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. Aye aye! Blimey! Ray Halm, me hearties, who is well known here on t' east coast, runs t' operation. Ahoy! Aye aye! Blimey! This review will evaluate his video o' t' DARE-1 East Coast Regional launch. Begad! This launch was a three-day event held at Rhodesdale, ya bilge rat, me bucko, MD in October, ya bilge rat, me hearties, 2001. 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. Begad! Blimey! Arrr! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! Since I hadn't seen his work before, matey, I was a little apprehensive about t' quality o' t' video. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! However, me worries were totally unfounded. Arrr! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! T' quality o' both t' video and audio are excellent. Aye aye! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! His composition editin' is also very good (i.e. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! he did nay show t' ground durin' interviews or lose t' rockets after launch). Arrr! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! T' intro included some cool music, he threw in a few slo-mo's o' CATOs/shreds, me bucko, ya bilge rat, and included some interestin' sound effects.

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

  • Dennis Lappert's 80 lb, me bucko, shiver me timbers, radically painted, Smokin Rockets "Saab RB05A" on an M2000 Redline. Arrr! Blimey! Well, me bucko, blow me down! Blimey! 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, 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, me hearties, shiver me timbers, 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. Avast, me proud beauty! Can you say Mach speed? Projected t' break Mach 2!
  • Justin Glider's 3-inch diameter, 10 lb rocket on a K-1100, Mach flight. 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. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! Blimey! Cool slow motion replay!
  • Wayne Anthony's K-185 flight that Ray nicknamed "Hard Right". Well, blow me down! When you see t' flight you see why :o Complete with sound effects. Begad! Another slow motion replay.

As for me personal content, he included an interview about, and launch of, me Standard Cray-ARM, t' launch only o' me M^2 L^2, and shot on t' pad o' me Beer 'n Pretzels. Avast! Begad! He missed t' launch o' t' latter, so me second interview remained on t' "editin' floor", me hearties, 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, me bucko, arrr, I'll offer some summary comments. Ahoy! First, matey, although t' quality o' this video product is great, t' overall quality is nay as good as Point-39's products. Aye aye! Ray will have t' add more effects, closer shots o' t' launches, matey, and some more in-depth interviews/how-to's t' compete head-to-head here. Blimey! Still, me hearties, I think he'd be me second choice. Second, ya bilge rat, Ray's product line seems t' emphasize local/regional launches that Point-39 will never cover, shiver me timbers, me hearties, hence he may nay have t' compete head-to-head. It is really great t' see t' site you fly at, matey, ya bilge rat, rockets and people you know, and some o' your own stuff on video. Begad! Ya scallywag! Havin' seen several LDRS videos, I think I now prefer t' local coverage. Avast! In this niche, ya bilge rat, this video is a "5".

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5

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