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Model Rocket! |
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Number: SC003 |
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 CLICK HERE
for free painting template! CLICK
HERE
for Scale Launch Pad plans!
Launch your Nell as Goddard did! |
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| "It
has often proved true that the dream of yesterday is the hope
of today, and the reality of tomorrow" From
Robert Goddard's valedictorian speech in 1904
This scale model of the worlds
first successful liquid fueled rocket was designed, built and
flown by Robert H. Goddard on March 16th, 1926 in Auburn, MA.
You are looking at a model of
the most historically significant rocket ever flown!
From Goddard's diary the next day:
“The first flight with a rocket using liquid propellants was made yesterday at Aunt Effie’s farm in Auburn. It looked almost magical as it rose... Some of the surprising things were the absence of smoke, the lack of a very loud roar, and smallness of the flame.”
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We have seen rockets bring the communications
revolution to the world. We now forecast weather with
greater accuracy than ever before. We've seen the surface of
Mars, the clouds of Jupiter and the moons of Neptune. We've
landed man on the moon have have lived in space for months at a
time! All thanks to the
vision of a man thought by many to be foolish if not downright
crazy. From Goddard’s diary from his teen
years:
"On the afternoon of October 19, 1899, I climbed a tall cherry tree and, armed with a saw which I still have, and a hatchet, started to trim the dead limbs from the cherry tree. It was one of the quiet, colorful afternoons of sheer beauty which we have in October in New England, and as I looked towards the fields at the east, I imagined how wonderful it would be to make some
device which had even the possibility of ascending to |
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Mars. I was a different boy when I descended the tree from
when I ascended for existence at last seemed very
purposive." THAT
was the spark. Read that entry again. You can almost
hear the spark going off as he recounts that afternoon sitting in
a cherry tree. It is the rare person who can recall the
moment that spark strikes. A moderately
complex build, mainly because many of the steps are not common
model rocket assembly steps, the Nell is not all that hard to
assemble if you carefully read and follow the instructions. One
of two commemorative kits for NARCON 2010. FlisKits is proud
to be able to bring this historic series to life in the form of
these two kits (See the FlisKits L13). Further, a model of
this kit was assembled and finished by Tony Vincent for donation
to the Mott Linn, curator of the Goddard Exhibit at Clark
University in Worcester, MA. Before the donation, this model
will be flown at the VERY SAME SITE where Goddard flew the
original back in 1926. This is a historic occasion honoring
a historic event and a monumental mind. Special thanks go
out to Tony for his excellent work on this build! Enjoy
the short photo album below. Click on a thumbnail image to
bring up a full size picture in this frame. Use your
browsers BACK button to return to this page.
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First
of 2 proto types built to work out assembly and material
issues to help make this a successful kit that others
could build |
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The
second proto type looks much like the first but it
actually reflects several major changes to the design that
improved its strength and ease of assembly. This
model reflects what the kit version looks like. Both
proto types have flown 6-7 times each over the past
several months. |
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Scott
looks on during a CMASS launch where the proto type of
Nell was first shown. You can see the rocket sitting
in the scale launch rig (plans available for
download). As with the original, it is often hard to
determine what part of this combination is rocket and what
part is launch rig! |
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And
we have LIFTOFF! A C6-3 motor produces a great
flight as well as an impressive appearance in the
air. Most remarkable were the number of comments I
got back long after the launch day was done, commenting
about the number of conversations folks had with their
children on the history of rocketry and a man named Robert
Goddard. Making history and science fun. What
a concept! |
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A
close up of Nell under full power. She actually
flies better than the original! |
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following photo's were taken by Tony Vincent. Tony
built this version of the Nell for the express purpose of
having it for display at the Goddard exhibit at Clark
University. The added significance of this rocket is
that it will be flown, from a scale launch rig, on the
very same site that Goddard launched his original in
Auburn, MA after the NARCON festivities the weekend of
March 12th. After the launch, this model, along with
the L-13 from Tony, will be donated to Mott Linn and the
Goddard exhibit at Clark University. Thank you,
Tony, for all your hard work! |
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The
fuel and O2 tubes during Tony's build of Nell. This
build also served as a final proofing of the instructions
for this kit. |
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Nearing
completion, this shows Nell anchored to the two assembly
jigs to allow precise attachment of the two tube
assemblies to the upper (motor) and lower (tanks)
assemblies. |
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The
final assembly ready for paint |
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Stunning.
There's no other word for it. This would look good
in any museum, but the addition of it flying on the same
site as the original should make this one of the crown
jewels of the Goddard exhibit at Clark U. |
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Close
up of the tail end showing the outstanding finishing job
by Tony. |
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The
motor end. While not to exacting scale, there is no
way this could ever be confused with any other
rocket. Thank you to Tony for another outstanding
job! |
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