We cleaned up nice, but we were all a little freaked out by Mark's milky eye.
left to right: Brad, Rick, Christian, and Mark.
|
Mark surprised everyone by showing up with two of his many children. They made a brief appearance at the launch, but Eli and Emma mostly hung out with their cousins.
|
No GHS weekend is complete without late nights spent in the garage. In 2002 we built high-power lawn ornaments, but didn't fly any until 2003.
|
We also spent the last minutes completing our G-cluster Bert rockets. This one is Rick's, and it featured a parachute that deploys from a backpack.
|
A look down the flight line. 2002 was a huge event, with many camping trailers, RV's, and tents on the premises.
|
The flier's meeting. Rick managed to capture this shot by levitating several feet above the ground.
|
Bob Iannucci waves while Woody Miller and Jim Hussey conspire under their awning.
|
Hillbilly Rokitry once again dominated the landscape. The red and silver rocket is Woody Miller's.
|
The ubiquitous Gila Monster. This year it held down the north end of a trailer.
|
This 3x Mean Machine (built by Marc Casanova) was the tallest rocket to fly at GHS 2002.
|
We made another attempt with the 2-stage Standard Missile.
|
Mark prepares the booster recovery harness.
|
Mark and Rick pose with the two SM stages.
|
Squinting into the sun.
|
Cory packs the Aerotech L850 motor.
|
You may never see a prettier takeoff.
|
Billy Dahlberg and Todd Haring
walk their kids up the flight line.
|
Rocket beauty queens -
the Dalhberg and Haring girls.
|
This was a spectacular CATO of a Hypertek M1010FX motor.
|
Upscale fat boy by Brad Brillhart and Jerry Matheis
|
We don't really have an unnatural attraction to pumpkins, despite evidence to the contrary...
|
but with GHS held in October, it seems appropriate to launch them as often as possible.
|
RTV introduction to hybrid technology. Here, Rick assembles his West Coast Hybrids I motor, carefully checking his step-by-step procedures.
|
It all took a turn for the worse, however, when Rick strayed from the instructions and substituted 5-minute epoxy for the recommended lubricant.
|
The Evil Bert Drag Race
Five G-cluster rockets all constructed out of vintage Muppets puppets purchased on eBay.
Each leg held a G motor, either a G80 or a G64. The winner was the first off the pad, with extra points awarded for innovative design.
Click [HERE] for details on the Evil Bert Drag Race!
|
|
|
Halloweener
The Halloweener gets pulled of the hooks in Brad's garage only once a year for the GHS launch in October. This year it almost didn't fly due to damage it took in 2001 - but Mark decided that the Halloweener needed a new look anyway, and fashioned new fins for it - and even texturized the fins and the entire airframe with a bumpy, leathery look.
Click [HERE] for details on the October 2002 flight of the Halloweener!
|
|
|
The Evil Dr. Manchu's Avenging Projectile of Doom
Brad's Digital Video Launch Vehicle, this time loaded with a West Coat Hybrids I110 motor!
Click [HERE] for details on the October 2002 flight of The Evil Dr. Manchu's Avenging Projectile of Doom!
|
PHOTO ABOVE: Andy Woerner (left) and
Brad (right) stand idly by as Mark
is eaten by moths.
|
|
Thunderbird Mk1
A scale replica of the British surface-to-air missile launched on a five motor cluster - a central I211, plus four F24's!
Click [HERE] for details on the October 2002 flight of the Thunderbird Mk1!
|
|
|
Standard Missile
The team's biggest flight of the weekend - the 42% scale Standard Missile launching on a 75mm Aerotech L850, staging to an Aerotech 54mm J135!
Click [HERE] for details on the October 2002 flight of the 42% scale Standard Missile !
|
|