Blast From The Past

Blast From The Past Posts

Sport Rocketry / Components / Payloads / Onboard Cameras

Hangin' Out With 'Mr. Cineroc' Part 1 (2018-04-23)

Back in 1976, I received a letter in the mail from Silver Spring, MD, dated October 16th  and signed by a gentleman by the name of Herb Desind. In the letter Mr. Desind stated that he was a ... [Read More]

Hangin' Out With 'Mr Cineroc' - Part 2 - The Mad Scientist (2018-04-24)

In a November 17, 1977 letter, Herb sent along this photo... Referred to as his 'Mad Scientist' picture, it shows Herb and the launch of a two-staged Vigilante carrying, (what else?) a  ... [Read More]

Hangin Out With 'Mr. Cineroc' - Part 3 - One Of Herb's Rockets (2018-04-25)

Here is another photo which Herb Desind sent along in one of his letters....  Following is an excerpt describing this flight: " This rocket pictured is my very first 2-stage F-100 ... [Read More]

Hangin' With 'Mr Cineroc' - Part 4 The Day I Lost Herb's Rocket (2018-04-26)

Following is a tale of woe and sorrow surrounding an ill-fated Cineroc flight which I conducted for Herb Desind: This event occurred in the Winter of 1977 - I don't remember the precise date -when I ... [Read More]

Hangin' Out With 'Mr. Cineroc' - Part 5 - Herb at NARWIN-1 (2018-04-27)

In a letter dated January 6, 1978, Herb wrote; "Now on to other things.  I went to NARWIN-1 'Winter Nationals' in Phoenix over Christmas.  They were great and well run.  I met Stine, ... [Read More]

Hangin' Out With Mr. Cineroc, Part 6 - Us Guys Here In Colorado (2018-04-28)

At the time that I was corresponding with Herb Desind starting in 1976, the local rocket club I belonged to (Skywatchers/ROMAR) had dwindled to only five or six regular members.  We had ... [Read More]

Hangin' Out With 'Mr. Cineroc', Part 7 - Herb, The Science Teacher (2018-04-30)

In a short letter dated February 24, 1978, Herb enclosed a newspaper clipping with a photo.  This was a rocket demonstration launch conducted at Eisenhower Junior High School , presumably ... [Read More]

Hangin' Out With 'Mr. Cineroc' Part 8 - I Found 'Em !! (2018-05-01)

After much moving boxes around, rummaging, and sustaining a cut on my finger, I found two 8mm film reels containing some Cineroc flight footage I had taken for Herb Desind.  These were processed ... [Read More]

Hangin' Out With Mr. Cineroc, Part 8 - One more Anecdote... (2018-05-02)

In a letter dated September 13, 1978, Herb wrote the following: "First, I think it is funny as hell how the Estes R&D guy saw your rocket bust.  I am glad the Cineroc is OK.  ... [Read More]

Hangin' Out With 'Mr. Cineroc', Part 9 - Wrappin' Things Up (2018-05-04)

Well, boys and girls, this is likely the final post in the main body of this series about Herb Desind.   The final letter from Herb  I possess is from late 1978.  I am not sure why we ... [Read More]

Precisely What I Need - Another Project.... (2019-06-14)

I seem to suffer from a lot of the 'too-many-irons-in-the-fire' scenario. That being said, I received this in the mail yesterday.   Well, I didn't just receive it out of the blue - I did ... [Read More]

A Successful Keychain Cam Flight (2019-09-15)

A little over a week ago, on September 6th, I flew a Quest Big Rage with an 808 keychain video camera strapped to the payload section.  This marked the first time since 1981 that I flew a model ... [Read More]