Centuri "Photon Probe" (2) at PVHC (eBay)

[Tau Zero]

Boy, I wouldn't mind snagging this Centuri Photon Probe (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=330033825298&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=014), but I haven't got $86 to spare, since I blew all my Labor Day overtime money at Semroc, Sirius Rocketry (shouts out to David J. Miller!), and Aerospace Specialty Products (way to go, Andy!).

Do the folks at Semroc have one of these hiding in the back room? ;) :D As far as I know, there aren't any definitive parts lists available for this one online. :(


Heavy sigh,

[s1lence]

If I had the money I would. I saw that earlier today on ebay as well.

[A Fish Named Wallyum]

Boy, I wouldn't mind snagging this Centuri Photon Probe (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=330033825298&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=014), but I haven't got $86 to spare, since I blew all my Labor Day overtime money at Semroc, Sirius Rocketry (shouts out to David J. Miller!), and Aerospace Specialty Products (way to go, Andy!).

Do the folks at Semroc have one of these hiding in the back room? ;) :D As far as I know, there aren't any definitive parts lists available for this one online. :(


Heavy sigh,


(Drooling. More than usual.) How about an SLS PHOTON PROBE! :cool: :cool: :cool:

[Tau Zero]

(Drooling. More than usual.) How about an SLS PHOTON PROBE! :cool: :cool: :cool:(sobbling melodramatically, and even more hopelessly than usual)
"Damn you, Fishhead! Why do you *torment* me this way?"
(continued even heavier melodramatic sobbing)


[Dear Moderator:

It was just an expression. Of artistic license. Or overwrought emotions. It's hard to say which. Either way, I'm sorry.]


(Carl e-mailed me and says he has a Photon Probe courtesy of Pete Deever in his possession. :D So I just saved 86 bucks I can spend at Carl's website instead. :rolleyes: :cool: When I get my hands on some Real Cash Money, that is.)


Nearly drowning in a flood of excessive something-or-other,

[maricopasem]

Just build your own. Except for the NC and the transition up to it (and the paint job, of course) this is an exact downscale.

[Eagle3]

(Drooling. More than usual.) How about an SLS PHOTON PROBE! :cool: :cool: :cool:

:D I bought some extra large balsa transitions and boat tails from Scale Kits when they were around and an upscale Photon Probe was one of the ideas I had for a couple. IIRC they are bored out for a 24mm motor tube and fit the heavy wall LOC BT-2.14 tubing

[JRThro]

(sobbling melodramatically, and even more hopelessly than usual)Wow, I didn't think that was even possible, Jay!!
:rolleyes: ;) :D

[tbzep]

Just build your own. Except for the NC and the transition up to it (and the paint job, of course) this is an exact downscale.

I just don't see the resemblence. I think that yours is an Estes Photon Probe not a Centuri. :confused:

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y283/tbzep/attachment.jpghttp://www.pennvalleyhobbycenter.com/images/storesebay/mrcenESphotonprobe.jpg

[maricopasem]

Sorry about that. I misread the original post.

[Tau Zero]

Wow, I didn't think that was even possible, Jay!!
:rolleyes: ;) :DJust keep hanging around. There's a lot more where *that* came from. :eek: :rolleyes: ;) :D :p


Cheers,

[duobob]

Here is the Estes take on the Photon Probe the Solar Probe. I got one on ebay for $20 a few months ago! http://www.ninfinger.org/~sven/rockets/catalogs/estes91/91est48.html

[tbzep]

Here is the Estes take on the Photon Probe the Solar Probe. I got one on ebay for $20 a few months ago! http://www.ninfinger.org/~sven/rockets/catalogs/estes91/91est48.html


That just goes to show what a good paint/decal design (and judicous application of toothpicks) will do for a rocket. The Centuri version looks sooooo much better to me!

[rokitflite]

Here is the Estes take on the Photon Probe the Solar Probe. I got one on ebay for $20 a few months ago! http://www.ninfinger.org/~sven/rockets/catalogs/estes91/91est48.html


I have tried to buy that Estes kit off of Ebay 3 separate times! All three times the models were ruined due to poor (pathetic really) packaging and I returned them to the seller for a refund :mad:

[Doug Sams]

That just goes to show what a good paint/decal design (and judicous application of toothpicks) will do for a rocket. I've come to truly appreciate that over the past few years. The Cherokee-D may be one of the best examples. It's a 3FNC with a great decal scheme. I think that's why kit vendors (and car makers) keep cranking out new models. They're hoping to stumble onto that elusive mixture that turns a 3FNC into a fortune maker. We can talk about scale authenticity or kevlar shock cords or engineering excellence, but eye-appeal rules.

As for the toothpicks, while I appreciate how they enhance the looks, I know too well what happens to them and they are hence a turnoff for me. At least on model cars, you could throw the side view mirrors in the trunk or back seat when they broke off. I guess we can put the broken toothpicks in the payload bays :)

Doug

[Doug Sams]

Boy, I wouldn't mind snagging this, but I haven't got $86 to spare
http://www.pennvalleyhobbycenter.com/images/storesebay/mrcenESphotonprobe.jpg http://home.flash.net/~samily/jordo/JordoNew3-3.jpg (http://home.flash.net/~samily/jordo)


Jay,
That's a kewl looking kit. At the risk of blasphemy, why not just swag something close? Does it have to be an exact match?

That said, here's one I did. It wasn't inspired by the Photon Probe, but it leapt to mind when I saw the Probe. Some black roll patterns might really spruce it up. Having built the Jordo, the one thing that strikes me about the Probe is that it needs some more motor tubes :)

Doug

[Tau Zero]

As for the toothpicks, while I appreciate how they enhance the looks, I know too well what happens to them and they are hence a turnoff for me. [SNIP] I guess we can put the broken toothpicks in the payload bays :)That's why I was reluctant to add the "ion cannon" option to my Tau Zero, but I think it was Dean H. Fox who said he'd build it as a display model, and if he wanted to go fly something, he'd drag a 3FNC out to the field.

(Of course, Dean could always buy *two* Tau Zeros... :eek: :cool: )


When it comes to toothpicks, though, I'd probably have to *build* two Photon Probes... one with, and one without.


Jay,

That [Photon Probe]'s a kewl looking kit. At the risk of blasphemy, why not just swag something close? Does it have to be an exact match?Funny that you should say that. I was wandering around Semroc's "Classic Kits" list when I came across *this* entry:

http://www.semroc.com/Store/scripts/ClassicParts.asp?ID=554

That's *just* enough info that I could fake it! In fact, I just *happened* to buy one of those nose cones with my last order from Semroc! :D

Besides, I like the more pronounced orange/black/white color scheme compared to the re-release by Estes (but that's just me):

http://www.dars.org/jimz/est2051.htm
http://www.semroc.com/Store/scripts/ClassicParts.asp?ID=391


Some black roll patterns might really spruce it up. Having built the Jordo, the one thing that strikes me about the Probe is that it needs some more motor tubes :)*Real* motor tubes, or fake ones? :rolleyes: (enthusiastic) Because you could use ST-8's for *most* of the skinny tube, but *then* you could substitute a paper PR-916 boattail and 24mm motor mount for the EM-78 (18mm) original mount... (drooling emoticon)


Cheers,

[DeanHFox]

That's why I was reluctant to add the "ion cannon" option to my Tau Zero, but I think it was Dean H. Fox who said he'd build it as a display model, and if he wanted to go fly something, he'd drag a 3FNC out to the field.

(Of course, Dean could always buy *two* Tau Zeros... :eek: :cool: )
Yep, Jay, it was me, and I've been *patiently* waiting for the prototypes to work any remaining bugs out of the design...

(so I can put ion cannons on one, and pulse-tuned plasma cannons on the other!) :)

BUT...

I can't buy 'em until you finalize the design. Go forth, my friend, and make it so!

(pay no attention to my tapping foot. It's just a nervous twitch, I swear. I'm not impatient for my Tau Zeroes. Nope. It's just a twitch) :D

[tbzep]

That's why I was reluctant to add the "ion cannon" option to my Tau Zero, but I think it was Dean H. Fox who said he'd build it as a display model, and if he wanted to go fly something, he'd drag a 3FNC out to the field.

I saw the potential problems with my original Laser-X even as a kid. I finished the fins without the toothpicks, then finished the toothpicks seperately...and several extras. I barely tacked them onto the fins with a tiny drop of Elmer's glue at the leading and trailing edges of the fins. Since the glue was on paint and not soaked into the wood, it would allow the toothpicks to come off without damaging the fins. I flew the Laser-X several times and only had to re-glue the toothpicks a couple of times...no damage to the the rocket or the toothpicks. They popped off and I was able to find them in the grass to re-glue them.

The disadvantage to this method is that you can't put a fillet between the fin and the toothpick. However, that just gives you even more reason to build two, one for flight, and one for display. :)

[Doug Sams]

*Real* motor tubes, or fake ones? :rolleyes: Real ones. Same for your Mu-Tater. Both rockets are begging for clusters (IMNSHO). I know that pretty much takes out the boattail on the Probe, tho.


(enthusiastic) Because you could use ST-8's for *most* of the skinny tube, Not sure which tube you're talking about. The airframe forward of the transition? Or using ST-8's as outboard tubes aft?


*then* you could substitute a ... 24mm motor mount for the EM-78 (18mm) original mount... (drooling emoticon) Yes, definitely 24mm. You can always adapt down... In fact, last time I flew the Jordo, I took out the D12-7 which had been waiting forever to be flown, and put in a C6-7 in an adapter.

Doug
Finding myself building lots of clusters these days...

[Initiator001]

When I worked at Enertek, Bill Stine told me a story about the Laser-X model and toothpicks.

It seems one day, Centuri received a letter from a customer concerning his Laser-X kit. It seems he had broken some of the 'toothpicks' off the model and needed replacements.

Bill was handling customer service issues so he sent the customer a note telling him they were normal toothpicks that could be purchased in a box at a local grocery store.

Nothing doing. The customer wrote back and was furious that he was being 'ignored'. He wanted part #XXXXX which is what the 'toothpicks' were called in the instructions.

Bill bought a box of toothpicks, put some in an envelope and mailed them to the customer.
Nothing further was heard from the customer.

Bob

[Tau Zero]

Not sure which tube you're talking about. The airframe forward of the transition? Or using ST-8's as outboard tubes aft?I'm thinking the airframe forward of the transition *may* run most of the way through the airframe *aft* of the transition... but I'm not entirely sure. I'd have to look at the directions from JimZ again. :o


Finding myself building lots of clusters these days...*See?* That's your problem, right *there*... :eek: :rolleyes: ;) :p


Chuckling,