DERRY, New Hampshire USA — A model of a military rocket fueled anxious moments in the downtown area yesterday morning, prompting police to close the road and evacuate homes and businesses.

Police called the state police bomb squad to remove the device, which appeared to be a live mortar shell, from behind the Marion Gerrish Community Center about 8 a.m.

Several homes and businesses on West Broadway were evacuated, and officers closed the road between Maple and Griffin streets for about an hour. State police later said the device was a hobby rocket "made to model after a military weapon" and could not have exploded.

Derry police Capt. Vernon Thomas said police are investigating and asking the public for help finding the person who left the rocket outside the community center. Anyone with information should call police at 432-6111.

Although no one made a bomb threat, the rocket was found close to the historic building, where two business clubs were holding breakfasts and numerous volunteers were helping with Meals on Wheels and other projects, Thomas said.

William Blanchard, the executive chef with Castle Caterers in Manchester, saw it in a nook between the community center's rear porch and a storage trailer, which was pulled up within a few feet of the building. Blanchard said he went to his car and was walking up the center's stairs when he spotted the object.

"It was olive green and had 'U.S. Army' stamped on its side," Blanchard said, adding that was more information than he needed to go for help. Blanchard went to fire Chief George Klauber, who was inside having breakfast with the Derry Rotary Club.

"It did look like it could be real, and there were 30 or 40 people in that building, not to mention my car was parked right next to it," Blanchard said.

Thomas said Klauber looked at the rocket and notified police there was a public safety threat.

Klauber declined to comment. But businessman Serge Nadeau of Auburn said Klauber interrupted his Business Network International meeting in an upstairs room.

"He said, 'I need everyone to leave the building.' He didn't say why," Nadeau said. Everyone filed outside and stood out front near West Broadway.

"Then five or 10 minutes later, the chief told us they found a mortar shell in back," Nadeau said. "Anyone parked in front could leave, but anybody in the back couldn't leave."

Brad Lichtman of Manchester estimated about 30 business owners were late opening their doors because they had to wait for the bomb squad to finish.

Nadeau said his truck and his dog, Kiko, a year-old cockapoo, were in the back. Firefighters also evacuated Kiko.

"That was his first evacuation and my first," said Nadeau, who speculated that somebody cleaning the basement may have found the device and didn't know the proper way to dispose of it. Nadeau and Roger Sienkiewicz of Derry both thought it was left at the center because it's where people drop off used clothing, books and other items for charity.

Joe Hamilton, who lives a few doors down from the community center, said someone knocked on the door and told him and his wife to leave. He also thought the device was probably not left at the center to cause destruction. "They drop off a lot of items there," he said. "This probably was unintentional."

Copyright © 2008, The Eagle Tribune.

09-17-2008 01:31 PM  #1
ddmobley Administrator   Joined: Jul 2006 Posts: 4014	Re: Article: Altered hobby rocket spurs evacuations I am still trying to determine how it was "altered."

09-17-2008 01:42 PM  #2
tmacklin Certifiable   Joined: Apr 2008 Posts: 121	Re: Article: Altered hobby rocket spurs evacuations I think I'll name my next scratch built rocket "Intentionally Left BlanK". (I don't want anymore letters from the DOJ.)

09-17-2008 01:49 PM  #3
landru Certified Level Two   Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 60	Re: Article: Altered hobby rocket spurs evacuations It was altered by painting it dark green and making US ARMY on it...

09-17-2008 01:50 PM  #4
ddmobley Administrator   Joined: Jul 2006 Posts: 4014	Re: Article: Altered hobby rocket spurs evacuations Quote: I think I'll name my next scratch built rocket "Intentionally Left BlanK". (I don't want anymore letters from the DOJ.) LOL! Yeah, or you could put "This Space For Rent". Did the newspaper reporter REALLY THINK the model rocket was "altered" because it said "U.S. Army" on it? Kinda defeats the purpose of building an exact replica of an Honest John without putting on the U.S. Army text. Or a Patriot. Or a Little John.

09-17-2008 01:52 PM  #5
ddmobley Administrator   Joined: Jul 2006 Posts: 4014	Re: Article: Altered hobby rocket spurs evacuations Quote: It was altered by painting it dark green and making US ARMY on it... How did that alter it?

09-17-2008 01:52 PM  #6
Sono_6 Certified Level Three   Joined: Jul 2008 Posts: 404	Re: Article: Altered hobby rocket spurs evacuations Quote: It was altered by painting it dark green and making US ARMY on it... Didn't someone else suggest "INERT" in big letters?

09-17-2008 01:53 PM  #7
ddmobley Administrator   Joined: Jul 2006 Posts: 4014	Re: Article: Altered hobby rocket spurs evacuations How many scale points will the phrase "INERT" bring?

09-17-2008 01:54 PM  #8
heada Certifiable   Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 1075	Re: Article: Altered hobby rocket spurs evacuations One of the key parts of our hobby is to build scale models of real rockets/missiles. There is even judging done on how close you come to the original. I can understand how there could be confusion over this model and a real danger as they're designed to look as close as possible. That said, it sounds like the authorities handled it in the only way they could and once they figured out that there was no threat, they let everyone go about their way. I think the real telling thing will be if there is any follow up to this by the city/state. If it is dropped and nothing further happens, then all is good. If they go so far as to arrest someone or file charges, then we know that a reality check is on order. -Aaron

09-17-2008 01:56 PM  #9
Just Jerry Freeform rockets advocate   Joined: Aug 2006 Posts: 1297	Re: Article: Altered hobby rocket spurs evacuations Quote: How many scale points will the phrase "INERT" bring? None, but for convincing all public authorities it is real, I say 100 points. Just Jerry

09-17-2008 02:44 PM  #10
DaveCombs NAR L1   Joined: Apr 2008 Posts: 10	Re: Article: Altered hobby rocket spurs evacuations That's about 8-9 miles straight east from Jim Flis' house. We have a suspect!!! (Although, I'm not sure anything he makes could drift THAT far...)

09-17-2008 02:53 PM  #11
ddmobley Administrator   Joined: Jul 2006 Posts: 4014	Re: Article: Altered hobby rocket spurs evacuations Maybe the FBI will ask him for a list of his customers...

09-17-2008 03:33 PM  #12
Chrisn Certified Level Four   Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 29	Re: Article: Altered hobby rocket spurs evacuations this will be the end of rocketry as we know it

09-17-2008 03:58 PM  #13
ddmobley Administrator   Joined: Jul 2006 Posts: 4014	Re: Article: Altered hobby rocket spurs evacuations What's interesting is that someone could see a model airplane sitting in an alley and go, "Oh! Look! It's a model airplane." But they see a model rocket and they think, "Terrorists! Bombs! Evacuate!"

09-17-2008 04:19 PM  #14
heada Certifiable   Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 1075	Re: Article: Altered hobby rocket spurs evacuations If it was a 1:1 model airplane, I'm sure they wouldn't think "Oh, cool...a model airplane" but rather something like "what in the world is a plane doing next to my SUV?" If it is life size and great pains are taken to make it look real, are we really surprised when people think it is real? If that same life size plane had the ability to do major damage, would be outrageous to evacuate? I honestly think they did everything they should: - remove people to safety - evaluate the situation - take appropriate action -Aaron

09-17-2008 04:19 PM  #15
Sono_6 Certified Level Three   Joined: Jul 2008 Posts: 404	Re: Article: Altered hobby rocket spurs evacuations Quote: What's interesting is that someone could see a model airplane sitting in an alley and go, "Oh! Look! It's a model airplane." But they see a model rocket and they think, "Terrorists! Bombs! Evacuate!" Or the other way around.... Kids see brightly colored little 'bomblets' and think "Look, a toy!"

09-17-2008 04:52 PM  #16
UncleVanya If pigs had fins...   Joined: Sep 2007 Posts: 3640	Re: Article: Bomb scare shakes Derry, New Hampshire I'm guessing this was an MR-1 PML kit. Any takers on that bet?

09-17-2008 05:08 PM  #17
hognut63 Go Damnit   Joined: Sep 2008 Posts: 1	Re: Article: Bomb scare shakes Derry, New Hampshire I say Madcow HoJo

09-17-2008 05:18 PM  #18
tmacklin Certifiable   Joined: Apr 2008 Posts: 121	Re: Article: Bomb scare shakes Derry, New Hampshire I just emailed the Union Leader with my comments about their orginal story: Your story about the model rocket found in Derry is somewhat vague. Exactly what was "altered" about the model rocket that would cause this level of hysteria among the authorities? Just how big was this device, was it ultimately "detonated" and were there any survivors? I guess I just can't leave well enough alone?

09-17-2008 05:55 PM  #19
jadebox Roger Smith   Joined: Jul 2008 Posts: 45	Re: Article: Bomb scare shakes Derry, New Hampshire Quote: DERRY, New Hampshire USA — A model of a military rocket fueled anxious moments ... If a model rocket can cause so much concern, what do you think will happen when someone spots that tank sitting in front of the National Guard armory? -- Roger

09-17-2008 06:15 PM  #20
plano_doug NAR L2   Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 85	Re: Article: Bomb scare shakes Derry, New Hampshire Quote: If a model rocket can cause so much concern, what do you think will happen when someone spots that tank sitting in front of the National Guard armory? Oh, I'd love so see them driving around the Fort Knox area. There's a tank on every corner They'd probably soil themselves the first time they woke up in the middle of the night to the sounds of artillery practice. I really do see the Derry thing as a case of extreme naivete, which seems more and more common. Why does my mother-in-law suddenly spring to mind? Doug .

09-17-2008 07:14 PM  #21
ddmobley Administrator   Joined: Jul 2006 Posts: 4014	Re: Article: Altered hobby rocket spurs evacuations Quote: If it was a 1:1 model airplane, I'm sure they wouldn't think "Oh, cool...a model airplane" but rather something like "what in the world is a plane doing next to my SUV?" If it is life size and great pains are taken to make it look real, are we really surprised when people think it is real? If that same life size plane had the ability to do major damage, would be outrageous to evacuate? It was labeled as a "model rocket." Therefore, I do not think your comparison is accurate. If it was a full scale Honest John or Patriot missile, I can understand the alarm. I would not label a full scale airplane a "model airplane," neither would I label a full scale missile a "model rocket." It was a model rocket, therefore, they over-reacted. You state: "If it is life size and great pains are taken to make it look real", how do you know that? No one stated it was life size or that great pains were taken to make it look real. All we know is that it was a green model rocket with U.S. Army on it.

09-17-2008 07:37 PM  #22
plano_doug NAR L2   Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 85	Re: Article: Altered hobby rocket spurs evacuations Quote: All we know is that it was a green model rocket with U.S. Army on it. Right, but we don't know how big it was. It could have been an Estes Maxi Honest John, whose size could certainly cause concern among the uninitiated, but whose shape should be recognized by anyone who hasn't been living under a rock for the last 40 years, my MIL excepted If it was smaller, such as one of the A-B-C powered scale birds, then the voters need to get some new officials, who don't live under rocks, next election. (If they're allowed to vote for fire chiefs, that is.) Doug .

09-17-2008 08:40 PM  #23
roadkill Definitely Certifiable...   Joined: Aug 2006 Posts: 36	Re: Article: Altered hobby rocket spurs evacuations The dumbing down of the society has reached yet another level... ...only rivaled by its paranoia...

09-17-2008 09:00 PM  #24
ddmobley Administrator   Joined: Jul 2006 Posts: 4014	Re: Article: Bomb scare shakes Derry, New Hampshire Quote: Right, but we don't know how big it was. It could have been an Estes Maxi Honest John, whose size could certainly cause concern among the uninitiated, but whose shape should be recognized by anyone who hasn't been living under a rock for the last 40 years, my MIL excepted If it was smaller, such as one of the A-B-C powered scale birds, then the voters need to get some new officials, who don't live under rocks, next election. (If they're allowed to vote for fire chiefs, that is.) Watch the video in this article: http://www.rocketryplanet.com/content/view/2594/28/ When you see how many resources were thrown at this, you will think they need new officials anyhow. They have determined it was a model rocket, but they are still going to take it "up north" and detonate it. Our nation has learned to overreact, that overreacting creates demand for jobs like theirs, and keeps them working. Busy work for busy people. It's job justification based on FUD, and scaring the daylights out of American citizens.

09-17-2008 10:55 PM  #25
UncleVanya If pigs had fins...   Joined: Sep 2007 Posts: 3640	Re: Article: Bomb scare shakes Derry, New Hampshire Guys - one of the news articles said that the officials thought it was a mortar round. That seems like an MR-1 or perhaps an honest john or similar shaped rocket. It wouldn't have to be large to be thought of as dangerous if they were not thinking missile but mortar. Still confused as to why they need to blow it up - except maybe as practice.

09-18-2008 01:03 AM  #26
ddmobley Administrator   Joined: Jul 2006 Posts: 4014	Re: Article: Bomb scare shakes Derry, New Hampshire Quote: Still confused as to why they need to blow it up - except maybe as practice. Re-read my last post: Job justification. FUD. Budget approvals.

09-18-2008 10:29 AM  #27
10fttall New Member   Joined: Sep 2008 Posts: 6	Re: Article: Bomb scare shakes Derry, New Hampshire Maybe it was altered by removing the tri-fold shock cord mount and replacing it with kevlar to the motor mount.

09-18-2008 11:03 AM  #28
heada Certifiable   Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 1075	Re: Article: Altered hobby rocket spurs evacuations Quote: It was labeled as a "model rocket." Therefore, I do not think your comparison is accurate. If it was a full scale Honest John or Patriot missile, I can understand the alarm. I would not label a full scale airplane a "model airplane," neither would I label a full scale missile a "model rocket." It was a model rocket, therefore, they over-reacted. You state: "If it is life size and great pains are taken to make it look real", how do you know that? No one stated it was life size or that great pains were taken to make it look real. All we know is that it was a green model rocket with U.S. Army on it. You're correct, I don't know how big it was, how it looked to someone not familair with rocketry or when the label of "model rocket" was applied or by whom. If you showed 100 random people off the street a 1:1 scale model of one of these: with a slightly different paint setup(remove the term Inert and replace it with U.S. Army), how many would be able to tell from just looking at it if it was real or fake? By the way, this round is real and has a 120mm diameter at it'd widest point. It would be very easy to build a 1:1 scale model of this mortar as a mid-powered model rocket and I bet it'd even fly fairly well. -Aaron

09-18-2008 11:15 AM  #29
jadebox Roger Smith   Joined: Jul 2008 Posts: 45	Re: Article: Altered hobby rocket spurs evacuations Quote: If you showed 100 random people off the street a 1:1 scale model of one of these with a slightly different paint setup (remove the term Inert and replace it with U.S. Army), how many would be able to tell from just looking at it if it was real or fake? But ... once discovering that it is just a model made of cardboard and balsa ... how many people would consider hauling it off to be "detonated?" -- Roger

09-18-2008 11:29 AM  #30
DaveCombs NAR L1   Joined: Apr 2008 Posts: 10	Re: Article: Altered hobby rocket spurs evacuations Quote: But ... once discovering that it is just a model made of cardboard and balsa ... how many people would consider hauling it off to be "detonated?" -- Roger That's the problem, though. I'm sure the bomb squad would rather everyone stay the heck away from it just in case. It doesn't surprise me that Joe Average freaked out seeing it, and they did the right thing to err on the side of caution. That said, I don't think anyone should be charged or that it should go any further than it already has. Perhaps this will serve as a lesson for people to put their names on their birds?

09-18-2008 11:47 AM  #31
Loopy NAR Level 1   Joined: Dec 2007 Posts: 142	Re: Article: Altered hobby rocket spurs evacuations Doesn't really matter if you put your name on it - person walking by and freaking wouldn't get close enough to see it. In light of this story, I would NOT put my name on it for fear of prosecution! lol Kinda reminds me of the story about 8 months ago about the people that freaked out about the display model of a bomb in front of a VFW hall. Bomb squad took it away and then realized that it was a model...oops...

09-18-2008 12:54 PM  #32
ddmobley Administrator   Joined: Jul 2006 Posts: 4014	Re: Article: Altered hobby rocket spurs evacuations Quote: If you showed 100 random people off the street a 1:1 scale model of one of these: So, it has been determined that the model in question was one of "these"? We just don't know. The odds are, though, based on the number of military model rockets built, that it was a regular Estes-styled kit painted olive drab with the decals that said US Army. The odds are that it was a kit and not scratch built. It *could* be scratch built, it *could* be a model just like the round you showed, but the odds are against it. But, once it was determined to be a model rocket, there is no longer a need to place it in a special explosive proof carrier, cart it "up north" and detonate it. Once it was determined to be a model rocket, doing anything other than returning it to its owner was an exercise in job justification, mass hysteria and the promulgation of FUD. That is my point. I don't hold the media at fault here because they are the masters of FUD, they live, breathe, eat and sleep FUD. The curious onlookers don't know what to believe so they look to the officials of the town to give them an indicator of whether they should be scared or not. Instead of reassuring the townspeople that all is well, it's just a toy, they want to take the device away, truck it "up north" so that it's out of their collective voting sight and detonate it. At that point it's misleading and disingenuous to continue with the steps one would take with a real bomb. It can only be said at that point that they are doing it to protect their budgets and keep their jobs by proving their worth.

09-18-2008 12:54 PM  #33
10fttall New Member   Joined: Sep 2008 Posts: 6	Re: Article: Bomb scare shakes Derry, New Hampshire I guess we can forgive Joe Average, but what about the Fire Department and bomb squad? They grabbed the thing, slapped it in a fancy bomb containment trailer, and (presumably according to the stories) took it away and blew it up. Forgive my political incorrectness, but that's mildly retarded.

09-18-2008 01:01 PM  #34
ddmobley Administrator   Joined: Jul 2006 Posts: 4014	Re: Article: Bomb scare shakes Derry, New Hampshire Quote: Forgive my political incorrectness, but that's mildly retarded. Retarded on the surface. Brilliant underneath, when it comes down to proving that your job is really important and your department really needs tanks, fully-automatic assault guns, SWAT teams, and other paramilitary effects. Most law enforcement agencies consider themselves at war with the American citizen, but they need the American citizen to fund their agencies, so they have to justify getting as much funding as possible from the very people they are at war with.

09-18-2008 01:06 PM  #35
heada Certifiable   Joined: Apr 2007 Posts: 1075	Re: Article: Altered hobby rocket spurs evacuations Quote: But, once it was determined to be a model rocket, there is no longer a need to place it in a special explosive proof carrier, cart it "up north" and detonate it. Once it was determined to be a model rocket, doing anything other than returning it to its owner was an exercise in job justification, mass hysteria and the promulgation of FUD. That is my point. On this we agree completely. Once it was determined to be anything but a threat, it should have be returned to its owner if possible.

09-18-2008 01:42 PM  #36
UncleVanya If pigs had fins...   Joined: Sep 2007 Posts: 3640	Re: Article: Bomb scare shakes Derry, New Hampshire Let me be the voice of decent. If that had been a paper bag - formless and shapeless that someone had gotten nervous about and decided might hold a bomb - they would do the same. They are not going to risk that someone put a bomb inside a rocket and left it out to toy with them. They have no idea what is inside - so they blow it up. Partly this may be due to factors DD mentioned. But partly it's due to the fact that if they did make an assumption about it being safe and it turned out to be dangerous - there would be many more people than us complaining. It reminds me of days gone by when the mantra in IT was "No one was ever fired for buying IBM...". Blowing that rocket up is a safe (overly conservative) bet with little downside. Not blowing it up is very likely safe - but carries a low probability risk with HUGE downsides. People have studied human's response to low probability high risk or high payout (lottery anyone). The human brain overestimates the probability and the risk vs. reward is skewed. It's not dumb that they did this. Just seems so from our perspective. My opinion...

09-18-2008 01:48 PM  #37
plano_doug NAR L2   Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 85	Re: Article: Bomb scare shakes Derry, New Hampshire Quote: It's not dumb that they did this. Geez, Brad, you're a buzzkill We all understand that they were taking the lowest risk path, but if we merely accepted that, we wouldn't have anything to bitch about here Doug .

09-18-2008 01:58 PM  #38
ddmobley Administrator   Joined: Jul 2006 Posts: 4014	Re: Article: Bomb scare shakes Derry, New Hampshire Quote: It's not dumb that they did this. Just seems so from our perspective. This should be added to their recruitment posters. The fact that the general public acquiesces to their kind of behavior means they are winning the propaganda war. It's only a matter of time before we volunteer the surrender of our rights as well. Using this same line of logic, they should ban hobby rocketry right now to avoid model rockets from being used as a delivery vehicle for biological, chemical and explosive weapons. Remember, it's not dumb that they do this. It just seems so from our perspective.

09-18-2008 02:00 PM  #39
jadebox Roger Smith   Joined: Jul 2008 Posts: 45	Re: Article: Bomb scare shakes Derry, New Hampshire Quote: Geez, Brad, you're a buzzkill We all understand that they were taking the lowest risk path, but if we merely accepted that, we wouldn't have anything to bitch about here They may have been following "procedure," but it's still silly. Suppose your car has a blink light on the dash when the alarm is armed. You park next to a building in Derry and someone there sees the blinking light and decides there must be a bomb in your car. The authorites come and check out the report, as they should. Then they decide to blow up your car, just to be safe ..... -- Roger

09-18-2008 02:29 PM  #40

UncleVanya If pigs had fins...   Joined: Sep 2007 Posts: 3640

Re: Article: Bomb scare shakes Derry, New Hampshire Quote: They may have been following "procedure," but it's still silly. Suppose your car has a blink light on the dash when the alarm is armed. You park next to a building in Derry and someone there sees the blinking light and decides there must be a bomb in your car. The authorites come and check out the report, as they should. Then they decide to blow up your car, just to be safe ..... -- Roger I gotta disagree. Car's have easy tracking back to an owner. Anony