Almost 27 inches tall and powered by E and F engines, this 1:12 Scale Model is an impressive Sport and Scale model of the sounding rocket manufactured from Lacrosse rocket motors for the project Hardtack Nuclear Test Series.
During the mid-1950s, the public concerns over nuclear fallout due to US and Russian testing was reaching a fevered pitch. To that end, President Eisenhower announced on August 22, 1958, that the US would ban further nuclear testing on or before October 31 of the same year. US scientists, wanting to gather as much data as possible, responded with the "Hardtack" series of tests. Scientists were interested in many scientific areas, but primary interest lay in the effects of radioactivity from underwater and above ground detonation.
The Hardtack Nuclear Testing Program consisted of 35 detonations in the Pacific Proving Grounds during the period of April through August of 1958. Scientists at the time were chiefly concerned about damage to the ozone layer and possible effects of long-range radioactive fallout. They determined that scientific measurements of the earth's upper atmosphere (aeronomy) would help clarify what, if any, damage had occurred.
Single and two-stage Doorknob rockets were developed using Lacrosse and Thiokol solid propellent motors. The instrument-laden sounding rocket could be launched to approximately 50 miles in altitude to capture radioactive data for analysis. Early results of the upper atmosphere data measured little to no damage of the ozone layer during the nuclear testing. It was determined that water detonations probably produced enough ozone to replace what little might have been lost due to above-ground testing.
The single-stage Estes 1:12 scale and sport model of the Doorknob is big and impressive. Simple to build and fun to fly, this kit includes a second set of decals for those who want to turn this scale model into a spectacular sports model.