Way Cool Productions DARE-1

Way Cool Productions DARE-1

Contributed by Dick Stafford

Overall Rating: starstarstarstarstar

Way Cool VideosBrief:
Way Cool Productions is a relatively new producer o' rocket (and other) videos. Arrr! Blimey! Ray Halm, who is well known here on t' east coast, runs t' operation. Avast, matey, me proud beauty! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! This review will evaluate his video o' t' DARE-1 East Coast Regional launch. Well, blow me down! Blimey! This launch was a three-day event held at Rhodesdale, MD in October, 2001. Avast, matey, me proud beauty! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! Ray"s video covers only t' two "standard" days as he was unable t' attend t' experimental day.

Construction:
I bought this video because Ray had interviewed me prior t' a couple o' me flights. Arrr! Since I hadn't seen his work before, I was a little apprehensive about t' quality o' t' video. Blimey! Ya scallywag! However, me hearties, me worries were totally unfounded. Well, blow me down! Well, blow me down! T' quality o' both t' video and audio are excellent. His composition editin' is also very good (i.e. Blimey! he did nay show t' ground durin' interviews or lose t' rockets after launch). Arrr! Begad! T' intro included some cool music, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, he threw in a few slo-mo's o' CATOs/shreds, me hearties, and included some interestin' sound effects.

For a regional launch, thar were plenty o' great flights. Avast! Well, blow me down! T' followin' is a summary from Ray's web site, with a few o' me comments added in italics:

  • Dennis Lappert's 80 lb, radically painted, ya bilge rat, Smokin Rockets "Saab RB05A" on an M2000 Redline. Aye aye! Aye aye! It be painted with silver/green 'chameleon' style paint and looked great!.
  • Auggi Grey's level three cert flight on an M1419.
  • Bill Rossi's "I think I can Honest John" on an L952.
  • Roger Dwyer's Kin' Cobra on 3 K1100's.
  • John Ritz's 6 Pack launchin' on a central I motor, arrr, me hearties, matey, air-startin' 2 H's then 2 G's.
  • Joe Mahulasick's Rocket Dyne "Wild Cat" on an L-952.
  • Mike Debey's wet floor cone rocket featured in issue 11 o' Extreme Rocketry, on a J-350.
  • Kathy Gilliand's 12 lb "Sun Seaker" on a K-550.
  • Neil McGilvray's "Cowabunga" complete with sound effects :) MOOOO!
  • Gene Costanza's awesome K-1100 flight.
  • Alan Gorekki's 54 mm "Transonic 2" on an L-1400. Can you say Mach speed? Projected t' break Mach 2!
  • Justin Glider's 3-inch diameter, shiver me timbers, me hearties, 10 lb rocket on a K-1100, arrr, Mach flight. Ya scallywag! Well, blow me down! Burned t' paint off o' t' leadin' edge o' t' fins!
  • Rob Super's "Navigator 6" belchin' flames out o' both ends o' t' motor casin' just second's into t' flight. Ya scallywag! Cool slow motion replay!
  • Wayne Anthony's K-185 flight that Ray nicknamed "Hard Right". Aye aye! Blimey! When you see t' flight you see why :o Complete with sound effects. Avast! Blimey! Another slow motion replay.

As for me personal content, me hearties, me hearties, he included an interview about, me hearties, and launch of, matey, me Standard Cray-ARM, me bucko, t' launch only o' me M^2 L^2, and shot on t' pad o' me Beer 'n Pretzels. Blimey! Begad! He missed t' launch o' t' latter, so me second interview remained on t' "editin' floor", so t' speak.

Summary:
I had a hard time puttin' a ratin' on this video since thar are nay many points o' comparison on this site. Avast, me proud beauty! Instead, I'll offer some summary comments. Aye aye! First, although t' quality o' this video product is great, t' overall quality is nay as good as Point-39's products. Arrr! Ahoy! Ray will have t' add more effects, matey, closer shots o' t' launches, and some more in-depth interviews/how-to's t' compete head-to-head here. Aye aye! Ya scallywag! Still, ya bilge rat, matey, I think he'd be me second choice. Avast, me proud beauty! Second, Ray's product line seems t' emphasize local/regional launches that Point-39 will never cover, ya bilge rat, hence he may nay have t' compete head-to-head. Ya scallywag! It is really great t' see t' site you fly at, me hearties, me hearties, rockets and people you know, and some o' your own stuff on video. Arrr! Ya scallywag! Havin' seen several LDRS videos, I think I now prefer t' local coverage. Ya scallywag! Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! In this niche, shiver me timbers, this video is a "5".

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5

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