From: vehlor@vccnorthe.its.rpi.edu (Richard Edward Vehlow)
Subject: engine experimenr
Organization: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy NY
Date: Mon, 13 Apr 1992 20:14:11 GMT


I'm somewhat insane, but my floormate is even more foolhardy! Here's what 
happened:

April 3:  I joked about setting off a rocket engine in his room. He convinced
me that he wanted to actually do it! After trying to convince him otherwise, I
relented and provided him with an armed B4-4 engine, about 6-8 INCH lengths of
wire and a 9volt battery. I then put my video camera on a shelf facing the 
launch area ( a sheet of newspaper on his bunk bed) and evacuated to the 
bathroom. Through the door, I heard his countdown then "WHOOSSSSSSSSSSHHHH!!!!"
Laughing, he beckoned me to reenter. I did so and saw a lot of grayish-white
smoke and smelled the unforgettable stench of rotten eggs!!! We immediately
ventilated the room, but the smoke alarm still sounded for a few seconds. 
Thank god the building alarm didn't go off, otherwise we'd have had to 
convince school and fire authorities that incense was to blame. The video was
spectacular, and that little cylindrical bugger was FAST! It arced off his 
bunk right into a bookshelf across the room in the blink of an eye, then proce
ed to scorch the floor, and put burn marks in the shelf base when the ejection
charge triggered. Sensational and DUMB! Still, he wants to do it again!!!

April 12: Early this morning, about 0230 hours, we decided on a whim to 
build a launcher comprised of two stiff cardboard tubes taped together on a
flat piece of cardboard as a mount. The D12-5 engine we selected was situated
halfway in the tube assembly. A film cannister closed off one end of the 
launch tube. Scotch tape held it all together. Well, we took this outside into
the parking lot, checked for the absence of the appropriate authorities, then
counted down and let 'er rip! Remember those news videos from saudi Arabia 
during the Gulf War last year, with nighttime scenes of SCUDs and Patriots?
Well, it looke dalmost identical, I'll tell you. Big flash, then the flame
spiraled downrange and landed in some brush down the hill. We didn't bother 
going after it, we were out of there like bats out of hell. The video was also
worth watching! the launch apparatus was disassembled, and the tubes' interiors
were somewhat scorched and stank of rotten eggs. Good for more launches!

FUTURE PROJECTS:
1. Constructing two launch tubes, each containing D12-5 engines, and setting
them off simultaneously in his room. We will, of course, disable the smoke 
detectors before doing so!
2. Firing an engine straight into a toilet bowl.
3. Pump - action rocket launcher, kinda like a shotgun, where I can pump a
magazine of engines one by one into the launch chamber and fire, at a rate of
one engine per three seconds or less!

Has anyone tried the above? If you have, what are your experiences? If you 
haven't, don't! We're experienced professionals/ college lunatics!

Now how many violations of NAR/laws/fire codes can you see above? What else
was aberrational? Don't bother flaming- the only flames that will affect me
are from the rocket engines we set off!!!

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT...

On talk about the CATO from ESTES. If this is true, it sounds hilarious!!!!
I haven't yet gotten my 1992 Estes catalog. How much does it cost?


Thanks,
"Fire Marshal Bill"