Fun with old rockets
 

Pete Alway and I had a really fun time today poking around some old rockets.

First up, the Model Missiles Aerobee Hi starter kit. We looked through everything but Pete got the idea to dry fit the die-cut fins on the convolute wound BT-40.

Next up was comparing the original MMI kit to the Quest re-issue from 10 years ago. Turns out it was incredibly accurate.

Cover art appears very similar.

Fin size was exactly the same.

Decals, fonts were very similar but repros were missing the stencil lines.

Body tubes and nosecones very similar. Original on left (rubber nosecone), repro on right.

Balsa cone was ever so slightly shorter than the rubber cone.

Next up we looked through an old box of rocket parts someone sent Pete years ago.

With lots of online poking around we realized most of the parts were from the 1962/63 catalogs. Red plastic 4 corner parachutes with the same large size tape discs as the original MMI parachutes. Found these in the 1962 catalog parts special listings (3 parachutes, 12 tape disks). Also found payload compartment from what appeared to be an 1963 catalog Apogee rocket. Lots of fun.

After poking around the old rockets we had lots of fun going through the old negative pages from Scaled Model Rocketry and Retro rockets.

They no longer use this technology to print books so Pete's publisher let him know they were going to throw out the old negatives. Pete picked them up years ago and set them aside.

We had a blast going through them. Honestly, they reminded me of the cells from old Disney movies. Just truly beautiful works of art.

All in all, a really fun afternoon.

Steve,

Sounds like a fun visit!

I have very fond memories of visiting Peter in the 90s. I was on a business trip to Detroit, contacted Peter, and drove out to Ann Arbor to meet him. We only knew each other from emails and interactions on r.m.r. We talked rockets, went to dinner and talked rockets, and stayed up incredibly late talking rockets. :)

I also got to see many of his models, but was thrilled to see (and hold!) his beautiful Saturn 1 SA-5 scratch-built model, the one on the cover of The Art of Scale Model Rocketry. I have a signed copy of that book, and still desire to build one.

My wife and I drove to NSL-2018 in Geneseo, and had a chance opportunity to catch up with Peter (and got a signed copy of his newest V-2 booklet, of course). Somewhere I have a picture of Peter and me at his booth, posing with a couple of his little V-2s (sporting a couple paint schemes from the new book).

I feel fortunate to have spent some time with one of the legends in our great hobby.

Bill Spadafora and I were working sport range duty together at one of the Cincinnati NARAMs years back. Peter was the LCO, so we made him an honorary Bill for the shift.

Steve, thanks for sharing the photos in these posts, great stuff for sure !

Steve, as you could probably guess, I love this stuff.

Hi Steve,
Thanks for posting the pictures, interesting to compare the two kits.

Question for you - What is the thickness of the fins?
I have a more recent Semroc Aerobee Hi kit and the fins are 1/8" thick.
Maybe I'm too used to 3/32" thick fins, but the kit fins just look clumsy!

Chris,

Fin thickness is 3/32. Photo below is of the actual die-cut sheet which just happens to include the relevant info, LOL.

Steve