22-Oct-1964...

Today is the 39th anniversary of my first model rocket flight. I'd built an Astron Streak and a couple other models over the winter (samples Vern sent my dad at the Adler Planetarium, where he was Assistant Director), along with the starter set; an Astron Scout and a block of wood drilled for 4 D Photoflash batteries, a hole for the launch rod, a sheet of ASBESTOS for a blast deflector, 10' of lamp cord, and a piece of masonite with an aluminum strip for a launch button (no safety ket back then!).

We finally took them out to fly them on a warm October afternoon, in a park on the east side of Northbrook. Hiked out to the middle of the field and set up. Loaded the Astron Streak up with a 1/4A.8-4 motor (yes, an 18mm quarter A) and took the piece of nichrome and made the little curly tip, and tamped it in the motor nozzle. I don't recall how many misfires we may have had before it finally took off. Of course we never saw it in flight, just a "streak" and it was gone. A random search located it on the grass nearby. Loaded it up with another 1/4A.8-4 and did it again.

I've been hooked ever since and a year has not passed that I haven't flown rockets. The Streak was lost a couple years later at the same park on its

Bob Kaplow NAR # 18L TRA # "Impeach the TRA BoD" >>> To reply, remove the TRABoD!

God bless men and their rockets!

Congrats, Bob! BTW, you must have a good memory. I remember my first modroc flight ok, but not the date. I'm barely even sure which year it was.

My first rocket was and Estes Blue Bird Zero, around '81 I think.

-- Joe Michel NAR 82797 L1

--------------- Mine must have been in 1974. My mother decided I was too old for a Easter basket, so she picked out a rocket set instead. She died a year ago and I still haven't scattered her ashes from a special rocket I made, but I will soon. Interesting how things come full circle like that.

Shrox

spring 1967.....

shockie B)

I've got help. Those old Estes 11x17 sepia data sheets that have my first few years of flights logged. Then a spiral notebook that covers the first decade or so. There's a gap until I started logging flights on my home computer, then I've got records of most flights since 1984.

Rough estimate: 2500 flights since 1964...

Bob Kaplow NAR # 18L TRA # "Impeach the TRA BoD" >>> To reply, remove the TRABoD!

Happy Anniversary, Bob.

Congrats, and many more years of flying.

Ad Astra! Bill Sullivan

I am curious how he is going to celebrate 40? Have an invitational Kaplowfest?

Jerry

If I had a place to do it, I'd do so. What I really need to shoot for is a

Bob Kaplow NAR # 18L TRA # "Impeach the TRA BoD" >>> To reply, remove the TRABoD!

I never realized this as a kid. I flew alot from 1968- 1976 then college took away time for it. After I got back into it in 1980, I've logged them all. 2000 and counting. I also wish I'd had the fore thought to keep all of the engine cases like some on rmr have.

Randy

That would be excellent. Verna and I have been looking for some land for a rocket field for the last 6 months. Since all we fly are Estes types, we're looking for about 20-25 acres of cleared pasture land, hopefully next to a lot more cleared pasture land. If we can find it, I hope to one day be able to issue a standing invitation to anyone wishing to, to come fly at will.

Randy

Logs are an important tool in this hobby. It lets you recognize mistakes you've made mroe than once :-)

Bob Kaplow NAR # 18L TRA # "Impeach the TRA BoD" >>> To reply, remove the TRABoD!

Or you could have it at the original Danville site and show them how it is done.

Mistakes? What mistakes?

Jerry

My first compsites were Crown E's. Never forget when a new guy in the neighborhood ask us if he could fly his Renegade. We said sure, thinking he was going to do it on a typical D12. I remember him being concerned that out launcher having enough current to fire the ignitor. It took awhile to fire but man.... that roar, that flame! Blew us away big time. Remember trading a couple of FSI E's for a Crown E.

Hrmmmm......a little LOC 38mm tubing and micro alt could make an interesting mid powered Renegade clone :)

Ted Novak TRA#5512

I've got 2 ideas on that subject. One is to buy a hunk of relatively flat land, minimum 640 acres (one square mile). Most of the land could be leased to farmers to grow SHORT crops like sod. The other is to buy a 5-10 acre plot in the middle of a bunch of suitable land with some agreement that it will be similarly planted.

Bob Kaplow NAR # 18L TRA # "Impeach the TRA BoD" >>> To reply, remove the TRABoD!

The original Danville site does not meet the NFPA 1127 safe distance requirements from the motel, the interstate, or the prison.

Bob Kaplow NAR # 18L TRA # "Impeach the TRA BoD" >>> To reply, remove the TRABoD!

By now I'd need a dumpster. And do you really want the remains of use RMS reload kits around the house. Old BP motors smell bad enough.

I do keep a smaller bin full of dead motors for use in making couplers, painting, trimming RGs, etc. But no more than what fits in the box, maybe 1 ft^3.

Bob Kaplow NAR # 18L TRA # "Impeach the TRA BoD" >>> To reply, remove the TRABoD!