| This Estes Alpha was found in my attic soon after
I became a BAR. It was built when I first got into rocketry around
1969. I received two Alphas then, and this was one of them.
Not sure if this it the one that came with my starter kit or whether it
was received as a separate gift at that same time.
The reader will notice the fins are on upside down - hey, I was about
eight when I first built it, so I won't beat myself up over it.
It was found in the attic in 1999 at the bottom of a box of Hot Wheels
stuff. Two fins were broken but it was otherwise intact. I
put two new fins on it, still upside down, but this time with the grain
oriented properly.
I soon learned the value of proper motor selection when I put a B4-2
in it and got my first zipper. The rocket separated and one fin was
broken when it crashed. Of course, that was the one remaining fin with
the bad grain orientation. If I'd known I would lose that fin, too,
I might have oriented all three of them right-side-up to begin with during
the rehab.
The rocket has since been repaired and given a proper retirement flight.
I recently added the Tango Papa decal. It turned out very nice.
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