#161
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Bill, Ken, et al, I have heard several times that collectors with large collections were interviewed by the Smithsonian regarding their collections. The handbook of model rocketry suggests a number of artifacts from the early years of model rocketry were donated to the Smithsonian. Yet if one queries the Air & Space collection artifact database there are very few model rocketry items listed, and none of any significant import. Searching the collections database for "Estes" or "Centuri" yields no hits at all. Searching on "Stine" yields a couple of kits he donatated, none of which are in any way significant. Within the museum itself, he only model rockets I saw during a recent visit were a small number of unimpressive kits in a case at the Udvar Hazy. I'm curious what anybody knows about the Smithsonian's collection, and why so little of it is accessible to the public. |
#162
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From what I understand, there is a very small model rocket display at the Smithsonian, I do have a contact person there, because I'm doing research for an article.
If I get a response from them, I will post it here. Ken |
#163
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Maybe Kurt can dig Bob Craddock up for us and ask him to join the forum and he can answer those questions. Bob works at the Smithsonian and Kurt is friends with him.
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Scott D. Hansen Ye Olde Rocket Shoppe - Your One Stop BAR Shoppe! Ye Olde Rocket Plans - OOP Rocket Plans From 38 Companies! Ye Olde Rocket Forum WOOSH NAR Section #558 |
#164
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When Lee Piester gave his talk at NARAM-48 last year, he mentioned visiting the Smithsonian and examining examples of Centuri products the museum had collected and stored. I think he even had a picture of him posing with a drawer which was open to show the kit packages.
I was in Washington, D.C., four months ago. The Museum on the Mall had NO model rocketry items on display (They did have Quest rockets in the Gift Shop). The Dulles Annex Museum had a display of space memoralbilia off to the side towards the back and against the wall in the Space Hanger. The two model rocketry items were from over thirty years ago and donated by G. Harry Stine. One was a COX Nike Zeus rocket still in the packaging but the shrink-wrap was missing. The second item was a MPC Starter Set and it was still in shrink-wrap. The local NAR Section should see if they can establish contact with someone at the Smithsonian and bring the display up to date. Bob |
#165
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Bob Craddock is the guy that worked there a few years ago (may still), and wrote about his visit to Vern and Gleda in Air & Space Magazine. He said he was working on a historical book on model rocketry, which his visit to the Estes' was in support of, but I haven't heard from him in many years. My understanding was that much of the Stine Collection (maybe all of it) was reclaimed by the Stines, and the collection or part of it is now in the care of the Museum of Flight in Seattle.
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Roy nar12605 |
#166
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I have a contact at the Air & Space Museum who I sent an email to asking if they had any model rockets there.
Six months ago I contacted the museum inquiring if they wanted to have a display at their hangar facility, limited response, and, I spoke to the powers to be at Estes about donating product, as you can see, that didn't go anywhere. As far as Bob Graddock goes, and this is third hand information, supposedly, he had a huge collection of kits given to him by the manufacturers, he was supposed to have used them in his book about the history of model rocketry. I spoke to Vern and asked about his book, he said he had the first three chapter written and that he should complete the book. In my opinion, Vern, Bill Simon and Lee Piester should get together to write a book, too bad this wasn't done before the 50th anniversary next year. I was looking into the possibility of a model rocket museum, and it was pointed out to me that a free standing museum would not survive, it would have to be connected to something else. So, my solution to that would be, why not have a museum located at Space Camp in Huntsville, you have the location, you have the audiance, it would be a natural fit. |
#167
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OK, so the Sky Shriek was originally a Red Baron Fokker, then a British Spad or Camel; the Zoom Broom was a Gee Bee before a Russian Interceptor; and the Galaxy Guppy was a zeppelin. So that leaves the Phantom. I give up. F-4 Phantom????
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#168
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Bob, Lee Piester's talk is the kind of thing I'm curious about. A number of people have suggested the Smithsonian has a collection, and I think most rocketeers would be happy to donate, but there's just no hard evidence such a collection really exists. Bill's mentioning being given something by "a gent at the Smithsonian" made me wonder again if there really is a holy grail of rocketry collections laying hidden in some basement in Washington. Is there really an El Dorado of model rocketry? The two items you saw were what I was referencing at the Udvar-Hazy. Each of them is included in the Smithsonian Collections Database which can be searched by the public. Searching on "Stine" brings up the items on display, but "NAR, Carlisle, Estes, Centuri, Semroc" all yield nothing, which strongly suggests the Smithsonian has almost no real collection. Interestingly, searching on "VFR" does bring up a nozzle from a one stick repulsor in the collection. So there does appear to be at least an inkling of an understanding of the role played by model rocketeers and rocketry societies in the history of space exploration. But as of now, I've yet to see evidence the Smithsonian has any significant model rocketry artifact collection, or any interest in collecting any. I have to admit, I think that's really odd. |
#169
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Gus
Please read my post, I have a contact at the Air & Space Museum, I will find out next week what is going on there as far as model rocketry goes Patience, the question will be answered...... |
#170
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Gus, When Lee Piester spoke at NARAM-48, his wife, Betty, and one of his daughters had made a collage of pictures from Lee's life. One of the pictures shows Lee at the Smithsonian, wearing gloves, inspecting an open cabinet drawer with model rocket kits. I took several pictures of that collage and found this picture. I have cropped the image to only show this picture which has lost some resolution. This event took place in 2001. Bob |
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