Steve Lindeman's Page
AKA: Goonster
Location: Laingsburg, MI
Certification Level: NAR
Club Memberships: JMRC NAR#620,HUVARS NAR#463
Favorite Rockets: Goony Birds, DynaStar's - Snarky, Estes - E-Interceptors and any of my scratch builds
Biography:
A native of Iowa, my family moved to Texas in Aug. 62 where I first got into rocketry during the Apollo era when every kid wanted to be an astronaut. My introduction to the sport was an Astron X-Ray which I ordered from an add in Boy's Life Magazine through the Boy Scout's and launched with a medium sized 2" long grasshopper as a bug-a-naught. Both rocket and grasshopper survived the flight. Dropped out in 1966 due to military hitch then moved to Michigan after getting married and starting a 30 year career at G.M.. Was back into the hobby for a while in mid 70's before again dropping out until the late 90's just before my retirement. Now I truly am a Born Again Rocketeer and devote a lot more time to building and flying rockets. My current fleet has grown to over 100 (sixteen of which are Goony Birds). I also now have a grandson (Mehcod) that I take to launches and that I hope to help build rockets with and t as he gets older and that will someday inherit my collection.
Favorite Quote:
"I'll never grow up" : Peter Pan
"Beam me up Scotty", "Warp Speed Ahead" : Star Trek's Captain Kirk
Club Home Page: http://www.jmrconline.org/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/steven.lindeman.9
RocketReviews.com Pages:
2023-05-13
Pluto
Flight
Maiden Flight. Nice fast take-off straight up. Parachute deployed after apogee and rocket drifted down range. No damage on recovery. - D12-5 - Horning's Field #2, Manchester, MI [More]
Mars Longship
Flight
Maiden flight. Nice straight up flight with parachute being deployed just past apogee. Wind pushed rocket back over flight line but recovered with no damage. - D12-5 - Horning's Field #2, Manchester, MI [More]
Low-boom SST
Flight
Maiden flight. Didn't have any C5-3's or C6-3's so went with a C6-5. Rocket climbed off the rod to about 400' or so and deployed parachute after apogee. Long walk for recovery but no damage was found on rocket. - C6-5 - Horning's Field #2, Manchester, MI [More]
Star Orbiter
Flight
Maiden flight. Unfortunately the motor man didn't show up so couldn't buy any 29mm motors. Grabbed my 24mm adaptor and loaded it with an Estes E12-4. Rocket wobbled on take off due to not having a 1/4" rod but straighten out half way up. Biggest rod they had was 3/16" and I don't have rail buttons ... [More]
Goblin
Flight
Maiden flight. Loaded the rocket with the 24x18 adaptor and flew it on an 18mm motor. Nice straight flight with streamers ejected after apogee. Recovered a short distance from the pad. No damage. - C6-5 - Horning's Field #2, Manchester, MI [More]
Der Red Max
Flight
Maiden flight. Beautiful flight straight up. Parachute deployed just past apogee and rocket drifter a short ways down range. No damage on recovery. - B6-4 - Horning's Field #2, Manchester, MI [More]
Expedition
Flight
Maiden flight. Running short on D motors so went for broke and loaded her with an E12-4. Rocket took off straight up to about the predicted 1100'. Parachute deployed at apogee and rocket drifted down range. A long walk for recovery but no damage found on rocket. Beautiful flight. - E12-4 - ... [More]
Mehcod 2
Flight
Green and white rocket. Second flight for this rocket. Another great flight straight up. Parachute after apogee. Rocket drifted down range a ways with no damage on recovery. - D12-5 - Horning's Field #2, Manchester, MI [More]
SS Kevin Andrew
Flight
Decided to step this one up as there was almost no wind. Went with an E12-4 for this flight. Rocket shot off the pad straight up to around 1000'. Parachute deployed just after apogee. Long walk to recover this one and found that rocket had spit the motor out. Was lucky that the parachute deployed. ... [More]
2020-09-12
Scorpion
Flight
Nice straight up flight. Good altitude for this little 13mm motor. Parachute ejection at apogee and then rocket started to drift over trees. Lost to rocket eating trees. - A3-4 - Out back of house - Laingsberg, MI [More]
2020-08-17
Estes D-Region Tomahawk - Upper Body Tube, Nose Cone, & Shock Cord Assembly
Build Entry
At this point in the assembly (step 7. Fin Assembly) I am skipping for now as I plan to paint the fins with flat paint before assembly. So on to step 8. I applied three light bands of carpenter's glue around the stuffer tube and slid it in the upper tube with a twisting motion. I then cleaned up ... [More]
Estes D-Region Tomahawk - Fin Body & Lower Body Tube Assembly
Build Entry
Fin body was test fitted and then plastic glue applied as per instructions. Tube assembly was laid in place and other half of fin body attached and taped together then set aside to dry. In the mean time I grabbed the lower tube and marked the tube for the launch lugs. Once the fin body was set I ... [More]
Estes D-Region Tomahawk - Engine Mount Tube Assembly & Stuffer Bulkhead Assembly
Build Entry
As typical with Estes builds the motor mount is the first step. I marked the yellow engine spacer at the 3/4" mark and then grabbed a plastic straw and marked it at 2 3/4". I then used the plastic straw to apply a bead of white glue inside the motor tube. I then slide the green engine stop block ... [More]
2020-08-13
Estes D-Region Tomahawk
Build
This is a replacement for one that I lost last year at a club launch in Brooklyn, MI. At ejection shock cord snapped and body tube came in ballistic way down range. NC drifted back in opposite direction for a very, very long walk. On recovery of rocket, top half was crushed down to baffle I ... [More]
2020-04-24
Estes Cosmic Interceptor - Flight
Build Entry
Sorry I took so long in posting the flight of this kit. Maiden flight was on 05-28-16 on an Estes E9-4. This was a slow lift off the pad and weather cocking badly. End result saw rocket going horizontal. Way under powered as it didn't gain much altitude. Had the new ... [More]
2020-04-18
Estes Expedition (7249) - Touch-up and Decals
Build Entry
Made a trip to Wal-Mart the other day and picked up some detail brushes so I could touch up the paint on this build. I first touched up all the blue, then the red, followed by the white. Satisfied with touch up work I gave rocket a couple hours out in the sun to dry. After that I cut out all ... [More]
2020-04-07
Estes Puma (7256) - Decals and recovery system
Build Entry
The decals for this build were a pain to cut out and a bit of a fuss to align properly and apply but look good once on. After giving the rocket some time to air dry I then clear coated it with Dupli-Color Clear EFFEX. After giving it yet another day to air dry I then installed the parachute as per ... [More]
Estes Puma (7256) - Painting & masking
Build Entry
Well it finally warmed up enough to paint and I have five rockets that are primed and ready. I found a can of Dupli-Color Metalcast Anodized Surface Color System red paint and decided to go with it. I also decided not to go with the recommended chrome base and just sprayed it over the white ... [More]
2020-04-06
Estes Expedition (7249) - Painting & Masking
Build Entry
Well I managed to rummage around out in the garage and found some red paint. A can of Dupli-Color Metalcast Anodized Surface Color System. But instead of applying it over a chrome surface I used it over white primer. In other words, it doesn't quite have the metallic red look. I think it looks ... [More]
2020-03-28
Estes Expedition (7249) - Coronavirus time
Build Entry
Well I need to get to the store and get some red paint for this build but with everything shutting down due to the virus don't know when that will be. Michigan is basically under a lock down now so no travel except for necessities and I don't think I can convince them how necessary paint is. They ... [More]
2020-03-27
Estes Puma (7256) - Painting & masking
Build Entry
Painted the nose cone canopy white yesterday and then put rocket aside for the day to dry completely. Today I masked off the rest of the rocket in prep for main color. May have wasted my time as the weather man is calling for rain for the next four days. Oh well, with this mandatory stay at home ... [More]
Estes Lynx (7233) - Decals
Build Entry
Well I managed to get the decals on today and I must say they were the most difficult part of the build. They were very thin and hard to see to cut out. I tried staying inside the black lines while cutting them out and still ended up with some white edges along the decals. Oh well, they won't be ... [More]
2020-03-26
Estes Lynx (7233) - Main Paint
Build Entry
Finally able to get some black paint on this bird. Tomorrow I hope to get the decals done but won't be able to clear coat it for a few days as its supposed to rain the next four days. Oh well with this Coronavirus going around I'm in no hurry.
Black paint applied
Lynx ready for decals [More]
2020-03-07
Estes Scorpion (7232) - Scorpion Maiden Flight
Build Entry
Sorry I'm so late in getting this launch photo posted. On July 9, 2016 I loaded up the Scorpion along with several other rockets and headed south to Brooklyn, MI for a club launch across from Michigan International Speedway at Graves Farm Campgrounds.
Scorpion going in 5...4...3... [More]
2020-02-23
Estes Puma (7256) - Primmer Time
Build Entry
Weather got up to 53 degrees today so I decided to take a chance and apply the primmer. Turned out OK. I tried a test piece with some black paint but it started to fog up as its not warm enough so will have to wait for warmer weather to do the color painting. I also noted that the black marker ... [More]
Estes Puma (7256) - Install Engine Mount & Prepare Recovery System
Build Entry
The final two steps were to glue the engine mount in and attach the nose cone and recovery system. All that is left now is to prime and paint when the weather warms up this spring.
Engine Mount & NC installed
Ready for primmer
[More]
Estes Puma (7256) - Attaching Wing, Canards, & Launch Lugs
Build Entry
Next I glued the wing on. After allowing some drying time I attached the front strip "W" to the tail and body tube. Once it was dried I attached the canards and set the rocket aside to allow everything to dry. After that I glued on the launch lugs.
Wing & Tail glued on
Canards, ... [More]
Estes Puma (7256) - Wing & Tail Assembly
Build Entry
I first glued the tail onto the back wing and allowed it to dry. Next I glued the wing pods on. After they were dry I cut and glued the three pieces of wood dowel "O" in place. While they were drying I took the body tube and marked it as instructed as this was the next step in the instructions.
... [More]
Estes Puma (7256) - Wing & Tail Prep
Build Entry
OMG. I can't believe I'm so far behind. Ok so I glued together the three wing pieces and the two tail pieces and set them aside to dry. After allowing ample time for them to dry I then paper coated them. I also applied paper to part "J" of the wing pod.
Wing, Conards & Tail prep [More]
