Mountainside Hobbies 1995-1997
 

Mountainside Hobbies of Ephrata, PA, had a brief life as a model rocket kit manufacturer. My recollection was that they were a rec.models.rockets (r.m.r.) sensation because they did a lot of marketing there and that was where I heard the most about them. Their first kit announcement on rec.models.rockets was made on December 13, 1995. Not even two years later the announcement came on March 14, 1997 that Mountainside Hobbies (MSH) had closed the doors on the rocketry business.

MSH would return on and off again a few times, most notably in June 2002 when they released an accurately scaled V-2 kit. By May 2003 the relaunch of MSH was no more. This story is about MSH's first go-around.

MSH was very popular during that earlier time. George Fetter was the driving force behind MSH's foray into the rocketry field. George designed all the kits, sourced the materials, put the kits together, did the marketing, etc. MSH's customer service was considered to be excellent, and their kit offerings a value. I built and flew their 2.6-inch version of the V-2. I'm not sure what ever happened to that rocket, but I flew it alot on E18 reloads. Judging from the feedback on r.m.r. many people liked that kit. By the time MSH shut its doors, they had produced the following kits:


Original Lineup - December 1995 - These were also sold by Countdown Hobbies

ASP18 - a sport scale ASP with 18mm engine, 1.325" dia and 34" Long, $18.99

ASP24 - a sport scale ASP with 24mm engine, 2.6" dia and 50" Long, $28.99

V2 - 24mm engine, 2.6" dia and 22.5" Long, $21.99

IRIS24 - a sport scale IRIS with 24mm engine, 2.6" dia and 50.75" long, $29.99

AeroBee 350 - 24mm engine, 2.6" dia and 56" long, $31.99

April 1996

V2 - 29mm engine, 4.0" dia version, $54.99

August 1996

Sandia Sandhawk - 29mm, 3.0" diameter and 67" long, $??

ADR 4.0 - a rocket described as resembling a scale up of an Estes Alpha III. Not sure if any of these were actually sold

There were plans to develop and release a 4-inch diameter version of the Saturn V, but this never materialized. Nevertheless, MSH was a short-lived but bright star in the history of model rocketry.

I did my level 1 on the Sandhawk.

I have a pocket screwdriver I got in a shipment from Mountainside Hobbies. But I don't recall ever ordering one of their kits. I must have bought parts, maybe some reloads from them.

That’s a wonderful account, I only recalled the 2.6” and 4” V2. I think those were a great value because of the tailcone.

Also had an X-1 kit.

Thanks for posting this information. I wouldn't have even remembered Mountainside Hobbies had you not mentioned the V2 kits. :cool:

MSH also produced a 4 inch diameter Mercury Redstone. I still launch mine on occasion.

I had the 4" V-2 but lost it at a launch in Alamogordo years ago. I sill have a MSH 2.6" V-2.

Here are a couple of pics of my MSH Merc Redstone.

Greg

I know I still have at least one of the 2.6 V-2 kits in my collection somewhere, and I think also one of the Asp kits, I think BT-60 sized.

Will try to post some pictures over the next couple of days if I can find them.

I have no records of a MSH Mercury Redstone. Are you certain? I know Boyce, and maybe later Neubauer, made a large Mercury Redstone kit like that back in the day.

Yep, it is MSH. I found that I still have the instructions down in my basement. I have scanned the cover page. The nose cone for the kit is balsa, unlike the resin nose cone that Neubauer kits used.