That's the kind of thing that's just got to be sent to America's
funniest home videos. That's absolutely hilarious.
----- Original Message -----
From: Thomas Ward <[email protected]
To: Gamers Discussion list <[email protected]
Date sent: Sat, 24 Dec 2011 14:19:33 -0500
Subject: Re: [Audyssey] Model Aircraft and Radio Controlled
Vehicles
Hi Charles,
Yeah, sort of like that. Although, unlike the fireworks you can
take
some enjoyment out of building the model rocket and there is some
enjoyment of being the guy who launches the rocket. Of course as
a kid
I found other ways to amuse myself too.
Not sure if I shared this on list before, but one of the things I
liked doing is capturing frogs, toads, and other little animals
and
sending them up in the rockets. Sometimes they survived the
experience
but most of the time I scared them to death or smashed them flat
due
to the g-forces. Lol!
The funniest case I can remember is this time my dad and I built
this
large model rocket, it was almost three feet tall, and I wanted
to add
a toad to it as a passenger. So my dad and I padded the inside of
the
cockpit with cotton, stuck the little guy in there, and prepared
to
launch him into space. Now, keep in mind here this rocket had a D
engine, that's a two-stage engine, with a heck a lot of thrust,
and
could do a couple thousand feet easy. Basically, this poor toad
was
going where no toad had gone before. :D
Anyway, I launched the rocket, the first stage burned out, and
the
rocket was way up in the sky at I'd say a thousand feet.
Unfortunately, the engine must have been defective because it
didn't
kick in right away, and the rocket began falling out of the sky.
So
here it comes, a huge nose dive straight towards the ground, at
maybe
250 feet, when the second stage finally kicks in, driving it
straight
into the ground at several hundred miles per hour. It hit the
ground
and blows apart on impact. Of course, the chute pops out after it
hits
the ground, but by then the poor toad's days were numbered. Not
that
the chute would have done any good with the second stage engine
adding
that much thrust to the descent. My dad and I went over and
looked at
the wreckage, and what to our wondering eyes should we see is the
toad totally squished flat, his eyes were bugged out, and he
looked
like he was scared crapless. We laughed so hard I think our sides
were
going to burst open. That's the kind of devious and demented uses
I
put some of the model rockets to.
Cheers!!
On 12/24/11, Charles Rivard <[email protected]> wrote:
Sort of like going to a Fourth of July fireworks show, huh? The
best part
about them is the explosions, if there are decent ones. The
model rockets
wouldn't have that part, darnit. Probably just a hiss or
whoosh, sort of
like a bottle rocket, and that's about it. Bummer. They do
look cool,
though.
---
Shepherds are the best beasts, but Labs are a close second.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Thomas Ward" <[email protected]
To: "Gamers Discussion list" <[email protected]
Sent: Saturday, December 24, 2011 7:43 AM
Subject: Re: [Audyssey] Model Aircraft and Radio Controlled
Vehicles
Hi Charles,
Well, keep in mind I still had sight when I was into model
rockets,
but the kits usually weren't that difficult to build. Of course,
how
difficult the kit was to build depended on the kit. They ranged
from
beginner models for kids to very advanced models for adults. The
models I built were mostly the beginner models as I was only 9
or 10
years old at the time and the instructions were not that
difficult.
However, I do remember my dad and I did buy one of the more
advanced
kits, the Apollo 11, and that one required my dad's help because
it
was a fairly detailed replication of the Saturn 5 rocket and
Apollo 11
command module.It had to be painted, glued together, and there
were
several detailed decals to add to it. I suppose I could have
done
that one myself, as I was sighted at the time, but couldn't have
done
that one blind as we wanted it to look as close as possible to
the
real thing.
As far as the fuel goes the model rockets use a solid rocket
engine
meaning that it uses a special propellant that comes with the
engine
you buy from the toy store. The fuel and oxidizer are mixed
together
into a propellant that is packed into a solid cylinder which
comes
inside the model rocket engine itself. You use an electric
ignition to
light the engine, and launch the model rocket into the air. Once
you
use the engine you have to replace it before relaunching the
model
rocket as there is no way to refuel it. That's why model rocket
engines generally come three to a pack as you can only use them
once
before throwing them away and buying a new one.
The reason why modern model rockets use solid propellant rather
than
liquid fuels like gas is for safety reasons. Apparently, back in
the
60's when model rockets first became really popular kids had a
habit
of blowing their hands and arms off messing with liquid fuels
like
gas. So modern model rocket engines use the same type of solid
propellant the shuttle uses in its solid rocket boosters but
only on a
smaller scale of course. You just install the engine, set your
rocket
on the launch pad, connect the electric ignition and blast off.
There
isn't any handling flammable materials, poisonous chemicals, or
anything too dangerous for a kid to get hurt with. Just remember
to
stand back before igniting the engine as you could get toasted
if you
are too close.
As far as a blind person building and flying model rockets I
think
the blindness issue takes a lot of the fun out of it. The most
fun I
had with them was launching them and watching them reach maximum
altitude, say 1,000 feet, and then descend back to the earth.
Not
being able to watch them fly takes most if not all of the fun
out of
it. At least for me that's been the reason I haven't gotten back
into
it.
For example, back around Easter time my in-laws had a couple of
model
rockets they decided to launch after dinner and everyone sat
outside
watching the rockets go up one after another. I felt really left
out
of the experience because I could hear them take off, and had to
listen to people ooh and ah as they flew overhead. One even
crash
landed right in the middle of the pond and we couldn't get it
until
summer when someone finally went swimming and retrieved it out
of the
mud. By that time it was pretty much hosed. In any case I didn't
really feel connected to the fun of watching them. Being told a
rocket
just torpedoed straight into the middle of the pond isn't quite
as fun
as watching it hit, break apart, and sink.
Cheers!
On 12/24/11, Charles Rivard <[email protected]> wrote:
Model rocketry has always fascinated me. How difficult are they
to
build?
How detailed are they? What fuel is used? This could be a
thread loaded
with questions for experienced rocketeers, and I don't know how
blind
friendly the model rocketry would be, but I like the subject, so
there ya
go.
---
Shepherds are the best beasts, but Labs are a close second.
---
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