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  #1  
Old 12-31-2017, 12:15 AM
MarkB.'s Avatar
MarkB. MarkB. is offline
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Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: El Paso
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Lightbulb 2017 Rocket Blues/ 2018 Rocket Resolutions

Comrades:

2017 was another bad year for building. I managed to complete only four rockets this year: a scratch 13mm BT-50 V-2 from BMS parts and Alway plans; a scratch BT-80 Hermes A-1 for 24mm power; a rescue Estes K-41 Mercury-Redstone that needs decals and a rescue Estes Sandhawk that now lies in pieces after an ejection-charge anomaly on its first flight. Out of 4 built, 2 need finishing, 2 were launched and one of those was destroyed. Absolutely pitiful.

Launching wasn't much better. I had three family launches, one in January, one in February and one a few days ago. My planned launches at NSL and for October Sky 60th were both scrubbed at the very last minute by unforeseen family events. On the other hand, total flights were close to 50 so lots of powder burned! And I mostly cleared a years-old backlog of rockets needing successful first flights.

2018 should see some improvement as my bench has some fun projects: a very cool 24mm LTV Scout from Semroc and Sandman parts that needs fins and conduits; Two BT-60 V-2s from Semroc parts that have been extremely-long-term projects, but are now nearing completion as White Sands rounds 41 and 43; and a Sputnik and a Voskhod needing final assembly. I've sort of resolved not to buy any new kits until I finish some or all of the ones that have been sitting around partially completed for, in some cases, years.

As for 2018 launching, I have the goal of completing my NARTrek Silver requirements early next year. I still need a glider, but we'll see how that goes . . . . I also want to eliminate ANY backlog of completed rockets needing launches; that's going to be a trick.


So. How did you do in 2017 and what do you have planned for 2018?

Happy New Year
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I miss being SAM 062

Awaiting First Launch: Too numerous to count
Finishing: Zooch Saturn V; Alway/Nau BioArcas; Estes Expedition; TLP Standard
Repair/Rescue: Cherokee-D (2); Centuri Nike-Smoke; MX-774
On the Bench: 2650;
Dream Stage: 1/39.37 R-7
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  #2  
Old 12-31-2017, 10:37 AM
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Chas Russell Chas Russell is offline
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http://www.nar.org/wp-content/uploa...-BG-Russell.pdf

Fly Baby B Boost Glider Plans. Something that I have been flying since the late '70s. Last one I built for a Dallas contest flew away. The wind did have something to do with that, but they will thermal.

I was the original NARTREK Chairman. It is a great challenge.

Chas
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NAR 9790, Lvl 1
SAM "Balls Three"
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  #3  
Old 12-31-2017, 07:56 PM
Les Les is offline
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Location: Johnson City, NY
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MarkB.
Comrades:

2017 was another bad year for building. .....

So. How did you do in 2017 and what do you have planned for 2018?

Happy New Year



A good year for me. My normal average is 10 rockets a year. In 2017 I built 20! My highest number in any year.

I traveled my longest distance to get to a rocket launch - 4.5 hour drive to LDRS 36 at Higgs Farm (before that my longest trip was 2 hours 15 min).

But I only got to 2 other launches this year.

For 2018 I hope attend the NSL at Geneseo and to get my L3 at URRF 5
I doubt I'll get another 20 built in 2018 though....
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  #4  
Old 12-31-2017, 08:53 PM
stefanj stefanj is offline
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Location: Hillsboro, OR
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I started about a half-dozen rockets, and finished to completion just a couple.

I'd like to do a bit more building, and to finally finish the deploy bay of my maybe-someday level 2 cert rocket.
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  #5  
Old 01-01-2018, 08:20 PM
Eagle3 Eagle3 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chas Russell
http://www.nar.org/wp-content/uploa...-BG-Russell.pdf

Fly Baby B Boost Glider Plans. Something that I have been flying since the late '70s. Last one I built for a Dallas contest flew away. The wind did have something to do with that, but they will thermal.

I was the original NARTREK Chairman. It is a great challenge.

Chas


I flew your design with great success during the 90's. Even down scaled and up scaled. I've got my own design now, but still use the inverted stab from the FlyBaby.
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  #6  
Old 01-01-2018, 09:30 PM
A Fish Named Wallyum A Fish Named Wallyum is offline
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As near as I can tell, I built 60 rockets this year, a mix of kits, clones and "what have we got here?" builds. Of those I built, I flew 35 and wound up with a total of 88 flights on the year. I had everything prepped and ready for a post-Christmas flying session at B6-4 Field to grab that gold ring for 100 flights, but the cold weather plays hell with plastic chutes and streamers, and it was PLENTY cold here.
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Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Centuri Design Contest F-150 Hurricane Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Gee'Hod, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion Estes F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Solar Sailer II Semroc Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark, Snake Jumper
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  #7  
Old 01-01-2018, 10:04 PM
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mojo1986 mojo1986 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by A Fish Named Wallyum
As near as I can tell, I built 60 rockets this year, a mix of kits, clones and "what have we got here?" builds. Of those I built, I flew 35 and wound up with a total of 88 flights on the year. I had everything prepped and ready for a post-Christmas flying session at B6-4 Field to grab that gold ring for 100 flights, but the cold weather plays hell with plastic chutes and streamers, and it was PLENTY cold here.



Wow, Bill! Impressive all the same! 60 rockets built! More than one a week...........where did you ever find time for 88 flights??


Joe
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  #8  
Old 01-01-2018, 11:04 PM
A Fish Named Wallyum A Fish Named Wallyum is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mojo1986
Wow, Bill! Impressive all the same! 60 rockets built! More than one a week...........where did you ever find time for 88 flights??


Joe


I fly the same way I build, a box-full at a time. In December alone I built three USR kits, an Estes Protostar, Estes Star Orbiter and three or four scratchers. Not pretty, but prolific.
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Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Centuri Design Contest F-150 Hurricane Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Gee'Hod, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion Estes F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Solar Sailer II Semroc Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark, Snake Jumper
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  #9  
Old 01-02-2018, 10:26 AM
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foamy foamy is offline
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Well, it's been a spell since I last posted anything, let alone built anything. Life throws ya some hardballs sometimes and I got pitched a few. Hence my lack of communication.

Anyway, Nancy had told me once that she enjoyed just sitting at the kitchen table with me as I puttered with my rockets (foamy's kitchen) and chit-chatting with me the while. She never complained once about sanding dust. Anyway, I got up yesterday and decided it was time to build another rocket—she'd have liked that.

I chose one that I had started way back when I first become a re-bar, the Semroc Deci-scale IRIS. I had built the engine mount and started working on the little fin blocks. I found the kit as I was going throught the stash and decided it would be the perfect one to re-boot with, being as she had seen it and it never got finished. Perfect.

So, I had to go out and get some fresh glues and wood filler, etc. and that was kinda fun all by itself—I'm easy to amuse. Spent the morning filling and sanding the fins and nose cone and if shopping for supplies was fun, this was even more so. It did me good. Company stopped by in the afternoon, so nothing much more than that for the day, but I'll be flying into it again this evening (once I locate the Altoids box Nancy stashed all those little fin bits in—shouldn't be difficult—she kept me organized).

Bottom line is I'm looking forward to building some more rockets and finishing up some that got stalled back when. Oh, that, and visiting here again and enjoying the company. Cheers and a Happy New Year!
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  #10  
Old 01-10-2018, 09:38 AM
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JohnNGA JohnNGA is offline
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Location: Jefferson, Georgia
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Quote:
Originally Posted by foamy
Well, it's been a spell since I last posted anything, let alone built anything. Life throws ya some hardballs sometimes and I got pitched a few. Hence my lack of communication.

Anyway, Nancy had told me once that she enjoyed just sitting at the kitchen table with me as I puttered with my rockets (foamy's kitchen) and chit-chatting with me the while. She never complained once about sanding dust. Anyway, I got up yesterday and decided it was time to build another rocket—she'd have liked that.

I chose one that I had started way back when I first become a re-bar, the Semroc Deci-scale IRIS. I had built the engine mount and started working on the little fin blocks. I found the kit as I was going throught the stash and decided it would be the perfect one to re-boot with, being as she had seen it and it never got finished. Perfect.

So, I had to go out and get some fresh glues and wood filler, etc. and that was kinda fun all by itself—I'm easy to amuse. Spent the morning filling and sanding the fins and nose cone and if shopping for supplies was fun, this was even more so. It did me good. Company stopped by in the afternoon, so nothing much more than that for the day, but I'll be flying into it again this evening (once I locate the Altoids box Nancy stashed all those little fin bits in—shouldn't be difficult—she kept me organized).



Bottom line is I'm looking forward to building some more rockets and finishing up some that got stalled back when. Oh, that, and visiting here again and enjoying the company. Cheers and a Happy New Year!



Welcome back, We have missed you.
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