# Model rockets **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 14, 2005, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/model-rockets/308273 "2005-06-14T20:50:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2005, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/model-rockets/308273/41 "2005-06-16T14:53:33Z")
> [@Daithi Lacha](#): > > and one that looked like something out of Flash Gordon - had to paint it silver and put “rivets” all over it… can’t remember the name of it, but I was so proud, I never launched it! I remember that one. IIRC, it was made in the late-1970s or early-1980s. I called Estes several years ago, and IIRC they said it could be modified into the discontinued V-2. I don’t remember the name, though. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2005, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/model-rockets/308273/42 "2005-06-16T15:19:20Z")
Well, I’ve ordered three Skyhooks from the link I posted earlier. At five bucks a pop, why not? I mentioned a $300 rocket earlier. I was probably wrong about the engine size, as I think it takes a larger one. After I move back to SoCal, I might want to look into that. (Time permitting, since I’ll be involved in a ‘new’ business, driving my MGB, which I assume will be on the road by then, riding motorcycles, and – if the business is as successful as expected – getting airborne again in helicopters.) I know that larger rockets have restrictions, such as having to pass tests in order to buy engines. I’m sure I can find some rocketeers wherever I end up. A ‘small big rocket’ seems like the first thing to launch. Unfortunately, I don’t remember where I saw the $295 basic rocket; nor who made it. ---
**Author:** ![joemama24\_98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ce7236/32.png) [@joemama24\_98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joemama24_98)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2005, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/model-rockets/308273/43 "2005-06-17T14:36:37Z")
> [@Johnny L.A.](#): > > I don’t think a C-engine will fit in the Mosquito. Its diameter is greater than the rocket’s body tube. The Big Bertha would not accept a D-engine in its engine mount, but its body tube is big enough to accept a D-mount. I seem to recall that the A, B, and C engines were all the same diameter and length. I know I put the biggest engine I could in the Mosquito, which I thought was a C. Ditto for Big Bertha - I remember getting all excited as it was going to me my first “D” engine flight. I can’t remember if I left the mount out or not. This was probably 18 years ago 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2005, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/model-rockets/308273/44 "2005-06-17T14:43:12Z")
> [@Johnny L.A.](#): > > I remember that one. IIRC, it was made in the late-1970s or early-1980s. I called Estes several years ago, and IIRC they said it could be modified into the discontinued V-2. I don’t remember the name, though. [Silver Comet](http://www.ninfinger.org/~sven/rockets/fleet/slvrcmt.html). I did the reverse. Bought a V-2 and kit bashed it into a Silver Comet. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2005, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/model-rockets/308273/45 "2005-06-17T14:52:58Z")
God this is bringing back some memories. My friend Sam and I would launch rockets all the time. I had to climb over more than a few fences and onto more than a few roofs for vehicle retrieval. IIRC, the best one we built was a model of a Nike missle. It was fairly light and narrow and I think it used a single D engine. That thing got some amazing height. I wish I had a kid to go and do this with this weekend. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2005, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/model-rockets/308273/46 "2005-06-17T14:57:29Z")
I wish I had a place to do it. I live in the woods, and used streamers instead of parachutes which tend to get caught in trees. There was the little rocket that came apart and whirled down in two pieces like a helicoptor. Never got caught in a tree. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2005, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/model-rockets/308273/47 "2005-06-17T14:58:47Z")
> [@joemama24\_98](#): > > I seem to recall that the A, B, and C engines were all the same diameter and length. I know I put the biggest engine I could in the Mosquito, which I thought was a C. Ditto for Big Bertha - I remember getting all excited as it was going to me my first “D” engine flight. I can’t remember if I left the mount out or not. This was probably 18 years ago 🙂 Right. The A-, B-, and C-motors all shared dimensions. The Mosquito and other ‘Mini-Brutes’ used the mini motors – IIRC, they were called ¼A or something. They were physically smaller than the others. I’d provide a link from the Estes site, but I’m on a dial-up and it takes a while to load their page. Of course, some ‘Mosquitos’ could take larger motors. I was browsing for advanced rockets, and I saw a ‘Mosquito’ (captioned as ‘Bug’) that looked like it was ten feet tall! **UncleRojelio** : Thanks for that! I got an e-mail from **PDRocketry**. He says the Sprint should be listed in a week’s time. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2005, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/model-rockets/308273/48 "2005-06-17T16:03:11Z")
> [@adam yax](#): > > I wish I had a kid to go and do this with this weekend. I’ve got kids and I don’t take them to launches anymore. All they do is whine about the heat and the length of the recovery hikes. Model rocketry is not just for kids anymore. The motor sizes have progressed exponetially up to ‘O’ and ‘P’ sizes now and so have the costs. Some of the big kids I know spend hundreds of dollars to build very large rockets with fiberglass and carbon fiber construction. They launch them complete with electronics to control ignition and delayed dual chute ejection. They contain gps trackers and telemetry transmitters. The motors for a single launch run in the hundreds of dollars. The technical term for an adult the returns to the sport is Born Again Rocketer, BAR for short. Seek out the nearest club in your area and try to attend a club launch. I’m thinking you’ll be amazed. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2005, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/model-rockets/308273/49 "2005-06-17T17:26:22Z")
Another former Rocketeer checking in. My favorite was called (I think) the Marauder. It had a nose cone that widened at the base and then came to a point. Looked kinda like an RPG, in fact I painted it olive drab. I launched it quite few times, but burned out the midsection eventually. I put the long pointed nosecone from the Marauder on a Big Bertha and it looked wicked cool, much better than the short stubby nosecone that came with the Bertha. That was my best rocket, over 3 dozen launches and recoveries. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2005, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/model-rockets/308273/50 "2005-06-17T17:38:26Z")
According to the link below, the Big Bertha used A-C rockets, but I seem to remember using a D as well. [http://www.ninfinger.org/~sven/rockets/catalogs/estes84/84est20.html](http://www.ninfinger.org/~sven/rockets/catalogs/estes84/84est20.html) ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2005, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/model-rockets/308273/51 "2005-06-17T17:43:00Z")
**Johnny L.A.** , how old a picture of an astron Skyhook were you looking for? Here’s one from 1967: [http://www.ninfinger.org/~sven/rockets/catalogs/estes67/67est28.html](http://www.ninfinger.org/~sven/rockets/catalogs/estes67/67est28.html) ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2005, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/model-rockets/308273/52 "2005-06-17T18:19:22Z")
> [@August West](#): > > According to the link below, the Big Bertha used A-C rockets, but I seem to remember using a D as well. > > [Ninfinger Productions: 1984 Estes Catalog](http://www.ninfinger.org/~sven/rockets/catalogs/estes84/84est20.html) The Big Bertha had a bigger brother called the [Broadsword](http://www.dars.org/jimz/est2093.htm) . It used ‘D’ motors. There was also a variant called the [Ranger](http://www.dars.org/jimz/k-06.htm) that was a three 18mm cluster. Of course, no one these days ever builds a stock Big Bertha. After all, when a 38mm will fit up the body tube, why go with anything smaller. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Yeticus\_Rex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a698b9/32.png) [@Yeticus\_Rex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeticus_Rex)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2005, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/model-rockets/308273/53 "2005-06-17T19:05:05Z")
> [@Johnny L.A.](#): > > I mentioned a $300 rocket earlier. I was probably wrong about the engine size, as I think it takes a larger one. After I move back to SoCal, I might want to look into that. (Time permitting, since I’ll be involved in a ‘new’ business, driving my MGB, which I assume will be on the road by then, riding motorcycles, and – if the business is as successful as expected – getting airborne again in helicopters.) [Holy](http://www.rocstock.org/ldrs20/pics/gbr/pages/jds0057.htm) [Shit](http://www.rocstock.org/ldrs20/pics/gbr/pages/jds0168.htm) [On A](http://www.rocstock.org/ldrs20/pics/gbr/pages/jds0159.htm) [Stick,](http://www.rocstock.org/ldrs20/pics/gbr/pages/jds0190.htm) [Bat](http://www.rocstock.org/ldrs20/pics/nike/pages/jds0087.htm) [Man!](http://www.rocstock.org/ldrs20/pics/nike/pages/jds0005.htm) There is a huge launch site at [Lucerne Dry Lake in SoCal Mojave Desert](http://www.rocstock.org/lucerne.html), just 20 miles from my home that has FAA approval of up to 10,000 feet clearance. They launch once a month and you can also launch your own rockets for a $10 fee. The monthly event usually spans 6-8 hours. I didn’t know this place was that huge! The [Rocketry Organization of California](http://www.rocstock.org/) primarily launches there and comprises of folks from SoCal and CentCal. Look at some of these MONSTERS on the home page! I’m gonna try to make it to next month’s launch on July 9th. Oh, and lots of [Pictures.](http://www.rocstock.org/ldrs20/photo1.html) [“Rocketry Lucerne Dry Lake” Googled](http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Rocketry+Lucerne+Dry+Lake) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2005, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/model-rockets/308273/54 "2005-06-18T05:44:35Z")
> [@August West](#): > > **Johnny L.A.** , how old a picture of an astron Skyhook were you looking for? Here’s one from 1967: > > [Ninfinger Productions: 1967 Estes Catalog](http://www.ninfinger.org/~sven/rockets/catalogs/estes67/67est28.html) Actually, I found a ‘clone’ of the Astron Skyhook. (Link on the previous page.) I bought three. 🙂 **Yeticus Rex** : I think **PDRocketry** (Orbital Transport link under my post, previous page) are in Lucerne. **UncleRojelio** : I have a Big Bertha in the storage unit. It’s a newer, black one; but I want to paint it like the original. IIRC, it was yellow with a black nose and one black fin. (At least, that’s how I remember it. I could be wrong.) It will be stock. ---
**Author:** ![Nunavut\_Boy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e95f7d/32.png) [@Nunavut\_Boy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nunavut_Boy)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2005, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/model-rockets/308273/55 "2005-06-18T06:10:24Z")
I just launched a two stage Estes rocket this very night! Unfortunately, the nosecone and payload section fell off in flight and all we got was the one flight. Maybe I can get a new nosecone from somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2005, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/model-rockets/308273/56 "2005-06-18T14:22:44Z")
> [@Nunavut Boy](#): > > Maybe I can get a new nosecone from somewhere. [How about these?](http://www.a2zhobbies.com/Estes/Rocket_Accessories/) ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2005, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/model-rockets/308273/57 "2005-06-19T22:00:00Z")
After reading this thread, I started talking about my old rocket days with my 8 year old daughter, and she got all excited about rockets. So yesterday we went out and bought an Estes starter kit with two rockets - one almost ready to fly and one a kit. We’re going to fly them soon. After I built the first one, I started looking around for places to launch them, and discovered that our city council has banned model rockets from all public parks and school fields. I was hoping to fly with small motors from a huge undeveloped school field near our house (designated for four schools, it’s about three city blocks on a side), but now I guess that’s out. I also discovered that our busybody council has also banned ALL R/C airplanes from city limits, including electric ‘park flyers’. I have one of those I love flying, but didn’t manage to fly it last year. And now they’ve been outlawed. Sigh. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2005, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/model-rockets/308273/58 "2005-06-19T22:03:43Z")
Your hobby shop should be able to tell you where flying is allowed. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2005, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/model-rockets/308273/59 "2005-06-20T04:11:27Z")
> [@Johnny L.A.](#): > > Your hobby shop should be able to tell you where flying is allowed. Check the [NAR Section List](http://nar.org/NARseclist.asp) for a club near you. ---
**Author:** ![Bendarr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e56c9b/32.png) [@Bendarr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bendarr)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2005, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/model-rockets/308273/60 "2005-06-20T05:08:45Z")
I was looking through the plans section and located my old Pegasus model. Ah the memories! A slight side note from something I learned from experience: When combining Model Rocket engines and styrofoam gliders watch your thrust to wieght ratio! My first creation literally looped back and tried to decaptiate me. A very frankenstienian moment lemme tell ya. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/model-rockets/308273.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/model-rockets/308273.md?page=4)