Customer Reviews

Handbook of Model Rocketry, 7th Edition (NAR Official Handbook)

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When I first read this book, I was merely a 15 year old begginer to the wonderful hobby of rocketry. After having sifted all the fundementals and vital information that made up this fascinating field, I found that what I intially thought to be simple was, indeed, the result of meticulas and crucial technical planning. Rocketry is fun, however the complexity and engineering of a rocket lies hidden. This book enveils that complexity and helps the reader comprehend it in a relatively easy manner. This is an extremely good aspect of the book because it spares the reader of the frequent hair-pulling frustration due to confusion.

The preliminary chapters allow the reader to become more deaply familiar to the general aspects of the hobby. Things like basic model rocket components and construction as well as how to get started in order to eventually become deaply involved in the hobby are covered in these sections. You'll find that much of the information in this section is, most likely, stuff you may already be familiar with if you're a more experienced novice.

The book then procedes to more detailed and more technical aspects of rocketry. From chapters 5 and on, more technical information is presented, however, in a format that makes understanding easy. Rocket motors, ingnition systems, stabilty, rocket aerodynamics and altitude determination are some of the many aspects covered.

Another great feature of this book is that BASIC type computer programs that simulate and caculate crucial values and overall rocket performance can be found in the books's appendix already written. All you have to do is re-write the code in a BASIC computer program compiler and you're ready to make complex mathematical calculations for your rocket design in a matter of seconds.

All in all, a great reference that any model rocket enthusiast will want to cherish forever. I also find that this book is great in terms of further inspiring young rocketeers, like myself, to persue a career in the field of rocketry and aerospace. It sure has for me!

Thankyou Mr. Stine!

The late Harry Stine is owed by all of us model rocket enthusiasts, active and (like myself) inactive, a debt of gratitude for the work he did to make model rocketry safe, and, more importantly, legal.

While in the end Mr. Stine was not in synch with the average model rocket enthusiast (which were going into high powered rocketry) he was still admired by all for his contributions.

If you want to find out the basics of model rocketry, up to a discussion of the then emerging (big time) high powered rocketry, this book is your bible. Carry it with you if you want to know about engine sizes, stability, recovery devices, everything you need to know to shoot your rocket into the sky and bring it back in one piece (I should add as a side note that rockets that go bad are kind of fun to watch, but really hard on the makers nerves).

The late G. Harry Stine is considered the father of model rocketry and was also the founder of the National Association of Rocketry (NAR). In this book, Harry explains the basics of model rocketry, including propulsion, stability, recovery, design, launching, safety and much more. And the language is on a level that's easy to read and understand by both young and old. This book is truly the bible of model rocketry and should be in every rocketeer's library. Great job Harry - Thank you!

I use this manual to help me teach both Sea Cadets and CAP Cadets about Model Rocketry. Or more to the point, I use parts of it. Even though the late Mr. Stine had ensured that this book is fully comprehensive, It can have a tad TOO MUCH information. Still, the book does not detract from telling the reader how good, fun, and educational Model Rocketry is. I would recommend it for educators and advanced Model Rocketeers who wish to take their interest to the next level.

This Book Covers the History of Rockets to How to Build your own rocket and back. It is written in a super format and contains around 349 pages of knowladge of rockets and its cousins (Rocket Gliders.) Any body who knows nothing about rockets will be an expert by the end of the book and it is very helpful for even experts.

G. Harry Stine's handbook is the first book that any novice wishing to learn the fundamentals should pick up. Stine's magical ability to explain difficult ideas clearly and thoroughly is one of the things I loved about the book. The other reason, in my opinion why this book was so good is because it covers both breadth and depth about the sport of model rocketry. It did not just explain the basics and stop right there. Stine took it further by talking about the aerodynamics of rocketry, how to build large models, boost gliders, how to form clubs and oversee ranges, scale modeling.. and on and on...In fact, there are many tables in the book that even a veteran rocketeer would have to refer to almost daily to retrieve important information. WHAT AN AWESOME BOOK!

I got this book from the library as a beginner hoping it would be useful. I opened it up when I got home and was amazed. This book had everything i needed to know and much more. It Has a good description of everything about model rockets Including tricks and tips, what not to do, how things work and how to get them to work properly, flight, safety, and construction. This is a great book and perfect to keep by your work table if you want a new idea or need to know something. So overall, i think this book could not of been better!

This is truely the most definitive book on model rocketry. A must have for all model rocket enthusists.

G. Harry Stine is considered one of the founding fathers of model rocketry by most rocketeers. This book, The Handbook of Model Rocketry is insightful, always interesting, often humorous, and remains as Harry's gift to our rocket community. Harry is no longer with us for he passed away recently but his legacy lives on in this terrific handbook. A "must read" book for all model rocketeers!

This book is probably the definitive work covering the "model rocket" hobby and the industry that surrounds it. The book will tell you everything you need to know to design, build, and fly "model" rockets. It will also tell you very specifically what model rocketry is and isn't. Very recommended.

However, the book didn't quite meet my expectations--I do have a complaint:

First, an explanation is in order. In hobby rocketry, there are two very different concepts: "Model" rocketry and "Amateur" rocketry. Now, I'm going to over-simplify: In Model rocketry, hobbyists use commercially-manufactured rocket motors (they don't build their own) and build flying models; while in Amateur rocketry, the rocketeers often build their own motors (and often much larger rockets that wouldn't be considered "models").

OK, so what? The author(s) completely, and without exception, condemns home-built rocket motors (and by extension Amateur rocketry), saying there is no such thing as a safely constructed and flown home-built motor--and one way or another, this point is emphasized many times over. In my opinion as an engineer, this is somewhat ridiculous, but the author is entitled to his own opinion too (and at least one of the authors is (was) a bona fide rocket scientist). Home-built motors may not be for the grade-schooler, but neither is auto racing.

If you're interested in propellants, burn rates, nozzle geometry, and saving a lot of money on rocket motors (especially meaningful if you're building larger rockets) you won't find it here, nor will you find a sympathetic ear.

Buy this book first. Then if you really want more, don't be dissuaded--try "How to Make Amateur Rockets" by John Wickman (he's a rocket scientist too), "Modern High Power Rocketry" by Mark Canepa, and "Amateur Rocket Motor Construction" by David Sleeter.