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"MASSY" Awards
The MASSY awards were created in 1998 by Russ Durkee.
They are chosen and awarded to club members by the MASA president
each year at the holiday party in December. They don't follow
any set format or come with any prize money (or shiny statue).
These "just for fun" awards are given to those who have
distinguished themselves in some way, for good or for, well,
not-so-good. Usually, there are several categories, and
several MASSY's are given out in each category. [Russ tells me
that I should make it clear that, while he invented the awards, I
came up with the name. - Alan]
The only consistent award from year-to-year is the
"Prang" award. This award is given to 2 or 3 flights
that just didn't go as they should've. Other awards have
included: Amazing Flights, Technical Achievement, Upstanding
Rocketeer, Rocketeer of the Year.
While the type and number of MASSY's are up to the
President's whims, we can try to influence his choice for the Prang
awards! If you'd like to nominate a flight (and person), send
email to
masa [at] mn-rocketry [dot] net
Please include all possible details. The three
qualifications are that it happened to a MASA member, at a MASA
launch, and that the "incident" was completely
unintentional.
Prang Nominations during the 2008 calendar year
(i.e. "evidence")
November 22 launch
October 25 launch
September 27 launch
August 23 launch
July 26 launch
June 28 launch
May 31 launch
April 26 launch
March 29 launch
February 23 launch
-
Glen Overby's "Mighty Little Booster"
on a D12-3
This rocket separated into upper and lower sections at
ejection - with no sign of a chute. The upper section
"lawn" darted into the snow while, simultaneously, the lower
section took a nice snow core sample. Dual fence posts on
one flight! - Alan Estenson
-
Mark Thell's "Twin Fin" on a C11-3
At ejection, the motor spit out the back of the rocket .
The rocket arrowed downward, seemingly headed towards a lawn
(snow) dart. But, with a little "thuk" sound, it bounces
off the snow instead! - Alan Estenson
January 26 launch
Prang Nominations during the 2007 calendar year
(i.e. "evidence")
October 27 launch
September 22 launch
August 25 launch
-
David Gensler's "X-Calibur" on a G40-7
"I don't know if CATO's count, but I remember seeing a very
impressive blown forward closure burning on the end of the rod until
the rocket just melted." - nominated by Pat Arneson
"Yeah, the statue of liberty! That has to count for something." -
Ted Cochran
July 28 launch
-
John Carlson's "Eiffel Tower" on an E15-4
"After a "just barely" flight back in June, John tried his converted
3D puzzle again - on a bigger engine this time. Up - down -
lawn dart - eject. Still needs more power. <grin>" - nominated
by Alan Estenson
-
Mark Thell's "Flying Martini Glass of Death" chad-staged
on a D12-0 to C11-5
"Mark kept asking - think this will be stable? The answer was NO."
- nominated by Alan Estenson
July 21 launch
June 23 launch
June 21 launch
June 2 launch
April 28 launch
-
Andy Heren's "2TH DKR" on a C6-3
"Hmm. I don't know if it is kosher to nominate oneself, but some may
remember the "2TH DKR" launch in August when it flew a short distance
and missled into the ground near myself and another spectator." -
nominated by Andy Heren
-
Jim Myers' "Stage II Thunder" on a D12-0 staging to D12-3
"Not one, but TWO flying lumberyards ... staged. Not one, but TWO
lawndarts" - nominated by Alan Estenson
Prang Nominations during the 2006 calendar year
(i.e. "evidence")
Prang Nominations during the 2005 calendar year
(i.e. "evidence")
August 27 launch
-
Dan Keppel's "Spicy Meatball"
on a F21-4
"The most impressive shred that I've seen in a long time!
It was fine on an E9, but it definitely exceeded the speed of
balsa on that F21." - nominated by Alan Estenson
-
Joe Schneider's LOC Aura on a D9
"Joe put up his Aura on a 24mm D9 reload with what proved to be
far too long of a delay. Rocket lawn darted in the soft
ground just across the drainage ditch from the launch range.
Then, the ejection charge went off - propelling the RMS casing
and its adapter arcing back through the air - back across the
drainage ditch! Very funny to watch although, to be a
great prang, the casing really should have landed in the [smelly
green] ditch water. Joe, I'm sure, is glad that it
didn't."
Prang Nominations during the 2003 calendar year
(i.e. "evidence")
June 28 launch
(This will teach me to ask for nominations in haiku form)
-
Ted Cochran's "SuperRoc Backslider"
on a B6-6
My Super Rocket
Went up well; came down too fast
Now a bent-nosed bird. - Ted Cochran
Translation: It spit the engine, and, instead of doing
a backsliding glide, plummeted down headfirst.
-
David Whitaker's superroc "Mine's
Bigger" on a D12-7
Rocket sways in breeze.
Zooms around and out of sight
Gravel road kill now. - Ted Cochran
Translation: This 12 foot (at least) bit of
super-bendy-silliness did a big loop before crashing into the
parking lot.
-
Ken Corey-Edstrom's Jupiter 2 on a F21
Saucer's set to fly!
Lots of flame! The pad fell down!
Zero altitude. - Ted Cochran
Lost in Space J2
harsh lesson in off axis
I'm still in the club? - Ken Corey-Edstrom & Don Wiebold
Translation: This PMC locked on the rod and tipped the
entire pad over.
-
Glen Overby's Aerobee 300 on a D12-5
Glen's sounding rocket
Chute deploys at apogee
No long walk--long drive. - Ted Cochran
Translation: Not only did Glen's rocket land on the
other side of the highway, but also on the other side of the
acoustic wall on the other side of the highway.
-
Ken Corey-Edstrom's "lil' Johnny
Rocket" on a F21 (1st "flight")
Bif looked good, alas,
like Mark Thell's, in distant past
just the motor flew. - Ted Cochran
L'il Johnny rocket
Can it fly do you suppose?
I can't prove it yet
Engine taped too loose
Run away! Run away fast!
Scary curlycue
Stay Back 30 feet
the motor flew between us
safety codes are good - Ken Corey-Edstrom & Don Wiebold
(and limericks too?)
There once was a Biffy that flew
Twas all cardboard and plastic and glue
The motor got lit
And proceeded to split
Left behind on the pad was the loo. - Ted Cochran
Translation: This "flying" mini porta-potty
might have stuck on the rail. In any case, the motor shot
clean through the "rocket", flipping and spinning its
way past the flight line as everyone dove out of the way.
-
Ken Corey-Edstrom's "lil' Johnny
Rocket" on a F21 (2nd "flight")
Again 'twas readied
Launch! Loops! Horizontal Flight!
Reconstruction looms. - Ted Cochran
L'ill Johnny rocket
go back to the drawing board
More nose weight I think
busted plastic bits
green toilet smokes on the ground
Not worth forty bucks - Ken Corey-Edstrom & Don Wiebold
Translation: It got off the pad this time, but was
unstable and pranged under thrust.
May 24 launch
-
Ken Jarosch's Estes Big Daddy on an E9-4
"Coming off the rod, rocket went unstable and did 270
degrees of a vertical loop. By then, it had evidently
burned off enough mass to be stable and straightened-out.
Parallel to the ground. In full cruise missile mode.
It flew about a hundred yards downrange before performing a lawn
dart impact, and then ejecting." - nominated by Alan
Estenson
-
Alan Estenson's Estes Silver Comet, CHAD
staged C11-0 to D12-7
"The boost was perfectly vertical, but then the C11 came
off - completely failing to light the upper stage. The
rocket went up, turned, and came in to a perfectly vertical lawn
dart. The impact pushed the nose cone up into the body,
caused a severe internal overpressure, and blew out the entire
side of the rocket before the body tube popped back off and
landed beside the nose cone, now embedded in the ground." -
nominated by Stuart Lenz
-
April 26 launch
April 25 launch
April 19 launch
March 22 launch
February 22 launch
January 25 launch
Prang Nominations during the 2002 calendar year
(i.e. "evidence")
October 26 launch
-
Mike Erpelding's "Six Shooter Phase
I" on six C6-7's
"Mike Erpelding's first Six Shooter flight, where he tried
to light 6 motors and succeeded with two (after about a ten
second pause). Slow motion prang city. I'm just glad he was able
to fly it successfully later on, and Thumper got to carve
another notch in its handle." - nominated by Ted Cochran
September 28 launch
-
Martin Dietl's "The Launch Pad"
Exocet MM-40 on two E15's
"Martin Dietl wanted to fly his Exocet MM-40 on a cluster
of two E15s using copperheads. We gave it the best chance we
could - Glen lent him a clipwhip made out of jumper cables (OK,
lamp cord, but at least we're not talking bell wire here). I
lent him Thumper, which has lit 7 AP motors before (albeit not
with copperheads). Thumper did its part, and both igniters
fired. Unfortunately, one of them got spit. The other motor lit,
and vectored thrust led to a very scale-like flight trajectory.
Alas, the full size Exocet flies horizontally. The model Exocet
did work up a little spin, but that served only to increase the
realism of the flight profile. It did its programmed pop-up
maneuver and acquired a target before entering terminal flight.
Ellison Lenz (who, whether he knew it or not, was playing the
role of signal officer on the HMS Sheffield) watched the impact,
and then the ejection (the ejection charges on both charges
blew, to add to the overall excitement. Fortunately, the second
motor's AP didn't burn from the top down, which sometimes
happens). The only factor that detracts from the nomination is
that the rocket was not completely destroyed--indeed, with a new
section of BT and some motor mount repairs, it will likely fly
again (hopefully not on copperheads!)." - nominated by Ted
Cochran
August 24 launch
-
Stuart Lenz' modified 2-stage ARV Condor on
B6-0 to A8-5
"Stuart Lenz gets first place in my personal prang award
competition, for his Estes ARV Condor modified for two stage (!)
flight. It was seriously underpowered on a B6-0 (My
Condor--without the booster--is marginal on a B6-2) and it
started arcing over at about 80 feet. It then (unfortunately)
successfully staged, and the A8-5 drove it right into the ground
before ejecting. Pieces flipped all over--glider nosecones,
glider bodies, pod parts--but it looked surprisingly
repairable." - nominated by Ted Cochran
"I wasn't happy with it when I looked at it before it flew.
Next time, something like this goes to the away cell on the
other side of the first irrigation ditch." - seconded by
Glen Overby
"I second the prang nomination on the full power ARV Condor
impact and impressive debris field. It looked like Roswell all
over again." - thirded by Tim Bush
-
Stuart Lenz' Black Cat Turbo Flash (multiple
flights)
"Stuart gets an honorable mention for his Black Cat turbo
flash, A converted fireworks fountain, flown as a cone rocket,
that was every bit as unstable on a B6-2 as it was on a
A8-3." - nominated by Ted Cochran
-
Mollie Frisvold's 2-stage Fat Boy on D12-0 to
C6-5
"It had a little problem getting off the launch rod, so it
decided to take the launch pad with it. First time I ever saw a
lunch pad actually get off the ground! The launch pad then fell
over and unfortunately the rocket successfully staged. The
second stage was still stuck on the launch pad (good thing)
laying on it side. It just sat and burned there until
ejection." - nominated by Ron Hammer
"Lee Frisvold with his "Don't forget the launch
pad" flight of his two stage Fatboy that brought along the
pad for good measure, albeit for only about a foot before
ramming the ground." - Rick Vatsaas
August 2 evening launch
-
Alan Estenson's "More Gopher Holes"
on an E9-6
"I launched it on an E9-6 for 1st flight. It went straight
up 150 feet, then took a hard right turn, flew horizontal and
did a javelin impression right into the drainage ditch. When it
ejected, it threw the back half up onto the bank, but the front
half was completely submerged. Had to pull hard on the shockcord
to yank it out of the muck. Postmortem showed that the tube had
kinked hard over, right in front of the tube fins. Was bt-55
that I bought from ASP. Must have had a _really_ weak spot. Was
wet, green, smelly, muddy, and mortally wounded, so I gave it
away." - nominated by Larry Schwartz & Stuart Lenz
July launch
-
Alan Estenson's "Super Duper V2" on
a D12-3
"I nominate ALAN ESTENSON's V2 Flight. After a completely
normal countdown and ignition, the rocket took a hard turn and
went into cruise missile mode directly towards the crowd, coming
to a rest about 5 feet from the LCO. It then proceeded to
provide wonderful up-close-and-personal display of the ejection
sequence for those (un)lucky enough to have a ring side
seat." - nominated by Steve Hum
"I also nominate Alan's purple V-2 launch for the prang
award, I was standing right behind the LCO with the deer in the
headlight look as well, it was quite amusing." - John
Carlson
-
Stuart & Ellison Lenz - various rockets
"Besides, what would a MASA launch be without a few
skywriters? The Lenz family was there, right? The Lenz family
may just want to print up a bulk set of decals for their scratch
built rockets with the name "Skywriter". They could
add I, II, III, IV, etc after them with magic markers. They may
be up to MCMXLVII by now. (I'm thinking here of Stuart's D
powered tubefin red white and blue rocket, or maybe it was the 3
x A8-3 red white and blue rocket. Or both. And a few last
launch, too. Maybe they could get a deal if they ordered those
decals at the same time as the "Aw, Chute!" decals (in
memory of "With Liberty", for example). They could
loan one to Dave Fergus (and a whole lot of other people, too, I
think)." - nominated by Ted Cochran
-
Leland Cheng's Aerotech Strong Arm on a G80-7
"I also nominate a certain "let's see what's behind
all those trees" flight (Strong Arm, right? On a G80?).
While not technically a "prang", it certainly fulfills
the requirements in spirit. (Or dis-spirit?) Now, I wouldn't say
the chute was too large, but if it had landed on the highway
people would have run out of gas driving around it. And I
wouldn't say the owner had a long walk, but if he'd really
walked out to where that rocket came down he'd come back--to
MASA's 20th anniversary launch. I wouldn't criticize the size of
the motor for the conditions, but I know that mosquitoes were
being recovered yesterday....and on A10s. Now, hmmmmm, who was
that flyer again? I forget.... -)" - nominated by Ted
Cochran
Picnic launch
-
Jeff Hove's Stomp Rocket on an ancient C6-5
Jeff's Stomp rocket got about ten feet off the pad when the
motor CATO'ed with a loud BANG. The rocket shot off at an
angle as the foam body was ripped apart just above the motor.
For shots of this flight, scroll down to the bottom of the Picnic
photo page. - nominated by Dave Fergus
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