In September 2006, PARS members Oliver Neil Smith, Alexander Field, Daniel Goldsmith and Kes Daood, did something thay no one expected - they used Rocket Motors to power a model car .... with an Action Man figure "Fred", as driver.

No one knew what would happen. The results were spectacular. Read the story below.

Meet Fred. This brave test pilot took his life into his own hands and placed his faith in PARS' expertise to make his rocket car safe.

The car had to be carefully prepared for its first rocket powered race. A key aspect was how to secure the rocket motors safety and securely.

Fred got seated while igniters were attached to the motors. He looked nervous to me.

Each motor had to be aligned accurately, to stop the car veering to one side.

A simultaneous ignition system was used. It was imperative that both motors lit at precisely the same moment, otherwise the car would spin around. A fast burning ignitor wire was used, joined together and fired on the pad using an electronic launch controller.

The car is finally read for "launch". No one knew
what was going to happen. Would the car go
forward just a few feet and then stop? Would it
spin around in an uncontrolled fashion? Would it
leave the track?

Nothing could be more perfect. The car took off like a
rocket, which is not surprising since it was powered
by rocket motors. It went perfectly straight and must
have travelled for a hundred meters or so. A second
flight combined the design. PARS had cracked the
problem of both motor alignment, and simultaneous
firing.

PARS members examine the car afterwards. Despite
being covered in white smoke soot, some burning around
the plastic area near the motor, and some burnt hole
in the test pilot's protective jacket, all is well, and the
car is readied for a second flight.

For some reason, it is becoming traditional at PARS
events for Oliver to wear clamps on his nose. This
also happened at BIG EARS. See picture from the
Slug PARS @ Wet EARS event.