerous rubber band engines at the same time but i figured it out, and i had to get an Exacto knife and tape to cut out makeshift rudders, flaps and ailerons...and even trim tabs...to make it fly somewhat straight, which was rare. I used to do this on the airbase when my dad worked in the Elmendorf inbound terminal. The place was empty most of the time, so i just flew my planes in the large indoor area. One time, a P-3 Orion flight crew was watching me, so they decided to try flying my plane themselves...off the wing of their Orion. That was pretty cool.


They thought i was going to grow up to be a pilot or flight engineer...i became a musician. :-|

All three can get pretty high. Two just need a vehicle.

[N7YA]

Get high on rocketry!

[N8YX]

Get high on rocketry!

Just watched the Falcon 9/DSCOVR launch. It would be a real high for the SpaceX crew if they could pull off a first-stage recovery onto their sea platform. That is some cool tech.

[NA4BH]

Shoot the rockets in New York and see how long it takes for Homeland Security to find you.

[K7SGJ]

Don't do it. Bob will RAT you out.

[KG4CGC]

Ebay them. Get paid. Get high. Get knocked down.

[NA4BH]

Now there's a plan

[n2ize]

I started with U-Control (aka "control line") gas models. First with the small plastic ones. Then I started building my own from wood and powering them with Cox or Wen_Mac .049 engines. Then I went into building bigger planes with .15, .20, .35, and .40 size engines.After that I went into radio control planes then helicopters. My first helicopter was from the early 1980's. It was a fixed pitch GMP Cricket powered with a .40 engine. I still have the Cricket in the attic and with some work it probably can fly again. Lately though I have been flying mostly electric powered models. Many of today's electrics can outperform their earlier gas counterparts.