I think I received my first Park water rocket some time around 1954. There were also a number of baking soda / vinegar rockets on the market back then. Note that many of them used spin fins.

The water rocket folks even have their own NAR-equivalent!

http://www.wra2.org/

Some of these folks get pretty hard-core: http://www.water-rockets.com/article.pl?201,0

I saw one of these with the tower launcher on eBay recently. I saved a picture from it.

I had the single stage version when I was a kid. I flew the heck out of it until one of the spin fins broke off. I picked one up awhile back still in the original box off eBay. I got a lucky surprise when I opened it that there were 3 rockets inside the box, 2 were not visible or mentioned in the auction.

Attached Thumbnails

 

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Tim

"You know, it, uh, won't fly unless somebody pushes the button." From the movie October Sky.

I am SAM # 0167
NAR 98303 Southwestern Ohio Rocketry Association (SORA) #624
https://www.rocketryohio.com

Great pic. Thanks, Tim.

http://www.oldrocketforum.com/attac...achmentid=20924

The one on the pad looks very much like what I pictured in my mind.
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How does the recovery system deploy?

Doug

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YORF member #11

I'm curious about that too. Maybe it is a loose fit and falls apart at apogee.

I wish I had bid on it, it only went for $19. Then I would know.

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Tim

"You know, it, uh, won't fly unless somebody pushes the button." From the movie October Sky.

I am SAM # 0167
NAR 98303 Southwestern Ohio Rocketry Association (SORA) #624
https://www.rocketryohio.com

I had several Parks water rockets when I was a kid (red single-stage, red two-stage, Gemini capsule & parachute with booster).

The Gemini capsule paracute was stored under the capsule during boost. When the rocket reached apogee and turned over, the capsule fell away and the parachute open (It really did work).

That boosted rocket coming in ballistic made quite a'thud' when it hit.

Bob

My younger brother had that supposed 2-stage Apollo setup. He may still have it; I dunno.
Never could get it to fly nearly as well as the claims.
The cheap hand-held teardrop shaped ones most often flew better.

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When in doubt, WHACK the GAS and DITCH the brake !!!

Yes, there is such a thing as NORMAL, if you have to ask what is "NORMAL" , you probably aren't !
Failure may not be an OPTION, but it is ALWAYS a POSSIBILITY.
ALL systems are GO for MAYHEM, CHAOS, and HAVOC !

Thanks for posting that, Leo.

This looks like the rocket I was thinking of.

Do you mind if I copy this pic and maybe use it on my site? Thanks.

Doug

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YORF member #11

Leo's rocket is the same as the one on the pad at right? They look much the same, but I'm not 100% sure.

Doug

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YORF member #11

BTW, that's definitely the console I remember.

Doug

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YORF member #11