FIRST STEPS TOWARD SPACE - Smithsonian Institution Libraries

296 SMITHSONIAN ANNALS OF FLIGHT
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a way out. He led me down to the scrap box and
said, "If you can find anything in there that can be
used for your rocket, go ahead and take it." I
selected as the main body of the thrust chamber a
nickel-steel pinion gear. The hub of this gear appeared
to be of proper thickness and quality to
withstand almost any pressures which might be
generated. I took the gear back to Mr. Lucas and
asked him if I might use one of the machine-shop
lathes. He asked me whether I had ever used a
lathe before. When I replied that I had only that
instruction given all midshipmen in shop work, he
FIGURE 1.—First thrust chamber.
A
led me down the long line of lathes to the smaller
and older ones. He finally stopped in front of a
ten-inch South Bend lathe, of about 1917 vintage,
and told me that I was free to use that one.
In spite of the age and decrepit condition of the
lathe, I am sure that Mr. Lucas' machinist's soul
winced each time the lathe went clank, clank, clank
with the cutter hitting the case-hardened teeth as
I proceeded to machine them off the pinion gear.
I am not sure whether I lost more teeth off the
driving gears of the lathe or off the work in the
chuck. At length, however, this task was completed.