Why it’s best to always orders two nose cones

It was a dark and stormy night; a perfect night for exploring the contents of the box with SEMROC printed on the side.

He had seen the box placed on the front steps by the mail carrier. He wanted to rush out and rip open the box immediately, but he knew he would have to wait until the household had settled down for the evening before he could play.

Hours had passed since the box had been delivered and now he finally had a chance to play. He carefully pulled back the long flaps to reveal the magical contents. He stared lovingly into the box knowing that the contents would provide hours of enjoyment even before the first drop of glue was applied. The box with SEMROC stamped on the side always held fascinating things. He knew that he could he stay up into the wee hours of the morning just staring at the contents of the magical box.

The long, skinny tubes at the top of the box were interesting and he stroked a few, but quickly lost interest in them. The packing material hid the rest of the content s of the box, so he picked out a few Styrofoam peanuts and let them fall to the floor. He found the packing slip next, but he was too excited to look at the short thank you from Sheryl or to see what items had been shipped. He dropped the paper and watched with satisfaction as it drifted down to join the packing peanuts on the floor.

He returned his attention to the box and now he saw the thing he was looking for. As hard as he tried to appreciate the body tubes and the Kevlar shock cords, it was the smooth balsa nose cones that always fascinated him.

Suddenly a noise from the kitchen distracted him. He ducked down and slunk away. He knew he would get a scolding for playing with the new toys. He darted around the corner as fast as he could. He was breathing hard, but it appeared he had escaped unseen! He cautiously crept back and carefully peered around the corner. He saw the lady of the house surveying the small mess with a bemused look on her face. She shook her head slightly as she whispered “boys and their toys”. She retrieved the discarded Styrofoam and packing slip and soon left the room.

He waited a short while until he was certain the coast was clear. He slipped back into the room and headed straight for the box. She hadn’t touched the box and he quickly found the nose cones again. The small pieces of balsa wood taunted him from inside their little bags and he sighed ever so slightly. He always had trouble opening the little bags, but he eventually they always yielded to him. The bags were often destroyed in his haste to get the parts free, but he was careful never to damage the contents.

He selected the item that would be his focus for the evening and pulled the bag free from the box. He patiently worked at opening the bag, but he fumbled with the smooth vinyl. Eventually frustration gave way and he ripped the small bag apart with his teeth.

Two nose cones tumbled free. One rolled to the edge of the table, but he quickly reached out and pulled it back to its mate before it could fall. His eyes darted back and forth between the tempting balsa pieces. Which one? Which one? The question haunted him as it always did at times like these.

He studied them carefully; noting the texture of the grain as he gently rolled each nose cone across the table. He even examined the subtle pattern of the grain in the wood. Which one? Which one? He just couldn’t decide; they were so similar.

He stared at them some more and then tentatively reached out and touched them. One of them quivered and began to roll. He watched it roll and roll and then it fell to the floor. That had to be the one! He went after it, snatched it up and ran. He ran to the basement and stopped in a dark corner. He dropped it once again and stared at it. He pushed it gently with one of his feet, but it wouldn’t roll on the carpet. He bent down and examined it carefully; he even sniffed it a little. Ahh, how I love the smell of balsa in the evening he thought to himself.

The selection process had taken hours, but he was happy with his decision. He held it gently and then did what he longed to do since the box was first delivered. He gave in to his desire and the soft wood yielded easily to his fangs. Several hard bites from his feline jaws and the king of the house had completed his task; this nose cone would never leave the ground!

The inspiration for my story

Zeus-cat

Some wood filler and sanding and that nose cone can still reach it's full potential!

I can't wait until someone posts a story about a cat being launched as a payload in a model rocket. Now THAT would be entertaining.

I'm kidding - I'm kidding!

I just don't like cats.

I say give it a go with a little filler. I have taken nose cones that looked far worse and made them flight worthy.

Great story.

Cats = Bad.

Make beleive that I posted the link to wav of the great exchange Cartman had with his mom regarding the kitty.

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-Fred Shecter NAR 20117 (L2)
Southern California Rocket Association, NAR Section 430

I feel your pain. Our cat chewed up the balsa fin on my unfinished 2001 Saturn V a few years ago.

BTW, for a while there, I thought you might have been reading your wife's Danielle Steele romance novels.

Now THAT would HURT!

ROTFLOL!!!!!!!!!

Agreed, wood filler will do the job easily (been there, done that)....

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Dave, NAR # 21853 SR.

Hehe. Sounds like a story Bill would tell, stroking some tubes.


Our cat was this >< close to being an Ex-cat after I found he had chewed on the plastic fins of one of my orignal chrome Citation Quasar's. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Scott D. Hansen
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