Randy Regier's "Fisher Fire Fly" model spaceship kit

Sculptor Randy Regier, who makes toys limited to one unit, made a flying model kit of the "Fisher Fire Fly" spaceship.

In a continuing effort to explore the potential and parameters of my American Dream Technical Institute I have added another piece to the Institute's collection. This is a flying model kit of the ADTI's full size "Fisher Fire Fly" spaceship. It is in the original box, and includes a steel launching pad with telescopic guide rod. Later this year this piece will be launched using an Estes D-12-7 model rocket engine. Results are expected to mirror the performance of the full size Fire Fly. Dimensions 14" x 8" x 8"

See more photos of this cool model rocket after the jump.

Fire Fly 01.jpg

Fire Fly 03.jpg

Fire Fly 04.jpg

Fire Fly 05.jpg

Mark Frauenfelder is the founder of Boing Boing and the editor-in-chief of MAKE and Cool Tools. Twitter: @frauenfelder. Come and hear Mark speak at the ALA conference in Chicago on July 1.

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Anonymous

I’d love to see this fly. As a teen, I used to make model rockets from scratch all the time. My main interest was designs that were notably whimsical and non-aerodynamic. They were rockets that had slow, dramatic flights, and rarely went over 200 feet vertical. Sadly, none still exist. They were generally used until utterly destroyed. This rocket looks like something I’d have made, had I better plastic and metal fabrication skills.
- wjodon
  
  The tiny crew is doomed. Unless RR has an add-on fin unit, the Fisher Fire Fly is going to start randomly looping and floundering as soon as it leaves the launch rod and will end up impaled in the dirt. It may even flop off of the launch rod and scoot around on the ground, lighting small fires. If he has the nerve to actually fly his beautiful contraption he had better use 100 feet of electric ignition lead and then fly heads-up preparing to dodge.
  
  Seriously, the anonymous rocketeer is right in his warnings. The nature of the airframe, if not the propellant, put it in the realm of amateur rocketry in terms of danger. Sometimes the engines explode, and metal is much more serious than the usual paper shrapnel. Launching from behind sandbags might not be a bad idea.
  - rjr
    
    Exactly. The floundering, flaming and failure is a very much desired outcome. Personal harm is not. All the concerns are noted and appreciated, but I’m no novice to these things. No one will be hurt but the Fire Fly should be delightfully ransacked – again – just as is its full-scale counterpart. Sandbags are a good idea, and motorcycle helmets for those who must peer over.
- Anonymous
  
  dear anon –
  why so anon? if you respond to randy and are in the right place at the right time, perhaps you might be invited to the launch (time and place tbd as of this posting). there is a high degree of likelihood that this mission could yield disaster or worse, as RJR seems oddly determined to see to it that this launch end in failure, and is seemingly indifferent to the fate of the tiny crew. reply only if you have a strong stomach (for certain disaster) or bold heart (for last-minute miracle). no happy endings or admission to launch guaranteed, but it can’t hurt to try. respond anon, anon, but add your name and email this time. fondly, gl
foxtails

c.f.
http://www.google.ca/images?q=red+dwarf+starbug
http://www.google.ca/images?q=“soyuz+tma”
Stefan Jones

Unless it is made of really light-weight materials, Randy would be much better off launching it with a D12-3.

The D12-7 is for lightweight, streamlined rockets. This thing, even assuming it isn’t made of metal, appears to be a “brick.”
starbugtwo

I would love one of these
rjr

Your comments are spot-on, but the intentions of this piece are less about successful flight than they are about my fascination with failure. The construction is relatively light, styrene and aluminum – but still quite heavy by model rocket standards. The actual spaceship it’s modeled after was made as a failed, or crashed spacecraft. However, if this one gets off the ground even reasonably well before crashing, the 12-3 makes more sense, then the pathetic little parachute might have a chance. Best case scenario – it goes high enough to sustain damage when it hits the ground.
- drfojo
  
  I love your toys. I want every piece in the penny store.
  - rjr
    
    Thanks.
gaillerner

RJR – a friend just sent me this link, and i opened it, never dreaming it would yield this. i have seen it. i can’t believe i saw it, and in this way, no less. i hate that i saw it. i love that i saw it. i don’t know what to do. i guess i’m going to just go to rehearsal as planned and try to unsee it. fat chance. that green is indelible. thank you for making is so exquisite. not that i’m surprised. xo gl
Stefan Jones

I understand, but . . . please don’t launch it where someone might get that spike in their head, OK?

* * *

I love the full sized (?) crashed model deployed at the fair ground.
- rjr
  
  Agreed, that might take all the fun out of it.
Stefan Jones

I use the nuPenny store as a kind of coolness test.

If I show it to someone and they get a wrinkled-brow, out-thrust jaw look of puzzlement and hostility, and say something like “Huh, yah, why the hell did they do that?”, I know I’m dealing with the clue impaired.

Both of my nieces thought it damn cool.
Anonymous

This isn’t safe at all. Model Rocketry requires safe use, when you buy your pack of D12-7 motors it comes with safe launching instructions. This model has so many things wrong with it, but I’ll list 3 1) made with structural metal pieces 2) launch rod too short 3) no fins, i.e. not stable.

Please do not launch this rocket, ever. Those of us that fly model rockets safely (for 53 years) have worked hard to protect our hobby with guidelines to prevent injury or damage. Please don’t ignore them.