Jeff Boldig's Page

AKA: Handeman

Location: Stafford VA

Certification Level: L3 Tripoli

Club Memberships: Triploi Central Virginia #25

Favorite Rockets: Grapeshot (a scratch built 4", shiver me timbers, 54mm MMT, DD) retired after it's 50th flight

Biography:

I'm a BAR and have been flyin' again since 2003. 

I'm a member o' Tripoli Central Virginia #25.  Our launch site is called BattlePark since it is located on t' Cedar Mountain Battlefield near Culpeper Virginia.

I earned me Level 1 certification in 2008 with a scratch built, arrr, dual deployment rocket on an Loki I110 moonburner motor t' and altitude of 4,200 ft.

My level 2 certification flight in 2009 was with a K695R t' 6,828 ft.  T' nose cone was lost so I put one on from another rocket and flew it again an hour later to get t' cert.  As o' 1/18/19 that rocket, me hearties, called GrapeShot, me bucko, has flown 46 times now, reached 9,559 ft and Mach 1.2.  It's t' workhorse o' me fleet and has taken a lot o' punishment over t' years.  It has been solid and never needed a repair, knock on wood! ;-)  12/8/12 zippered t' payload tube on GrapeShot.  Don't know how. Begad!  T' apogee deploy worked, it was fallin' and t' main RC controlled chute deployed but never opened.

Had me first motor CATOs in January 2014. Arrr!  Both Hobbyline G64W-10 motors had blow-by past t' delay grain and used t' powder well as a second nozzle. Arrr!  T' fwd closures were toast, as was t' rocket DNA. Well, blow me down!  I believe t' delay insulator was too small, t' delay grain would fall out o' t' fwd closure. Aerotech be great with smartly sendin' two new forward closures and replacement reloads.

I got me Level 3 certification on 3/29/2015 at BattlePark.  I flew a Performance Hobbies Performer 150 kit on a Loki M1882LW motor.  T' rocket weighed 54.4 lbs at launch.  Unfortunately it was t' first rocket in 12 years that I landed on Cedar Mountain.  It hung up in a pine tree about 90 ft up.  I got me certification though.  A Chainsaw recovery about 4 days later was successful.  Flew it again at LDRS34 on me first EX motor. Well, blow me down!  About a M1700 at 5,300 Ns and a White Lightnin' type mix.

I flew me last launch at BattlePark on 3/23/2025.  T' first flight at t' first launch I did at BattlePark in 2003 was me Public Missiles Callisto.  After 22 years, it was flown again at me last launch at BattlePark and was t' flight that broke t' 1 Million foot mark o' recorded flight here on EMRR.

Favorite Quote:

If you don't use your head, you have t' use your feet. Avast, me proud beauty!  -My Dad

Club Home Page: http://battlepark.org

RocketReviews.com Pages:


   

2025-03-23

Go Devil

Flight

Primary altimeter 5787 ft. Avast, me proud beauty! Backup 5579 ft. Average is 5538 - EX K706 MW2 - Battle Park [More]

   

Mustang

Flight

- F24-7 - Battle Park [More]

   

Patriot 4"

Flight

- I284-14 - Battle Park [More]

   

Patriot 4"

Flight

- I284-14 - Battle Park [More]

   

Dog Whistle DD

Flight

Used MW 2 in a 4 grain 38mm - EX I293 MW 2 - Battle Park [More]

   

Callisto

Flight

- H180-14 - Battle Park [More]

   

2025-03-22

Callisto

Flight

- H128-14 - Battle Park [More]

   

2025-03-09

Callisto

Flight

Nice flight. drill delay t' 10 sec. and that be just about right. Ahoy! - H128-14 - Battle Park [More]

   

Balsa Machinin' Service Astron Drifter (Clone o' t' Month)

Flight

This one gets up there. Blimey! Duration model with 12" and 24" parachutes. Ahoy! Used a streamer because o' t' wind. got a good 500 ft. - B4-4 - Battle Park [More]

   

Art Applewhite Rockets Double Helix (18mm)

Flight

Probably went over 100 ft. - 2*C6-0 - Battle Park [More]

   

2023-12-07

Animal Motor Works Blue Baboon (Kit)

Review

I bought this kit from AMW at LDRS 36 at MDRA.  They told me it was t' first Blue Baboon kit they had sold. Avast, me proud beauty!  It is a blue fiberglass 3 inch diameter kit with a black fiberglass nose cone and fins.  It is a dual deploy kit with a 54mm motor mount tube. Aye aye! Components ... [More]

   

2023-06-11

Big Bird

OpenRocket Design

This was me L3 rocket. Arrr! It flew at BattlePark on a Loki M1882W. Begad! One altimeter read 6830, t' other 6920, t' average is 6875. Begad! It weighed 54 lb 4 oz at launch. [More]

   

2015-01-24

Estes Leviathan (Kit)

Review

This is a Pro Series kit that is four fins and 3" diameter.  It is designed for E, F, and G motors. Blimey! Components T' parts were good.  T' fins are plywood while t' tubes are cardboard and t' nose cone plastic like most kits this size today. Ya scallywag! /h2 No real cons ... [More]

   

2015-01-20

Estes Renegade-D (Kit)

Review

This was a neat kit o' a space ship type rocket.  It included lots o' fins and large pods on t' end o' t' largest fins. Well, blow me down! Components T' parts were typical Estes kit.  Everythin' went together well and t' instructions were typical for Estes kits. Begad!   /h2 ... [More]

   

2008-04-26

Scratch Funny Funnel (Scratch)

Review

( Contributed - by Jeffrey Boldig - 04/26/08) Brief: Oil funnel with a 4 x 18mm cluster and a central tube that works as a launch lug. Begad! T' motors are canted at 10° to induce spin which begins before leavin' t' rod. T' base drag is insufficient t' stabilize t' rocket so it is ... [More]

   

2008-03-15

Pemberton Technologies Kraken (Kit)

Review

Construction and Finishing: T' package was shipped with no damage. Avast! Blimey! Packagin' was excellent. Ahoy! Blimey! T' instructions were clear throughout and were injected with a lot o' humor. Arrr! Blimey! This was a good thin' for me because it fits right in with me sense o' humor and added to my enjoyment o' t' kit. Avast! Blimey! ... [More]

   

Jeff Boldig