I built my Centuri Saturn V with a removable motor mount. I had always flown it on a D12-3 to get it back in my limited size pasture at home. I finally had a chance to fly it on a cluster. Little did I know that three C6's would scream off the pad compared to a single D12. "Missed it by that much!"

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I love sanding.

Found this shot in a different box, but it's from the same launches with Eddie. This time the old gal went up on a D12-3. As you can see from the plume, my pad had a ducted exhaust, but it only came out the end instead of from under both sides like the real thing.

If you're bored, have patience. I've got some photos with people in the early 90's (not me, though) and a few CATO shots. I'm digging to find some more stuff from the 70's and 80's first, but I doubt I'll have much luck.

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I love sanding.

That's excellent! Do you have a photo of how you did the ducted exhaust mod on the pad?

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Never trust an atom. They make up everything.

4 out of 3 people struggle with math.

Chemically, alcohol IS a solution.

NAR# 94042
SAM# 0078

If I can find a pic I will share it. If not, I will go to the shed and see if I can dig it out. It was pretty crude. I used a heavy piece of sheet steel for the deflector and some lighter pieces for the ducting and just screwed it all together. It was pretty crude but effective. I glued in some flameproof batting to seal it as best I could. The batting was something that was used at our aluminum plant to replace asbestos. They melted and cast sheet aluminum for everything from air conditoner finstock to chewing gum wrapper thickness foil. Remember peeling that stuff?

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I love sanding.

Thanks for this thread, Bill. Even though I have very few old pics worthy of the thread, it has got me to sit down and scan a bunch of old photos that I've been meaning to do for about 10 years!

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I love sanding.

I definitely remember peeling the white paper from the foil on those wrappers! When balled up tightly the ultra-thin foil made the most excellent drinking straw blowgun ammo.

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Never trust an atom. They make up everything.

4 out of 3 people struggle with math.

Chemically, alcohol IS a solution.

NAR# 94042
SAM# 0078

My father was the first local person hired at the plant before it opened, that didn't come here from Winston Salem. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco built it and it was called RJR Archer from the mid 60 till it was sold in the mid 70's to Noranda Mines (Canada). It is now Granges, a Swedish company. Their colors are red and white so I'm hoping they eventually paint the water tower red checkered again!

I worked there in the summers when I was in college, but there was a nepotism rule so I couldn't be hired permanently. That sucks cause I would have 36 years in by now and could retire early. We roll thin stuff by sending two sheets through the foil mill together. The more times it is run through, the thinner it gets. It is then separated on another machine. If anyone's ever wondered, that's why kitchen aluminum foil is shiny on one side and dull on the other.

Still digging through pics...

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I love sanding.

Ooh! Artsy-fartsy!

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Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Centuri Design Contest F-150 Hurricane Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion Estes F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II Semroc Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark, Groonie Der V 1/2

Not the greatest shot ever, but I was probably trying to recreate a photo I'd seen of the real thing.

At least I eventually got the twist out of the umbilical tower.

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I love sanding.

Nice pics tbzep. I really like the Pershing lift off shot.
I have a picture of my first Estes Omega taken from that same looking up perspective!

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

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