I've still got some FSI fiberglass "cotton balls" somewhere in the rocket cave. They came with the kits. They were still using fiberglass in the 80's.

__________________
I love sanding.

I am farrrrrrr from an enviro-whacko, but nothing good could come from ejecting fiberglass wadding all over the launch site.
That was idiotic of FSI.
Sounds like a product that would be endorsed by Boris Badinoff and Natasha.

__________________
When in doubt, WHACK the GAS and DITCH the brake !!!

Yes, there is such a thing as NORMAL, if you have to ask what is "NORMAL" , you probably aren't !
Failure may not be an OPTION, but it is ALWAYS a POSSIBILITY.
ALL systems are GO for MAYHEM, CHAOS, TURMOIL, FIASCOS, and HAVOC !

I can't remember if it was the early George Roos FSI kits or the later Reese Industries FSI kits but I remember some kits had the square piece of wadding and others had the cotton ball looking stuff in them. I didn't even realize at the time that the wadding was fiberglass.
I always thought it was strange their kits came with wadding at all. I never used the FSI stuff. I bought the Estes stuff from the hobby stores and used that.

The first Centuri starter kit I had probably had the crepe wadding in it but I just can't remember ... too little memory!

__________________
Steve Naquin
TRA# 677 L2
NAR# 85518 L2
SAM# 0052

🚀 In Construction: Der Blue Maxx/Minie-Magg 5.5” & Vander-Burn MDRM Clone w/Stickershock23 Custom Decals
🚀 In Paint & Detail: USR Banshee
🚀 In Build Queue: Estes Doorknob w/Vander-Burn Rocketry Upgrade Kit [Sport Decor], Semroc Centurion-F, Semroc Egg Crate
🚀 In Repair: SLS Lil’ Hustler, SLS Aero-Dart 1969 Trim
🚀 Stay Tuned For Fall 2021 Launch Dates

Well, this find over the past weekend was really heart felt and reminds me of how much love and appreciation I have for Carl, Sheryl and Bruce when they ran the fine company SEMROC. This one really got to me when I reread the emails ...

Still carefully packaged in a small cardboard box from when I moved during the fall of 2008 I unearthed my Golden Scout #1068. I had printed off the emails from Sheryl July of 2008 and put them in the box with the rocket and packed it away when I moved.

You see NARAM-50 would have been my first NARAM and I wanted badly to participate in the “Sky of Gold” and fly it at NARAM-50 but I had a really nasty total knee replacement that kept me in a walker for over two months and I came to realized that I would not be able to attend the launch. I contacted Carl and Sheryl and asked that if I shipped my Golden Scout to them if they would be willing to fly the model in proxy for me at the launch. Sheryl said that she and Carl would be more than happy to fly my Scout so I rushed to build it, paint it and get it shipped off to SEMROC for them to bring to the launch. When they returned from NARAM-50 I asked Cheryl if they were able to fly the Scout and I rec’d the following email from Cheryl:

Steve,
We sure did and retrieved it. Will send you that with a few goodies from NARAM. We launched yours when we launch ours. There were 9 scouts on the pads at the time and everyone wanted a drag race but we said no because we had #’s 3, 4, 5 and yours and we did not want to lose them. Really wish you were there to launch your own but we were very proud to launch yours for you. Will get your box of goodies in the mail Monday. We arrived home this morning around 4am and just didn’t get it and many orders out in time to get them in the mail by 12 today.
Take care,
Sheryl

Well, when I received the “goodies” along with my Scout I realized that Carl and Sheryl had the model signed by Vern and Gleda Estes! Vern put his signature on one fin with his NAR# and Gleda had her signature on another fin with NARAM-50. Wow, was definitely not expecting that! Also she sent along one of the “Red Scout” kits in the clear capped tube. That is probably Carl’s handwriting on the cardboard motor adapter where he used a 1/2A3-4T mini engine for the flight.

I thought you guys would enjoy this. I am sure that everyone that has ever had dealings with the original SEMROC team came to appreciate the little packing notes from Cheryl and the way they ALWAYS went out of their way willing to help us with whatever we needed for our rocketry projects. A real class act. I really miss Carl

Now I have the best memories of NARAM-50 and I wasn’t even able to attend ...

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__________________
Steve Naquin
TRA# 677 L2
NAR# 85518 L2
SAM# 0052

🚀 In Construction: Der Blue Maxx/Minie-Magg 5.5” & Vander-Burn MDRM Clone w/Stickershock23 Custom Decals
🚀 In Paint & Detail: USR Banshee
🚀 In Build Queue: Estes Doorknob w/Vander-Burn Rocketry Upgrade Kit [Sport Decor], Semroc Centurion-F, Semroc Egg Crate
🚀 In Repair: SLS Lil’ Hustler, SLS Aero-Dart 1969 Trim
🚀 Stay Tuned For Fall 2021 Launch Dates

I definitely miss the original Semroc team of Carl, Sheryl, and Bruce as well.
They truly were the gold standard company in this hobby.
Genuine truly great people.
Sorry that I never got to meet Carl in person but corresponded/chatted with him several times.

__________________
When in doubt, WHACK the GAS and DITCH the brake !!!

Yes, there is such a thing as NORMAL, if you have to ask what is "NORMAL" , you probably aren't !
Failure may not be an OPTION, but it is ALWAYS a POSSIBILITY.
ALL systems are GO for MAYHEM, CHAOS, TURMOIL, FIASCOS, and HAVOC !

Steve-

Wow...I mean WOW! That is really, really special. I know that had to mean a great deal to you! I was so very touched just reading it!

At that same time, that sounded JUST LIKE something that Carl and Sheryl would do. They were (and still are) very special people to many of us here. Carl’s loss was a very hard blow to take, and I still often think of Sheryl and the amount of pain she had to feel (and likely will always feel) when all that happened.

It also reminded me of participating in my Sky of Gold building and flying here locally at my ‘first flight ever’ field here in Augusta. Man, that all seems much longer than 12 years ago for some reason. But, that field, where I flew my first rocket flight ever, is now gone (taken over by a newer and much larger school) and some very dear people in my life are also gone now compared to those days. But, the memories are sweet and your story brought them all back.

I’m glad you found those momentos and that you shared all that with us here.

Earl

__________________
Earl L. Cagle, Jr.
NAR# 29523
TRA# 962
SAM# 73
Owner/Producer
Point 39 Productions

Rocket-Brained Since 1970

Steve, thank you for your kind words. I too miss Carl and SEMROC. I have very few items related to the company now. I'm still living in our house but in Nov. '18 around 11:30pm, I had a fire in the basement (where the production of SEMROC was located) and most of the mementos were kept down there. The house had to be gutted, leaving the studs and roof. I was home at the time and was able to get my 2 babies (dogs) out.

Wow Sheryl, so sorry to hear about the fire at your house and your loss. That is terrible. I am glad to hear that you and your 2 babies were unharmed but so very sorry to hear that you lost most of the mementos you had kept in the basement.
It is good to hear from you and glad that you checked in here today. I found something else that you and Carl had helped me with that was never kitted or put on your site. I need to post a few pictures of that as I am going through trying to sort all ... well some of my rocketry stuff. I can't tell you how many times I think of you guys as I go through my parts bins. All the tubes you cut, slotted and every time you threw something extra in the box!

You take care

__________________
Steve Naquin
TRA# 677 L2
NAR# 85518 L2
SAM# 0052

🚀 In Construction: Der Blue Maxx/Minie-Magg 5.5” & Vander-Burn MDRM Clone w/Stickershock23 Custom Decals
🚀 In Paint & Detail: USR Banshee
🚀 In Build Queue: Estes Doorknob w/Vander-Burn Rocketry Upgrade Kit [Sport Decor], Semroc Centurion-F, Semroc Egg Crate
🚀 In Repair: SLS Lil’ Hustler, SLS Aero-Dart 1969 Trim
🚀 Stay Tuned For Fall 2021 Launch Dates

... today I found "The Hat"

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__________________
Steve Naquin
TRA# 677 L2
NAR# 85518 L2
SAM# 0052

🚀 In Construction: Der Blue Maxx/Minie-Magg 5.5” & Vander-Burn MDRM Clone w/Stickershock23 Custom Decals
🚀 In Paint & Detail: USR Banshee
🚀 In Build Queue: Estes Doorknob w/Vander-Burn Rocketry Upgrade Kit [Sport Decor], Semroc Centurion-F, Semroc Egg Crate
🚀 In Repair: SLS Lil’ Hustler, SLS Aero-Dart 1969 Trim
🚀 Stay Tuned For Fall 2021 Launch Dates

Oh, that is a nice hat! I have a black NASA hat I got at KSC in he late 80s that has the NASA worm logo embroidered in gold across the front. I use it to clip all my shuttle mission pins and such to. It has collected a number of them over the years.

I got my Tripoli 25 year pin about five years ago, but have never put it on my hat. I need to find it and put it on there.

I like the Enerjet look!

Earl

__________________
Earl L. Cagle, Jr.
NAR# 29523
TRA# 962
SAM# 73
Owner/Producer
Point 39 Productions

Rocket-Brained Since 1970