The
Dallas Area Rocket Society Presents 
The
Fall Classic VII
October 15,
2011 Frisco, Texas
This year DARS salutes 
The Fall
Classic is The Dallas Area Rocket Society’s annual contest that is part air
show, museum visit, and science lesson all rolled into one! The contests are simple and fun... The
rockets are classic and cool. Did we
mention that there are prizes?
Centuri was a
pioneering company within the hobby.
From their beginings in 1961, they competed head to head with Estes
until their end in 1983 (in actuality both compaines were bought by Damon in
the early 70s so the belonged to the same parent). Along the way they created some of the most
iconic and memorable models in the hobby.
This year’s events pay homage to all the usual Fall Classic fair, but
with a special emphasis on the company from Phoenix. Centuri was known for being one of the first
companies to bring mid power rockets to the fray. They had “E” and “F” motors in the 60’s! They also developed several kits with die-cut
fiber board fins. For some additional
details on the Centuri story, check out the Centuri
Memories site.
This Year’s Event Sponsors
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Click on the
logo’s above to link to their sites.
What’s New? (Updated
10/3/2011)
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The sponsor list is final.
The folks you see above are this year’s outstanding sponsors!
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Shirts – The FCVII shirts have arrived and are being distributed. Check out the front
and back. I have 1 extra
XL, and the first $17 takes it.
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Map to the site - Frisco
Field
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A final word about the competition – Although the emphasis is
on Centuri this year, and those design will be featured, rockets from any
manufacturer can, and will win categories at the event. Don’t skip the event because you don’t have a
Centuri rocket to enter. All classics
are welcome and encouraged to compete!
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Here is this year’s schedule of events
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Schedule of Events for TDFC VII |
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9:00 |
Arrive and set up |
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10:00 |
Begin registration |
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Swap Meet Opens |
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11:00 |
1st Kids Drawing |
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12:00 |
2nd Kids Drawing |
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Polls Open - Voting Begins |
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1:00 |
Centuri Salute |
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3rd Kids Drawing |
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2:00 |
4th Kids Drawing |
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3:00 |
Polls Close |
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Final flights for points must be complete |
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5th Kids Drawing |
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3:30 |
Winners Announced/Prizes Awarded |
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4:00 |
Swap Meet Closes |
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Tear Down/Pack up |
What’s a Classic?
Much of this is in the eye of the beholder. Generally Classic rockets are considered to
be those designs that appeared early in the hobby when everything was new and
anything was possible. That certainly
includes the 60’s when Vern Estes, Lee Piester, and others created kits and
components to build safe and reliable hobby rockets. It includes the 70’s, since that is the
decade where the competition between Estes and Centuri was the fiercest and
other constructors began come on line.
We include the 80’s in our competition as there were still many great
designs that appeared in that decade that would be a shame not to
represent. These Classic designs
continue to be popular with the old timers in the hobby that grew up with them,
as well as those that came into the hobby beyond these decades. The evidence for this shows up with events
like Estes re-release of Classics like the Orbital Transport, Red Max, Scissor
Wing Transport, Interceptor, and the 2010 Classic Series. It is also shown by manufacturers like
Semroc, Q-modeling, and many others that continue to fill the demand for these
classic kits and parts. The fact that
the Big Bertha has been made continuously since at least 1965 (the shape
appeared as the Ranger in 1962) probably says it all.
Photo by Richard Benavides from 2010
event
So how do I get a
rocket from a defunct company?
Well, there is always eBay, but expect to pay a big premium for original Centuri
kits there. The good news is Estes has several kits
that were original Cenuri designs. The
Classic Series, introduced last year, contains the Chuter-Two, Flutter-By, Long
Tom, Phoenix Bird, Star Trooper and Payloader II. If you look a little harder you will see
derivitaves of classic Centuri designs in the Cosmic Explorer (Centurion), the
Reflector (Centaur), and if you squint real hard, you may even see it in the
Plasma Probe (Laser X). If you are
looking for additional kits and high quality parts you need look no further
than Semroc. Carl McLawhorn has re-created a number of
kits in the Retro Repro and xKit lines.
There are even more that can be built from parts since he stocks most of
the nose cones and tubes sizes that Centuri used. On the home page of the Semroc site, click
the box that says “The Classics 1965 – 1995” and you will enter a realm for
the classic builder with parts lists and links to many classic designs from a
variety of vendors. If you are all about
DIY, the your journey starts at JimZ’s site on spacemodeling.org
What you need to
know about this year’s events (please also see the Guidelines below)
The Classic Classic
Rockets
qualify for this category if the original design of this rocket was introduced
in the 60s, 70s, or 80s. This category
is open to originals, clones, and re-issue versions of the rockets from these
eras. Ninfinger.org can be an invaluable
resource here, as they have list of all Estes and Centuri rockets made, as well
as many of the catalogs they appeared in.
Rockets are judged by the public, so sometimes it pays to match the
original, and sometimes not. Bonus
points apply to this category for providing year of introduction documentation,
including old catalogs. Flight points
also apply as does the special rule for old pictures of the rocketeer and the
rocket from the correct timeframe.
Starships
Starships is
defined by any design that is intended to go into space with people on board,
whether it is real or fantasy/sci-fi.
The hope here is to see things like an Estes or Apogee Saturn V
competing against a Klingon Battle Cruiser and an Estes Interceptor. The possibilities are endless here. The models must have been designed as a model
rocket. No specific year of introduction
is required. No plastic conversions or
static art. Year of introduction bonus
points do not apply. Flight points do
apply.
Classic Upscale
Vendors like
Estes, Q-modeling, and others have brought back a number of classic designs in
jumbo sizes. These kits are eligible to
compete as well as your own scratch built versions of classic rockets. Only flight bonus points apply for this
category.
Best in Show
This one is always hard fought and exciting. This award goes to the rocket judged best in
show by the voting public. All rockets
in all categories are eligible to win best in show.
Rocket
Kids Drawings
Once again this year we will be holding drawings for the
young rocketeers at the launch for some great prizes.
Classic Kit Swap Meet
Got some old kits you would like to part with? Are you looking for that one you never
got? Well bring them out to The Classic
and see if you can’t make a deal with another like-minded hobbyist.
The 
Salute
This years
flight event will be a pause in the normal launch action, to fill the racks
with great looking Centuri models, give them an appropriate introduction, and
send them into the sky. Contact me here if you are
interested in participating in this event.
All you need is a Classic Centuri design and a motor to participate.
This event will take off at 1:00 pm.
Guidelines/Rules for
all the events (If you are going to compete, please
read this) Guidelines
Map and directions
to the site Frisco Field
This
year’s store flyer
Tips for building
your own Classic Cloning the
Classics by our departed friend James Gartrell
Three Classic
must-have sites Ninfinger.org JimZ’s Rocket Plans
Ye Olde
Rocket Plans
The Hall of Fame winners of past events The Hall of Fame
Past
Classics Pictures and Reports:
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Event Year |
Picture Gallery |
Articles |
Links |
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2010 |
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2009 |
2009 (coming soon) |
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2008 |
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2007 |
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2006 |
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2006 NSL |
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2005 |
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