Sounds like you have most of it. I’d guess that there are some decent model rocketry sites online somewhere; I’ll poke around a bit and see what I can find.
Anyways, here’s what you need:
Rocket: should be built with some sort of recovery system (parachute, streamer, various more advanced types that turn into glides and such, and for very small rockets, nothing more than aerodynamics that will make them tumble when not under power)
Engine: Start with B-series engines, would be my advice, since they don’t shoot things nearly as high as C-series do. This simplifies recovery, especially if you don’t have a lot of room to work with. The letter/number code on the engines works as follows (assuming my memory is functional today) - the letter indicates which broad class it’s in, A being the smallest and D being the largest. A and D are physically smaller and larger than the B/C engines, which are identical in physical size. The first number after the letter indicates how much thrust the engine is packing, and the last number indicates the delay before the parachute deployment charge is fired. If the last number is 0, it’s an engine designed for the lower stages of a multi-stage rocket.
Igniter: Little Y-shaped wire. You stick the point of the Y into the hole in the bottome of the engine, and attach the clips on the launch control to the to ends of the Y. Make sure the clips aren’t touching. Usually one bends the wire to splay them apart to avoid this.
Launchpad: Longish thin metal rod with a small metal plate that slips over it, and some sort of base to mount it on. Usually the metal rod is in two pieces that fit together. Rockets have a small sleeve on one side that slips over the metal rod, which allows them to get moving in the right direction when the engine fires.
Controller: Handheld battery operated device that fires the igniter. It’s basically just a big momentary contact switch, completing a circuit with a couple C-sized batteries and the igniter. Generally includes a “key” that must be inserted in order to function so you can set everything up without fear of the engine firing prematurely.
Wide-open field: Model rockets are unpredictable. They’re best fired under dead calm conditions, as any wind will blow them all over the place on their way back down. Out on the farm mine used to have an uncanny knack for landing in the tops of trees hundreds of yards away from the launch site. Course, I was using the biggest engines I could for maximum altitude.
Common sense: Rocket engines are dangerous. Keep everyone well back when launching. Igniters are somewhat unreliable. You might push the button only to have nothing happen…at first…then 5 seconds later, PFOOOOSH! Be careful when dealing with misfires. Pull the key out of the controller, then detach the clips from the igniter, then remove the igniter from the engine while pointing the business end of the engine away from you. You don’t want that thing firing its exhaust at your chest from a foot away. All this and lots more safety instructions should be included in the instructions that came with your stuff.
