Solar Guard: How did you hear about the rocket?
RICK: I seem to remember it being mentioned either in the old Space Academy Newsletters or else the word just spread among the fans at the time that the rocket was by the side of the road in Ghent, NY. I was surprised some years later when I drove by and it wasn't there.
Solar Guard: What was the most outstanding feature of the rocket?:
RICK: I seem to remember what may have been the frames for bunks in the back. I didn't have a flash, so I couldn't get pictures of the interior spaces that weren't lit by the outside light. I also remember there was a hornets nest somewhere on the rocket as well!
My big question is...... Was the instrument panel, made of wood and painted (you can see the grain in the original slides), and using mostly automobile gauges with a couple of old aircraft instruments, the original? The seats in the rocket, with two dummies in them, were also just jury-rigged wooden affairs and didn't seem original.
Solar Guard: Rick presents another good question:
RICK: Has anyone actually seen the original interior when the rocket was on tour or else has photos of the inside from that time?
Solar Guard: There are pictures of the interior from the Ads on the TV shows. Someone fast on the snappy trigger could grab some and we can compare them.
Now for Rick's tour of the RALSTON ROCKET.........
 Rick DeMeis and the Ralston Rocket |
 Entry to the Rocket |
 Note the Christmas lights on the Rocket |
 Road side view of Rocket- Santa is looking out |
 Tail view- with trucking company in front of Rocket |
 Staring down the rocket tubes |
 Rear view with Christmas lights |
 Looking out of the view port toward the office. |
 Looking out of the Rocket tubes from the front of the Rocket (near the bunk bed area) |
 Looking into the cockpit from the mid section. Note dummies in chairs |
 Control center for the Ralston Rocket |
