Harry Stine Remembrances

by Bruce Shay, LUNAR #017

Many years ago I was one of the fortunate kids who was able to know G. Harry Stine during earlier days of model rocketry (NARAM 9 to 13). I'd like to share a few remembrances of him from this time from the "eyes of a kid". (BTW: I also met another LUNAR member at the launch on 12/20. I don't recall his name. He was actually in Harry's club. He probably has lots of stories, too.)

Harry founded the YMCA Space Pioneers section which was located in the town next to the town that hosted the Fairchester section. The two sections were rivals.

It was a heady thing for a kid to know "The Father of Model Rocketry". My first contact with Harry was over the phone. I had finished my second rocket kit, and ended up loosing it in the thick Connecticut woods. In the public library was the Handbook of Model Rocketry, which gave me the clue that the author lived in a neighboring town. Surely he would know a good place to fly! So I called him. I don't remember if he was able to help me directly, but not long after I hooked up with the Fairchester section.

Harry's Space Pioneers flew off of Lapham Estate - formerly a big private estate turned over to the town. It had a big, by Connecticut standards, grassy field, which I heard "Harry burned down" once. After that the word fire was forbidden to be used in a countdown. Fire was reserved for one thing only.

The Space Pioneers were a quality act, hosting the well organized Space Pioneer Area Meets (SPAMs) and the Space Pioneer Quality Regionals (SPQRs). Harry made guest appearances at the Fairchester meetings to award the ribbons the Fairchester members had won in the contests.

Harry also ran a Model Rocketry training program out of the YMCA as part of Space Pioneers membership. A friend and I emulated some of his curriculum for the Fairchester section.

On one visit to the YMCA, a friend of mine and I took an interest in a big electric motor and squirrel cage blower that could be used for a wind tunnel-Harry sold it to us at a bargain basement price of a few dollars.

I was at Harry's home on more than one occasion. One time Harry showed me some of his projects in the basement. He secretively pulled out some tiny motors. These were as-yet-not-announced mini engines from MPC. Quite a thrill. I saw sneak previews of other MPC kits as well.

And how that man could finish a model rocket. I recall an F100 powered rocket in the back of his car. The fins were thick in the front and thin in the back, with a perfect tear-drop airfoil. The finish was like glass. He remarked that he hoped the fins stayed on.

Then there was Billy Stine, the now Quest Model Rocket Head Honcho. Billy was a little kid probably not older than 8 years old running around the launch field in a baseball cap, looking much like - it seemed to me - a smaller version of his father.

Fairchester section member Rick Sternbach started a cartoon titled "The General" which was published in the section's Igniter Current newsletter. The General was Harry Stine, and the cartoon was a playful lampoon, including characters that represented his two real-life and very-into-model-rocketry daughters. We all thought it was great fun. I think Harry Stine was OK with it. Sternbach, by the way, has been a Senior Illustrator on all of the new Star Trek TV series, I believe. Check out the closing credits.

About 10 years ago or so I contacted Harry again and asked if he wanted the one remaining Fairchester Model Missiles launch tower that happened to be in my possession at the time. These were beautiful, intricate, red and white enameled metal launch towers. Model Missiles, if you will recall, was the very first model rocket company, started by Harry Stine. Harry was eager to have the tower, and I was eager to return it to him.

I think that not only did Harry start a great hobby, he probably saved the lives, hands, and sight of many kids. It was quite an exciting thing to know him back then. He certainly contributed a great deal to my early years, and I suspect indirectly he will be contributing to my son's life when he's old enough to fly rockets.

Information date: January 11, 1998 lk