NIRA: Model of the Month 2007

Model of the Month: 2007

January

And the Butler/Mitchell fued continues! Jenna Butler once again blows 'em out in Youth with her DinoRoc, a scratch rocket sporting custom decorations. Rarr!

In Adult it was Marc Mitchell and his heavily customized Pyro Gyro Gyroc reproduction. Marc put considerable effort into building the wings, hinges, and operating components of this beaut.

February

Secretary/Treasurer Rick Gaff shares the prize with Adam Elliott for Adult honors this month. That's Rick's Not-So-Giant Pyramid along with Adam's Four A Cluster altitude competition rocket. Rick's Pyramid is scratch built using foam core and a paper shroud. Adam's completely scratch rocket uses a cluster of four 13mm engine mount tubes that vent to a single 24.8mm tube for the airframe. The fairing is handmade by cutting and forming the individual engine mount tubes.

Youth had a unique team rocket for winner; sisters Allison and Jenna Butler built their first coordinated effort, the SisterRoc, with no help at all from dad. Well done, girls!

March

In Adult it was Marc Mitchell with his ultra clean Estes Scissor Wing Transport.

In Junior it was <sigh> Ian Timberlake with his LOC Nuke Pro Max. Ian is reworking this rocket and we will have some better pictures later. Can't any of the other Juniors beat Ian?

In Youth we had Gabriel Lake with his customized Aerotech model.

April

Tony Lentini blazed his way to victory in Adult with his scratch built, Vostok-inspired Flair.

Angel Cooper grabbed Junior honors with her nicely finished Pulsar.

In Youth the shootout was between the Mitchells and the Butlers again, with Jenna Butler winning out using her Pink Flower.

May

Chris Cantine won Adult using his scratch built Thrustwinkle.

There were no Junior or Youth entries.

June

Once again NIRA proves it is a family-oriented club. Marc Mitchell won Adult using his scratch built NIRA Loft 1.

Daughter Katie Mitchell won Youth on the strength of her Katie Copter.

There was no Junior entry.

July

Adult: John Hojek with his Magnum. In pink, of course. Junior: Angel Cooper and her Echostar. Angel keeps cranking out these fine rockets. Youth: Jimmy Basile with his Big Daddy. One suspects that Jimmy might be getting a little adult "assistance" in producing some of these models...

August

Tony Lentini coasted past the Adult competition with his Ring Hawk ring-wing boost glider, built from plans he grabbed off the web. Angel Cooper claimed Junior honors yet again, this time with her Baby Bertha. Unfortunately Angel didn't have this rocket ready for the drag race in June. Next time, though.

There was no Youth entry.

September

Adam Elliott showed off his Stellar Dimensions Vector to a smaller-than-usual room due to the ongoing scheduling problems. However, the small crowd meant we were all able to see the rocket up close and personal. Fair trade.

There were no Junior or Youth entries.

October

Bob Kaplow and Marty Schrader shared Adult honors with their tying models, Bob's duct tape finished Big Daddy and Marty's scratch biplane glider, Scrap Heap III.

Junior fell to Angel Cooper, whose unfinished Mean Machine was, nonetheless, pretty straight (no easy task).

Youth went to Jon Mitchell and his modified Cosmos Mariner.

November

Tony Lentini spun the Adult competition into a tizzy with his upscale Tasmanian Devil.

Youth went to Jimmy Basile with his very nice LOC Aura, built with just a little help from Dad.

There was no Junior entry.

December

Don Kennedy easily took Adult with his scratch built TARDIS, complete with working dome light. This model has been improved since its unstable debut back in June and has flown successfully several times since then.

There were no Junior nor Youth entries.