Rocketry Videos

"Pointless" High Power Rocket Launch- April 22, 2018 (2018-04-25)

Launched at Midwest Blast 3 in Three Oaks MI. Golf ball for a nosecone. Eleven feet tall & 20 pounds. 6" to 4" to 3" to 1.6" Blue Tube body tubes. Two camcorders- one pointing up; one pointing ... [View]

"Retro Cinema 1" High Power Rocket Launch 04 22 18 (2018-04-24)

Launched at Midwest Blast 3 in Three Oaks, MI. This rocket was built as a tribute to "Cinema 1"- which was built as a two-stage rocket by Kirk Packo and me in 1971, and which carried a one-pound ... [View]

Cinema X-1 High Power Rocket- Maiden Launch, Dec. 15 2012 (2012-12-16)

Launched at the Varn Ranch in Plant City FL during the monthly TTRA launch. Scratch-built rocket is seven feet tall and weighs 14 pounds loaded with an Aerotech J800 motor. Blue Tube construction ... [View]

Clustered two-stage rocket onboard movie from 1977!! (2009-06-30)

"Cinema 2"- two stage scratch built rocket carried a Kodak 8mm film movie camera. Two Centuri F motors on first stage and one Centuri F motor on second stage- back when these black powder motors ... [View]

Delta Clipper High Power Rocket- Midwest Blast 2- April 23 2017 (2017-04-25)

Launched at Midwest Blast 2 at Three Oaks, MI. Scratch-built semi-scale model of the McDonnell Douglass vertical landing test rocket from the 1990's, and the original project had the involvement of ... [View]

Estes "Top Shot" Low Power Rocket Launch- Oct. 23, 2015 (2015-10-26)

Estes "Top Shot" rocket powered by an Estes E9-6 motor. 60fps keychain camcorder. Rocket took a right turn off the launch rail and weather-cocked into the 10mph wind. Ejection charge successfully ... [View]

Estes Partizon 2 0 High Power Launch- Oct. 13 2018 (2018-10-16)

Estes Partizon- customized to add camcorder payload bay. Aerotech G80-10 motor. Jolly Logic Chute Release device. Perfectflite mini altimeter. Top Flight parachutes. Achieved altitude of 1,344 with ... [View]

Estes Partizon 2 0 Mid Power Launch Aug 26 2017 (2017-08-28)

Added an altimeter bay and Perfectflite dual deploy altimeter to the Estes Pro Series II kit. Nice flight and successful recovery. Close-up vidcaps of piston recovery system which I added. Rocket was ... [View]

High Power Cluster Motor Rocket "Lawn Dart" Disaster Averted at 400 Feet- 3/19/2011 (2011-03-20)

Monthly TTRA launch at Varn ranch, Plant City FL. CINEMA 5 rocket had (2) G80-10 Aerotech motors and had flown successfully several times before. Igniters were tested for matched resistance and even ... [View]

High Power Clustered Rocket Onboard Video Launch- "Cinema 5" (2010-06-20)

Launched at the Varn ranch, Plant City FL during the monthly TTRA launch. "Cinema 5" used two Aerotech G80-10 motors and an Aiptek Hi Speed HD camcorder. Rocket reached 1,615 feet and safely landed, ... [View]

High Power L2 Rocket w/ Onboard Video- Thick Black Exhaust Smoke- 5/20/2011 (2011-05-23)

Launched at monthly TTRA launch at Varn Ranch, Plant City, FL. Aerotech J401 Black Max and Aiptek Hi Speed HD camcorder. Camcorder record button turned itelf off after only three seconds of flight- ... [View]

High Power Level 2 Rocket Launch w/ Onboard Video- Unplanned Drag Race and Almost Cow Landing (2012-05-20)

Launched at monthly TTRA launch at Varn ranch, Plant City FL. Aerotech J250 Black Max reload and Aiptek Hi Speed HD 60fps camcorder. Two Perfectfilte altimeters. Parachutes by Phylachutes. My ... [View]

High Power Level 2 Rocket Onboard Video- Incredible Spin Rate During Descent for CINEMA 6.5 (2010-07-18)

Launched at the monthly TTRA launch at Varn ranch, Plant City, FL. CINEMA 6.5 was completely rebuilt after the May water landing of CINEMA 6, when the camcorder continued recording for several ... [View]

High Power Level 2 Rocket w/ Onboard Video- "RETRO CINEMA 1" Almost Lands on a Herd of Cows (2012-03-19)

79" tall scratch-built Blue Tube design transitioned from 3" motor/fin tube to 2.2" main body tube back to 3" camcorder tube. Reminiscent of a rocket design Kirk Packo and I built and launched in ... [View]

High Power Onboard Rocket Video Dec. 19, 2009- "Cinema 4" (2009-12-20)

Launched at TTRA monthly event held at Varn ranch, Plant City, FL. "Cinema 4" scratch-built rocket with Aerotech H180-12 motor (I wanted to see some blue sky before the ejection charge fired). ... [View]

High Power Rocket Booster Becomes Whistling Lawn Dart! (2019-07-16)

Airstart 1 is a two stage high power rocket. Booster stage Aerotech I200 and sustainer stage G80. Sustainer failed to igniter- airstart timer failure. Booster stage ejection charge failed, and ... [View]

High Power Rocket Freefalls From 1,500 Feet! (2018-10-16)

Scratch-built from 2" diameter mailing tubes, "Air Mail" is 53" tall and weighs 23 ounces. G80-10 Blue Thunder Aerotech single use motor. Homemade 10" mylar drogue chute broke and fouled the main ... [View]

High Power Rocket Launch w/ Panoramic Onboard Video- May 20, 2011 (2011-05-23)

Launched at the monthly TTRA launch at Varn Ranch, Plant City FL. CINEMA 3.5 used a Aerotech I200 White Lightning motor and flew an Aiptek Hi Speed HD camcorder. The camcorder was positioned so that ... [View]

High Power Rocket Launch with Drogue Streamers/ Camcorders (2013-01-20)

Launched at the monthly TTRA launch at the Varn ranch in Plant City, FL. I reconstructed my CINEMA 4.5 rocket to have a 39" long camcorder section with its own altimeter and main chute. Used a 70" ... [View]

High Power Rocket Onboard Video of Homemade Main Chute Deployment Device (2010-07-18)

Monthly TTRA launch at Varn ranch, Plant City FL. CINEMA 4 contained homemade main chute deployment device (see my newsletter article at Apogee Components) which allows for a single deploy rocket to ... [View]

High Power Rocket Onboard Video Sept. 19, 2009- Tripoli Level 1 Cert. Flight (2009-09-21)

Launched at TTRA monthly event held at Varn ranch, Plant City, FL. Maiden flight for "Cinema 4" scratch-built rocket with Aerotech H180-10 motor. Separate parachutes, custom-made by Phylachutes, for ... [View]

High Power Rocket Onboard Video- "Cinema 3" - Feb. 20, 2010 (2010-02-23)

Launched at TTRA monthly event held at Varn ranch, Plant City, FL. "Cinema 3" was powered by a G80-10 motor and carried an Aiptek HD-1 camcorder. Test of a homemade parachute release device ... [View]

High Power Rocket Onboard Video- CINEMA 4.5- Feb. 19, 2011 Launch (2011-02-20)

Launched at the monthly TTRA launch at the Varn ranch, Plant City FL. CINEMA 4.5 flew an Aiptek Hi HD camcorder and an Aerotech I200-10 motor with a PerfectFlite altimeter for main chute deployment ... [View]

High Power Rocket Onboard Video- Hard Landing with Drogue Chute Only- Nov. 20, 2010 (2010-11-22)

Launched at the monthly TTRA launch at the Varn ranch, Plant City, FL. CINEMA 4 was powered by an Aerotech I200 motor and carried an Aiptek camcorder. The shock from the drogue deployment dislodged ... [View]

High Power Rocket Onboard Video- Some Awesome Vidcaps- and Cow Poo- January 21, 2012 (2012-01-23)

Launched at the monthly TTRA launch at Varn ranch, Plant City FL. CINEMA 4.5, which is my L1 certification rocket, was rebuilt to accomodate 38mm motors and full dual deploy via a Perfectflite ... [View]

High Power Rocket Tripoli Level 2 Certification Flight Feb. 20, 2010- "Cinema 6"- Success! (2010-02-23)

Successful Level 2 certification flight. Launched at TTRA monthly event held at Varn ranch, Plant City, FL. "Cinema 6" is a scratch-built, 65" tall Blue Tube 3" diameter rocket. Launched using a ... [View]

High Power Rocket Two Motor-Cluster Onboard Video- April 21, 2012- "CINEMA 5.5" (2012-04-22)

Launched at monthly TTRA launch at Varn Ranch, Plant City FL. Two Aerotech H128 motors ignited simultaneously and rocket launched into strong wind. Nice views of fin section "flying" at the end of ... [View]

High Power Rocket w/ Onboard Video Lands in Fresh Cow Poo!! (2010-06-20)

Launched at the monthly TTRA launch at the Varn cattle ranch in Plant City, FL. Rocket was powered by an Aerotech H180-10 motor and contained an Aiptek Hi Speed HD camcorder. Rocket achieved an ... [View]

High Power Rocket w/ Onboard Video- Fantastic Vidcaps- March 19, 2011 (2011-03-21)

Launched at the monthly TTRA launch at the Varn ranch, Plant City FL. CINEMA 3.5 used an Aerotech I200 White Lightning motor and an Aiptek Hi Speed HD 60 fps camcorder. Altimeter fired the main ... [View]

J275 High Power Rocket Launch w/ Tender Descender- "Cinema 6"- March 20, 2010 (2010-03-25)

Launched at Varn ranch in Plant City, FL. "Cinema 6" scratch-built L2 rocket with J275 motor and Tender Descender main chute release device. Flight went perfectly and Tender Descender released main ... [View]

Jolly Logic Chute Release- "Airmail" July 13, 2019 (2019-07-18)

Scratch-built from mailing tubes and repurposed nosecone. Aerotech G80 single-use motor. Upward & downward facing camcorders. Rocket achieved altitude of 1,117 feet per Perfectflight Firefly ... [View]

Level 3 Certification Flight- Onboard Video- CINEMA 7- March 16, 2013 (2013-03-17)

Launched at the monthly TTRA launch at the Varn ranch in Plant City FL. CINEMA 7 is a scratch-built, 10 feet tall, 6" diameter Blue Tube rocket weighing 45 pounds. Piston ejection for both drogue and ... [View]

Mid Power Rocket Launch POV Onboard Camcorder April 05, 2016 (2016-04-07)

Launched in northwest OH. "Top Shot 2.0" is completely reconfigured Estes rocket (saved only the nosecone) with a Missleworks Altimeter and a G79-7 White Lightning single use motor. 808 keychain ... [View]

Model Rocket Onboard Video August 15, 2009 (2009-08-17)

Launched at TTRA monthly event held at Varn ranch, Plant City, FL. "Cinema 3" scratch-built rocket with G80-7 motor. Separate parachutes, custom-made by Phylachutes, for Aiptek HD-1 camcorder and ... [View]

Model rocket onboard video June 20, 2009 (2009-06-30)

Launched at TTRA monthly event held at Varn ranch, Plant City, FL. "Cinema 3" scratch-built rocket with G78-4 motor. Separate parachutes for Aiptek HD-1 camcorder and rocket sections. Rocket ... [View]

Rocket Onboard Video Nov. 21, 2009- "Cinema 3" (2009-11-23)

Launched at TTRA monthly event held at Varn ranch, Plant City, FL. "Cinema 3" scratch-built 52" tall rocket from Aerotech parts and one Aerotech G80-7 motor. Very first test of a timer-fired, ... [View]

Skylab Saturn V High Power Rocket Launch- April 17, 2016 (2016-04-19)

Scratch-built six feet tall and 17 pound rocket. Two altimeters- Missleworks & Perfectflite. Blue Tube body tubes. Custom transition and Skylab nosecone turned by Raochwerks. Lexan fins. Three ... [View]

Successful Launch of Homemade Main Chute Deployment Device- CINEMA 3.5- Nov. 20, 2010 (2010-11-21)

Launched at TTRA monthly event held at Varn ranch, Plant City, FL. "Cinema 3.5" was powered by a H250-10 motor and carried an Aiptek HD-1 camcorder. Another successful flight of a homemade parachute ... [View]

Successful Launch of Homemade Main Chute Deployment Device- Feb. 19, 2011 (2011-02-20)

CINEMA 3.5 used an Aerotech H250 Mojave green motor- notice the green hue of the exhaust on the vidcaps. The vidcaps also show the moment just after the Quest Q2G2 igniter fired, cutting the fishing ... [View]

Successful Launch of Homemade Main Chute Deployment Device: March 20, 2010- "Cinema 3" Onboard Video (2010-03-22)

Launched at TTRA monthly event held at Varn ranch, Plant City, FL. "Cinema 3" was powered by a G80-10 motor and carried an Aiptek HD-1 camcorder. Successful flight of a homemade parachute release ... [View]

Two G-Motor Cluster Rocket Onboard Video Nov. 21, 2009 (2009-11-22)

Launched at TTRA monthly event held at Varn ranch, Plant City, FL. Maiden flight for "Cinema 5" scratch-built 57" tall rocket from PML parts and a motor cluster of two Aerotech G80-10 motors. ... [View]

Two Stage High Power Airstart Onboard Rocket Video Dec. 19, 2009- "Airstart 1" (2009-12-20)

Launched at TTRA monthly event held at Varn ranch, Plant City, FL. Maiden flight for "Airstart 1" scratch-built 61" tall rocket from PML and Aerotech parts. H180-4 booster motor and G80-10 upper ... [View]

Two Stage High Power Airstart Rocket Onboard Vid with Great Vidcaps- 4/16/2011 (2011-04-17)

Launched at the monthly TTRA launch in the Varn ranch in Plant City FL. "Airstart 1" is a scratch-built two stage rocket that has a 2.5" dia. upper stage and 3" dia. booster stage. The upper stage's ... [View]

Two Stage High Power Airstart Rocket Onboard Video w/ Vidcaps- Airstart 2- May 18, 2013 (2013-05-21)

Launched at monthly TTRA launch at Varn ranch in Plant City FL. Two stage scratch-built Blue Tube 3" dia. rocket is 94" tall. Aerotech I435T Blue Thunder booster and I225FJ Black Max reloads. Aiptek ... [View]

Two Stage High Power Rocket Launch- "Airstart 1", September 18, 2010 (2010-09-21)

Launched at the monthly TTRA launch in the Varn ranch in Plant City FL. "Airstart 1" is a scratch-built two stage rocket that has a 2.5" dia. upper stage and 3" dia. booster stage. The upper stage's ... [View]

Unbelievable High Power Rocket Launch with Underwater Onboard Video at Landing! (2010-05-19)

Launched at Varn ranch in Plant City, FL. "Cinema 6" scratch-built L2 rocket with J275 motor and Tender Descender main chute release device. Flight went perfectly until main chute prematurely ... [View]