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| Me with my Red Max launch scene at Naram 46 |
Origins:
Hi, My name is Fred Talasco, and I am the CEO, R&D coordinator,
production manager, shipping clerk, and chief bottle washer at Excelsior Rocketry.
I have flown model rockets since I was six years old. I still have my first rocket, that my
Dad built for me in 1971, a Goblin. I was a pretty rabid model rocketeer as a kid, and even hung in there as a teenager. Once
I went to college and my parents moved, the rockets were put up in the attic.
Three years ago, I re-discovered theose rockets in my Mom's attic, and dug into the internet
for more info. I refurbished all of my old rockets (Yes, I still fly them), and learned all about cloning. I even went so
far as to learn to turn my own nosecones if needed, but was stymied by a need for decals...
Being a 'can-do' kinda guy, I purchased an ALPS printer, some graphics software, and
started drawing my own decals. Some were reproductions, some were scale, and some were my own design.
Eventually, my internet postings and photos of led to the inevitable question from fellow
rocketeers: Can you make me one of those?
Thus, Excelsior Rocketry was born.
| SEAK PEEK !! |
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| The GOONYDENT: an upcoming release |
RETRO-BASH
I am an admitted collector. However, I collect only specific
rockets. For example: I collect vintage Goonybirds. I soooo wanted these as a kid, but my Dad, the sensible
engineer put the kabosh on that. He told me that they were not 'real ' rockets, just toys. Apparently, just about
everyone else agreed with my Dad as the poor Goonys piled up on shelves. They couldn't give them away. So now,
of course, I am complelled to collect them, clone them, and I even regularly fly several vintage built-up Goonys.
One day, I was building a Baby Bertha, and I thought about how
funny it would be to add Goblin fins, and decor. So I did it. The rocket simmed, and flew well, plus it looked neat. Once Pandora's
box was opened my mind overflowed with a plethora of GOONY ideas. Squat, mutated versions of older kits, dopey
looking originals, and even squished 'scaled' models have all been drawn, designed, and built as flying protoypes.
At NARAM 46, I was only able to attend for two days. In
that short time, the phrase 'You can build anything from a Baby Bertha' was heard more than a few times....
I have many more GOONYs in my head, on the drawing boards, and
in various prototype phases. If you like them, stay tuned....
Why the name EXCELSIOR ROCKETRY?
I wanted a name that had some rocket connection, and that
also reflected something about where I live.
I live in NY State, and EXCELSIOR is the New York State Motto.
That takes care of the regional part, but what about a rocketry connection? Well, it just so happens that EXCELSIOR
is latin for 'Ever upward' ! I couldn't have asked for a more perfect one word to describe my business.
Why 'ROCKETRY' and not just EXCELSIOR DECALS? I always knew
that decals would not be the only product that EXCELSIOR would offer. Soon after came the plansets. Could the future bring
EXCELSIOR model rocket kits? Who knows? At this point, we will stick to the decals, and plansets.
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