Hi-c

[Brain]

I ran across a photo in a book we sell at work (I work for the Johnson Smith Co., the long-time novelty/gag gift mail order outfit that pioneered the Whoopee Cushion) of a rocket that was used in the HI-C solar observation (I think) experiments. I've looked for more images online of this rocket but haven't found any real good ones, especially not a duplicate of the one in the book. The image I saw was of a steel blue lower stage topped by a silver aluminum upper stage, sitting on its launch platform.

Does anyone have any good intel on this rocket? I thought it would make a neat scale build, unless my inexperience forces me to not recognize it as an existing scaled vehicle. It has a great look!

I was attempting to upload a couple of images, but the forum didn't want to let me. I'll try again, if I need to... thanks!

[hcmbanjo]

You work for Johnson Smith?
They were the first company to send me BP rocket engines back in 1970!
MRI engines, 18mm A3-2s if I remember correctly.

In 1969 the catalog listing said "Model rocket engines cannot be sent to New Jersey, California, Oregon and Washington IIRC.
In their 1970 catalog California wasn't on the "no mail" list. I sent in an order and they were sent!
I think it was a mistake on J.S. part. I don't think engines could be legally mailed to California back then. I kept quiet.

I bought a LOT of things through Johnson Smith back then, lots of crappy magic tricks.
Johnson Smith even sold my "How to Play the Musical Saw" CD lesson and booklet for a while.

[Brain]

Allow me to be more precise: I work for them during the seasonal rush (Sept. - Dec.), but this is my fifth season. I enjoy working there and they seem to like me. Ya can't ask fer too much more'n dat...

Yes, they still sell most of those crappy magic tricks, or at least re-dressed versions of them. Plus loads of other kinds of stuff - you have to sign a waiver when you start work there saying you won't be offended by some of the things you're going to see! :cool:

[jeffyjeep]

I don't have the info. you're looking for, but Johnson Smith Co. sure brings back memories! When I was a kid they were in Mt. Clemens, MI.

[Brain]

I don't have the info. you're looking for, but Johnson Smith Co. sure brings back memories! When I was a kid they were in Mt. Clemens, MI.
And before that they were in Racine, WI.
They moved operations here in 1986.

[stefanj]

I wish I could help on the Hi-C thing.

I have a reprint of the 1932 Johnson-Smith Catalog, and an actual 1949 catalog. They sold a lot of wild stuff back then, and still sell odd stuff now.

[blackshire]

The only Hi-C sounding rocket that I found in an admittedly brief online search (see: http://www.google.com/#sclient=psy-ab&hl=en&site=&source=hp&q=Hi-C+sounding+rocket&btnK=Google+Search&oq=Hi-C+sounding+rocket&gs_l=hp.12..0.2965.10646.1.13810.20.4.0.0.0.0.1512.2263.6-1j0j1.2.0.les%3B..0.0...1c.1.R0s3U6nTwtU&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=c48f736558146878&biw=634&bih=302 ) was a recent Terrier-Black Brant VC vehicle that carried a solar telescope in July of this year. The Google "Images for Hi-C sounding rocket" page (see: http://www.google.com/search?q=Hi-C+sounding+rocket&hl=en&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=CqdWUKvPPM7hiwLiuoGoCg&ved=0CCoQsAQ&biw=634&bih=302 ) shows a white Terrier booster, not a steel-blue one, topped by a Black Brant VC which--as all Black Brant Vs have had for decades--has a black rocket motor. (Having seen them up close at the Poker Flat Research Range here in Alaska, Black Brant V motors have a "sooty-looking" black finish.) Perhaps the Sun angle in the picture in your book was very low and bright? That might account for the steel-blue first stage and the aluminum-colored upper stage. Also:

If Hi-C is an ongoing program (telescopes and other sounding rocket payloads are often re-flown many times on separate sounding rockets [different "rounds"] of the same kind), the photograph in your book may show a different Terrier-Black Brant VC round than the one I found. Some Terrier missiles' first stage rocket motors (NASA uses surplus first stages of the U.S. Navy's two-stage Terrier surface-to-air guided missiles) may be painted blue or have metallic blue-anodized finishes--our moderator here on YORF (Eagle3) is very knowledgeable about the Terrier missile. In addition:

You help ship the "Things you never knew existed..." at Johnson Smith? Wow! I bought all kinds of things from them back in the 1970s--I just wish they still carried the "UFO Hot-Air Balloon" kits and the electronic items!

[Brain]

Oddly enough, working there has helped a bit with doo-dads to help display rockets in my limited space and capacity... if I can find them I will grab these 10"-or-so-tall (er, long) plastic wrap center tubes... they have real thick walls that I sand and fill and paint to act as displays for the rockets that don't stand up by themselves. Plus, the plastic spoked endcaps for these tubes can act as display bases if you don't have much engine hook sticking out.

Necessity is the mother of invention. ;)

[Brain]

One of those images from that Google page definitely shows that rocket as a Terrier/Black Brant (with the red-orange & yellow paint job), but I've see a few versions of this rocket here and there, so I guess it isn't real cut-and-dried. I wonder if the Quest Nike-Terrier kit would be bash-able for this one...?