Reported by Chuck Lahmeyer
Just back yesterday from vacation which included LDRS for 3 days. Yes I saw the big Redstone "go up". (depends on your interpretation) So I guess I should give a bit of a report.
July in Kansas can be brutal. This year was a record 70 year heat wave with people dropping dead in dozens in Mo. and Illinois. I saw 100+ in Missouri and that's the humidity, temps were also rather high. Actually I took only one day to acclimatize in KS, then did better the next two days. So the first day we just watched and panted. AWESOME indeed to see so many nice rockets going up. They had 60 pads and a very organized hosting and launching service, a helper went out to each 10-pad load to be of assistance if needed. Except for short periods of too-windy, they were launching all day till 6PM. Saturday night the sky opened up and took a dump on us, I mean a DUMP, rain like from firehoses. So the next day was a wee bit cooler but humider.
I'd say the event was only, say 50% bigger than ROC Stock, the attraction was people from every state in the Union and many vendors and celebrities. Met the real Quentin, rocket boy, he's a Texas oilman now but enjoyed his moment of fame. Alan Sheppard's daughter was there to press the button on the big Redstone/Mercury which was an exact 1/3 scale replica of Sheppard's vehicle. You all know what happened but I did catch it on video altho I haven't viewed it yet. (previewed it on the camera viewer). I don't guess anyone else from these parts was there. The only other Californio I met there was Charles Rogers (the other one) whom I had wanted to meet for about 30 years (and I've only been in the sport a year). We had a nice visit and exchanged e-names. Met the "Rocketman" and helped him read some of the article about him in German Playboy. Oh yeah, met Scott Bartell, I believe he's a Californian also.
So what the hell was I doing there? Well I saved my current "big" project for LDRS and got a first flight there. BIG to me is 4" and 8 feet tall which I call the Millenium 3, it has a 75mm X 31" motor mount but I kluged up an adapter and launched it on a 54mm J135. It flew fine and weathercocked nicely into the 19.9 mph Kansas wind then drifted back on said wind and landed right at my feet. Literally about 20 feet away. On the video, I am saying, "I think its going to land on me".
One guy launched an "Aries" on 4 M1939's (that's a FULL O, do the math) It flew great. The Redstone exploded of course, but it was a 'soft' explosion as far as sound concussion, mostly a big roar. Of course we were 3/4 mile away and I'm sure the Redstone didn't consider it "soft". The crowd couldn't figure out what was still hanging on the launch tower for a while, it was the upper half of the Redstone. But it did not "fail to clear the tower" as one website suggests, because the photo in the Wichita paper clearly shows the entire rocket above and clear of the tower. No, the rocket came down and "impaled" itself on the launch tower.
I also visited John Wickman and his CP Technologies company in Casper, Wyoming on my way home. Also visited Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons (what's that mean in English?) on my way home.
I think I shot about 1/2 hour of video footage, if anyone has a TV/vcr setup in his RV this weekend we could play some of it.
Ya shoulda been there!!! Didn't see CarlD there, (he must be in a RAGE).
Best wishes and see you all Saturday,
Chuck Lahmeyer
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