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  #11  
Old 10-10-2009, 09:51 AM
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DeanHFox DeanHFox is offline
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I think "Golden Age" depends on what terms you're using as your definition.

If you define Golden Age as, "When were a lot of kids involved in the hobby, and everyone was caught up in the magic of the space race, and you waited for your package from Penrose, and carried around catalogs in your back pocket and no one thought you were a geek" --- then the late 60's, early 70's, of course. I wish that kids today could feel how awesome that was. It was a time when the "coolness" of rocketeers was comparable to the rappers of today.

OTOH, if you define Golden Age as, "When people, young and old, are involved in the hobby, and you can build anything from a MicroMaxx to a Level 3 giant, and you can buy from a lot of vendors for simple or exotic designs, and can converse with so many fellow rocketeers through a medium like this forum" --- then the Golden Age is, in fact, right now.
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  #12  
Old 10-11-2009, 03:23 AM
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I would consider this time to be more of a Renaissance period of rocketry.
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  #13  
Old 10-11-2009, 08:23 AM
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  #14  
Old 10-11-2009, 12:04 PM
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I used to think the "golden age" of model rocketry was from about 1968-1978 when so many of the greatest original designs were around along with 3 times the BP SU motor choices, but have came to realize it really is NOW. With the exception of the BP engine choices, we have a FAR greater selection of kits and motors now than there ever has been.
The ruling against BATFE was the icing on the cake.
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  #15  
Old 10-11-2009, 12:43 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ghrocketman
I used to think the "golden age" of model rocketry was from about 1968-1978...but have come to realize it really is NOW
I think it's both. That is, as others have said, there's the golden memory period when each of us first got into it, and there's now, when the selection is better than ever. The one thing about the first period, for many of us, was the moon race going on in the background, which heightened the experience, and helped pull the hobby along on its coattails.

Quote:
...when so many of the greatest original designs were around along with 3 times the BP SU motor choices...
GH, I gotta argue that. If you look at just Estes, there are actually more choices now than they had back then. Yes, there were some motors then we can no longer get, but they didn't have D12's or E9's, so they have replaced many of the OOP motors with other, equally fun products. If you add Centuri into the mix, their motors were largely the same mix, with only a few extras such as the E & F stuff (very expen$ive in their day) and a couple of 13mm types Estes didn't have. After that, while there were several other motor vendors, the portfolios had only a few differentiated products, and most of these vendors weren't widely available - eg, it's hard to lament the loss of a motor I never heard of to start with, such as the FSI stuff.

I'll agree that, if you add up all the little niche mom-n-pop motor makers, many of whom were only in business a very short time, there were certainly more motor choices back then, but if you look only at the widely available BP motors from that era, the mix today is as good as it's ever been (IMO ).

And, if you complement today's BP mix with the D-E-F-G APCP motors out there, there's little comparison. So, yeah, I still want B14's and some others, but I'm pretty happy with all there is to play with today.

Doug

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  #16  
Old 10-11-2009, 03:26 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Doug Sams
I think it's both. That is, as others have said, there's the golden memory period when each of us first got into it, and there's now, when the selection is better than ever. The one thing about the first period, for many of us, was the moon race going on in the background, which heightened the experience, and helped pull the hobby along on its coattails.

GH, I gotta argue that. If you look at just Estes, there are actually more choices now than they had back then. Yes, there were some motors then we can no longer get, but they didn't have D12's or E9's, so they have replaced many of the OOP motors with other, equally fun products. If you add Centuri into the mix, their motors were largely the same mix, with only a few extras such as the E & F stuff (very expen$ive in their day) and a couple of 13mm types Estes didn't have. After that, while there were several other motor vendors, the portfolios had only a few differentiated products, and most of these vendors weren't widely available - eg, it's hard to lament the loss of a motor I never heard of to start with, such as the FSI stuff.

I'll agree that, if you add up all the little niche mom-n-pop motor makers, many of whom were only in business a very short time, there were certainly more motor choices back then, but if you look only at the widely available BP motors from that era, the mix today is as good as it's ever been (IMO ).

And, if you complement today's BP mix with the D-E-F-G APCP motors out there, there's little comparison. So, yeah, I still want B14's and some others, but I'm pretty happy with all there is to play with today.

Doug

.

Quest is working on a more powerful Line of BP motors, and its rumored Estes is too. These include a reproduction of the E-15-4 and "F "sized BP motor. Im awaiting confirmation on this from Estes.
Im not sure whats true but I know for a fact Estes is trying to make a come back in a big way. I was told that the "classic" series has a ton of yet to come rockets and will see the repoduction of some of the OOP motors. Im not sure of the details of what motors exactly at this time, but hopefully someone will get back to me on the E and F one though.
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  #17  
Old 10-11-2009, 03:27 PM
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B14 hugh....Goodness I bet that would send a rocket a couple feet
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  #18  
Old 10-11-2009, 04:28 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by metlfreak
B14 hugh....Goodness I bet that would send a rocket a couple feet


For an average sized model rocket, it wouldn't send it quite as high as a B6 or a B4, but it would get off the pad a heck of a lot quicker.
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  #19  
Old 10-11-2009, 06:26 PM
Rocket Doctor Rocket Doctor is offline
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It took us 52 years to get to where we are now.
Orville Carlisle

G Harry Stine - Model Missiles ,Inc

Vern Estes - Mabel - Estes Industries 1958 - 1969

Lee Piester - Centuri

The beginning showed us what imagination these pioneers had and for all of the companies and designers after them.

Our greatest challenge is to get more yourth involved in the hobby and secure launch site in the process.

Hopefully, the hobby will continue for another 52 years.

And as pointed out, we have such a huge selection of kits, and related products to choose from from many great vendors, big and small and those inbetween.
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  #20  
Old 10-11-2009, 09:57 PM
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I still think the year 1971 was THE golden year for model rocketry, when everything that was legally possible at the time in model rocketry was at its peak. But it was so in the same way that 1999-2000 was the golden year for the Internet. In other words, it was a bubble.

I think now could be the Renaissance where various things are developing for the long term, if not for two things: the current economy, and the lack of flying fields. Ok, and if there weren't distractions like "Rock Star" and the Wii.
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