Sport Rocketry Magazine, November/December IIssue

That's Brian Urban's Pershing on the cover of the November/December issue of Sport Rocketry.
Brian is a great builder, he launches with the Tampa TTRA section.

I didn't place in any competitions, but I did made it to the pages of the magazine!
Here I'm sliding my Parachute Duration model down a rail using fly-away guides. I'm so out of the competition loop - everybody else was using piston launchers.






Here's my classic model entry, the Estes Dragon Ship 7, before a launch with a C6-5.

Streamer D Rocket Build, Finished

The Kevlar line is attached through a small hole in one fin. This allows the rocket to fall horizontally adding to the overall drag and a longer duration.

Notice the NAR number on the lower body. All NAR competition models must have the NAR number on them. That came in handy when somebody brought back my Helicopter Duration model. I had given it up for lost!

Streamer D Rocket Build, Part 5, ASP Streamer

I picked a 4" X 40" streamer from ASP.
This is thicker Mylar than what I am used to, it is 2 mils thick.
I didn't know if the folded streamer would even fit into the BT-5 body, I could always trim it down to a smaller 10 to 1 size ratio.

There is a piece of wire, used as a reinforcement "spine" where the Kevlar line is tied.

The streamer is marked for a tight accordion style fold. It has to fit into a 1/2" diameter BT-5 tube so the folds will be 3/8" wide.

After leaving some area clear for the Kevlar attachment, the streamer is marked with a fine point Sharpie at 3/8" increments.

Sharp folds are made at each 3/8" mark, one over and the next crease under making a zig-zag pattern.

I used the back end of a Sharpie for a good burnishing.

Here's how the streamer looked after seven or eight folds.
30 more inches to go!

At the end you leave 4 or 5 inches clear, not folded.
Set the wire down about 1/2" from the end. Fold the streamer end over the wire and tape closed.

Punch clean holes and tie on the Kevlar.

It wasn't very difficult to fold, hold and slide into the body tube.

The 4" X 40" length was too tight in the tube. I cut off about 6 inches and decreased the width down the entire streamer trying to keep it at the optimum 10 to 1 ratio.

More NARAM Pictures

Here's more shots from NARAM 60. The opening weekend was all Sport Launches. I knew I'd taken more pictures, these were in my other camera.

Bob Kaplow launched a plastic saucer with a long burning engine. I know it was an engine that Aerotech produced for the gimble stabilized rockets. A very stable spinning boost and descent!

Scott Pennington had some innovative builds. The picture on the right shows his interchangeable twist -lock engine mount.







Frederick Cobb writes the recommended engines on the nose cone shoulder. I'll be using this tip!







Here's my favorite odd-roc of the meet -
Tim Doll's Plumber's Helper!

NARAM Egg Lofter Build, Part 1, Parts

I'm basing my C engine Egg Lofter design on the old Competition Model Rockets Robin design.
To see the CMR catalog: CLICK HERE

I'm really doing a lot of guessing with my competition designs. I know you have to keep them light and aerodynamic.
The only NAR competition I did was in 1975 and 1976. Over the years some things have changed, other elements haven't really changed at all.

I'll base my model height and body tube diameter on the Robin design. Note the CMR tube walls were a little thinner than the equivalent Estes sized tubing. I'll be using Estes tubes in these builds.

The model itself is very simple except for the Egg Capsule.
Years ago, CMR was the main source for lightweight, vacu-form nose cones. CMR also made the larger egg carrying capsules.

Apogee now sells vacu-form capsules. This parts pack has shoulders for both 18mm and 25mm models.



This build is one I put together for the recent NARAM. After a two hour tour of Estes, I got back to the launch field too late to fly it!  

NARAM 60 Saturday, August 11, Observations and the Long Drive Home

I learned a lot from the past week at the NARAM.

1. A week seems too long. A four or five day NARAM would have been about right.
    EDIT: As it turns out, the next NARAM will be only four days long.
2. Save a lot of money and skip the host hotel. Share a room, save even more.
3. Don't go to NARAM expecting to win! Go to have fun, hang out and launch rockets.
4. Listen, watch and learn. Competition has changed a lot since my last NAR competition in 1976.
5. Bid on the Estes "Mystery Box" at the Cannon auction. There's a lot in the box for a low bid price.
6. Drop the Pop-Lugs and Fly-Away Guides - think Piston Launchers. Two R&D reports found a 13mm piston out performs a 18mm piston. Pistons are now longer than they used to be.
7. If I ever enter Classic Model again, the rocket will have a white body or be built from an old kit with original decals. Add more pictures and info to the data package for judging.
8. The NARAM starts out with a bang - Saturday and Sunday is very busy with sport launches.  Things quiet down when the competition starts on Monday.

Would I return to next year's NARAM?
Not next year, maybe in a couple years. Like I mentioned, seven days launching rockets makes for a long, hot week. If the NARAM were closer to home I might go for a few days.
I am very glad I went to the Reunion last Saturday night. Overall this was a very well run meet.
The rocketry community is like no other. Great people, great times.

NARAM 60 Friday, August 10, Classic and Sport Scale Model Launch

Spectators brought out their lawn chairs to watch today's launches.

The Classic Model Judge apologized for my low static score on the Dragon Ship 7. Like I assumed, the supplemental data I supplied wasn't enough and the decal color didn't match the catalog picture I provided. He did tell me I had the highest points for Craftsmanship of all the models he judged! I can live with that.
My qualifying flight with a C6-5 was near perfect scoring 98 points out of 100.

There were a few staged models that veered away from vertical and some other disqualifications. Maybe my placing will move up.

This was a Sport Scale highlight - Chris Flannigan's Saturn 1B.
It was a three stage boost with parachutes on all stages. The upper stages had pop out fins. It was a beautiful build and flight.

Tonight (Friday, 7:00 p.m.) is the awards banquet.

I start the long drive home tomorrow morning. There may not be posts for the next few days.

NARAM 60 Thursday, August 9, Evening - Classic and Sport Scale Static Judging

Here's the static judging high point model in the Classics Competition. The build is by Chris Kidwell. Clean work and great presentation.

I thought I was going to do better with my Dragon Ship 7 but my lack of data worked against me. The judges were looking for models that perfectly matched the colors in the Estes or Centuri printed catalog pictures. I only had a grainy enlargement of the catalog page, there's nothing else available online. Over the gray paint, my home print decals came out a maroon color. The Dragon Ship decals were a bright orange.







John Boren of Estes has the current high static score in the Sport Scale competition.

I'm very curious to see how some of the scores change after they are launched on Friday.

I only bid on one item at the Cannon Fund Auction. I won a Altiera N-1 kit (yep, that one) with a single opening bid of $100!










Check out all the nested body tubes at the BMS range store! Stare too long and it'll make you dizzy.

NARAM 60 Wednesday, August 8, Helicopter Duration and B Cluster Altitude

Today was a slower schedule for me. I had the Estes Mini A Heli ready with some A10-3t engines.
John Boren (the designer) was at the return table. He jokingly said: "You changed the fin design, I can't guarantee the flight results!" Well, he might have been right.

The first launch boost was straight, but at ejection it was helicoptering upside down with the nose cone at the bottom! I brought it back in with 53 second duration. It was prepped again and the thread tied off.
The second launch was good, flipped over and spun correctly with the fins down. It drifted far over the road and into the brush.
I looked around for a good 20 minutes and gave it up for lost, settling for the first qualifying flight.

Back at the return table I asked to see the second flight time - 58 seconds. There were some helicopter flights of over four minutes!
Helicopter duration is always interesting. Blades shread, don't deploy or fall off at ejection.
I couldn't get any launch pictures. The A10-3t engines move too fast off the pad.

This was interesting.
Here's George Gassaway and Chan Stevens talking flight strategy.
Notice the blue ball on the tripod. It's a toy bubble blowing machine. George uses it to check wind direction and find thermals!



There were many different helicopter designs with internal and external blades.
I didn't enter the other B engine cluster event. If a contestant got all five engines to ignite, the flights were fast and high. I was told the five B combination was equivalent to a small E engine.

NARAM 60 Tuesday, August 7, Streamer Duration and Payload Altitude

Last night was the NARAM Town Hall and turn-in of the Classic and Sport Scale entries.
I might have a shot at a place in the Classic Model Competition. There was some standout entries in Scale and Classic model. Well, after all this is the Nationals.

Everybody seemed to be using piston launchers - except me. I've been out of the competition loop for too many years. Live and learn! I used the supplied 1010 rail and fly-away guides.

My A engine Streamer Duration model had two qualifying flights. LONG walks to pick up both models. I think my A engine streamer model got 1 minute 35 seconds.

This is the boost of my A Payload Altitude entry, again I used a rail and fly-away guide. I had never used the Firefly Altimeter before.

Boost was good but at ejection the parachute didn't unfurl. The "break-away" recovery slowed the descent and the officials gave me a qualified flight. The altitude was recorded but I didn't look to see what it was.

The payload section was heavy and the thin vacu-form nose cone was broken up. There was no damage to the rest of the model, the altimeter or payload.

I'm really dragging tonight. Recovery walks and standing in the heat for long periods of time drains your energy!
Tomorrow is B Cluster Altitude and A Helicopter Duration. I'm entering the Helicopter competition. Wish me luck!

NARAM 60 Monday, August 6, Estes Tour and Boost Glide Competition

Estes gave two tours for forty guests each. I was signed up for the 10:0 a.m. tour.

Here's the tour group waiting at the door. To the right is a pickup truck. That was once Vern Estes parking place. Vern's office was on the second floor, above and to the left of the truck.

We were only allowed to take pictures of the outside of the main building and the lobby.
Ellis Langford led the tour with Bill Stine adding commentary.
John Boren has a BIG office with many models and some prototypes in development. Mr. Boren said to peek in the door to see what's coming from Estes. I did see a Mercury Atlas, the 1/100th scale Saturn 1B and an upscale Goblin, like the Mega Red Max. Ellis Langford did say the Saturn 1B is being developed for a re-release.

The tour included a walk thru the main building and out the back to the fence surrounding the engine making building. You could hear a hydraulic "hiss" and a "clunk". Each clunk was another engine made.

We walked across the street to the warehouse buildings. The igniter machine was running and everybody got a close view of the operation. The wadding machine was in the next room. 13 rolls of treated dry toilet tissue are routed into a folder and cut.
Estes went out of their way for the NARAM participants. For a short time I felt 13 years old!

The picture at the right is of the original Estes buildings.

The tour took a little over two hours. That didn't give me much time to get back to the field for competition.

This is the competition tent. Check in is on the left, pad assignment is in the middle. The third table is for model return after flight.

The competition was very well run.

My 1/2 A Boost Glider was made from the Mini Condor kit from Apogee.  I did a few test tosses and added a small bead of clay weight on the wing to (hopefully) keep it turning in a wide circle.
The boost was straight but the glide was a tight circle, 27 second duration.

I took the weight off the wing, cut it in half with my fingernail and stuck it on the other side.
The second boost was also straight, the glide was now LONG and flat. It landed about 1/2 mile to the West. Another flyer, Lynell  Jackson found it.
I was sure the glide time would place in the top three. What do I know about competition?
I walked back to the return table and found the recorded time of 1 minute 27 seconds. I knew it was longer, but they can only time as long as they can see it.
I asked John Boren if it was a good time. He said, "Well, it was good but this gentleman had a five minute glide duration!" Five minute duration on a 1/2A engine? I was happy to finally got a boost glider to work!

I had no time to prep my Egg Lofter, competition flights were cut short with lightning in the area.

A tour of Estes and a very successful qualifying boost glide launch - a big day for me.

NARAM 60 Saturday, August 4, Rocketeer Reunion

The first day of launches at the NARRAM field was a sport launch. A few were testing their boost gliders and streamer duration models. I was very surprised to see Brian Urban from Tampa, TTRA and Gary Dahlke from the Bunnel NEFAR launches.

Saturday night was the Rocketeer Reunion at the host hotel.
I had a great visit with Lee Piester. My opening remark was: "Shouldn't you be salmon fishing right now? That opened up the  conversation.

Items were auctioned off for the model rocket archive at the Seattle Museum of Flight.

Here's three of the first kits Estes produced, donated by Vern and Gleda Estes. Starting bid is $2,500.

Here's Vern and Lee looking over a picture of the Great Saturn V Duel.
Vern Estes, Lee Piester and Bill Stine told stories of the first NARAMs.





All around the perimeter of the room were vintage models and rocketry memorabilia.

Jeff Jenkins brought his collection of Centuri launchers and controllers. I had never seen this much vintage equipment up close.