Calling all friends of Lee Piester

[Chris_Timm]

Now that alot of you guys *met* the man and learned the secret handshake, perhaps one of you could give your new friend a ping about a question dealing with an obscure topic only a Centuri-rocket-loving geek would ask.

See attached photo first, then ask yourself (and Lee) these questions.........

Question 1. What is the color scheme in the this picture?
Question 2. Who is the gentleman pictured?
Question 3. What colors were that fin-can produced of that era?

I'd be guessing that the cone and transition were molded black.
(the new-era Estes versions are molded yellow and paint just doesn't stick well to it)

The fin can looks the original plastic hue of whatever colors were produced back then.

The payload "bright white" areas could very well be flourescent red. B&W photos have that effect.

[Initiator001]

I think I can answer two of the questions.

I believe the person in the picture 'might' be Larry Brown.

The color of the fin unit is a bright orange. I saw some examples around the Enertek shop when I worked for Lee.

Bob
Director of Customer Service
Enertek, Inc.

:rolleyes:

[SEL]

Now that alot of you guys *met* the man and learned the secret handshake, perhaps one of you could give your new friend a ping about a question dealing with an obscure topic only a Centuri-rocket-loving geek would ask.

See attached photo first, then ask yourself (and Lee) these questions.........

Question 1. What is the color scheme in the this picture?
Question 2. Who is the gentleman pictured?
Question 3. What colors were that fin-can produced of that era?

I'd be guessing that the cone and transition were molded black.
(the new-era Estes versions are molded yellow and paint just doesn't stick well to it)

The fin can looks the original plastic hue of whatever colors were produced back then.

The payload "bright white" areas could very well be flourescent red. B&W photos have that effect.

This was the subject of a thread last year - The gentleman is larry Brown, a.k.a "Joe Enerjet" As for the colors, I had to guess for my 1340 clone (see attached). I think Steve Naquin determined that the can was red.

Sean

[SEL]

Now that alot of you guys *met* the man and learned the secret handshake, perhaps one of you could give your new friend a ping about a question dealing with an obscure topic only a Centuri-rocket-loving geek would ask.

See attached photo first, then ask yourself (and Lee) these questions.........

Question 1. What is the color scheme in the this picture?
Question 2. Who is the gentleman pictured?
Question 3. What colors were that fin-can produced of that era?

I'd be guessing that the cone and transition were molded black.
(the new-era Estes versions are molded yellow and paint just doesn't stick well to it)


Try washing the cone/transition *really* well with dish detergent, then using a good 2 or 3 coats of sandable primer. I used Krylon gray, buit Kilz should work, too. The paint stuck just fine.

Sean

[tbzep]

You can go over the fin can with a Scotchbrite pad to get good paint adhesion. I don't need no steenking Krylon Fusion for plastic. :D

[SEL]

You can go over the fin can with a Scotchbrite pad to get good paint adhesion. I don't need no steenking Krylon Fusion for plastic. :D

True, the primer probably isn't needed. I just use it to get a smoother finish. I should have mentioned that when I wash any plastic parts, I use a Scotch-Brite sponge. The main thing with the yellow transition/cone is to get all of that powdery yellow stuff off. Also, the reason I painted mine yellow is that was the only color I had seen the fin can molded in until the LongShot came out.

Sean

Sean

[Chris_Timm]

The color of the fin unit is a bright orange.

Thanks Bob.

Do you know if these were ever kitted or simply advertising eye-candy?
With you being a big-time kit collector ---you be the guy who knows best!
If they were kitted, the instructions might have a clue as to what the color scheme might have been.

Its hard to believe that there wasn't a flourescent color in there somewhere.

Chris

[Chris_Timm]

As for the colors, I had to guess for my 1340 clone

Thats a sweet-looking model.

Maybe now I'll get motivated to finish cloning it myself.
If I could only remember where I put the fin cans, cones, and enerjet decals.
Too many boxes and not enough of them are labeled!

[Chris_Timm]

Thanks guys for all the tips on preparing the yellow cone for paint.
How do you guys go about removing paint from it?
I'll probably just scrape it off with a razorblade, and after all the scrubbing & primering, it'll look almost as good as new.

[A Fish Named Wallyum]

Thanks guys for all the tips on preparing the yellow cone for paint.
How do you guys go about removing paint from it?
I'll probably just scrape it off with a razorblade, and after all the scrubbing & primering, it'll look almost as good as new.


Believe it or not, use Easy Off. Spray it on, wait a couple of hours, and scrape away the paint. I used it a lot in my plastic model days.

[snaquin]

Now that alot of you guys *met* the man and learned the secret handshake, perhaps one of you could give your new friend a ping about a question dealing with an obscure topic only a Centuri-rocket-loving geek would ask.

See attached photo first, then ask yourself (and Lee) these questions.........

Question 1. What is the color scheme in the this picture?
Question 2. Who is the gentleman pictured?
Question 3. What colors were that fin-can produced of that era?

I'd be guessing that the cone and transition were molded black.
(the new-era Estes versions are molded yellow and paint just doesn't stick well to it)

The fin can looks the original plastic hue of whatever colors were produced back then.

The payload "bright white" areas could very well be flourescent red. B&W photos have that effect.

I don't have first hand knowlege of these answers from Lee or Larry Brown and I know you are looking for specifics Chris but here's a few things I have learned.

The original cone and transition were black. By 1975 Centuri was selling these capsules as the PNC-13E/ST-202. The EnerJet Egg Crate used this same capsule and the EnerJet Egg Crate was also pictured in some of the Centuri "Egg Capsule" ads that state it was black polyethelene.

Some of the fin cans in 1975 were "Centuri Orange" and "Hot Blue". Earlier versions were Red and were used on the Centuri Argus in 1973.

http://www.ninfinger.org/~sven/rockets/nostalgia/73cen70g.html

I had some interesting conversation and posts with Jerry Irvine for the short time that the TRF2 forum was in existence, and while discussing the Historic EnerJet Two-Stage rocket that flew at Anaheim Stadium in 1974 (also designed by Larry Brown) Jerry also contributed information and details about other early EnerJet sounding rockets including an original SR1340 that he said he still owned. The molded parts on the original 1340 were all Red according to Jerry.

One thing I can tell you about the rocket in the 4th Ed. Handbook picture, if it is an original EnerJet 1340 the capusule base would have had to have been modifed to fit since the 1340 used tubing closely matching the dimensions of the Semroc LT-125 with a smaller ID than the ST-13. The capsule would not have fit because it was designed for ST-13 tubing. I built mine pictured below and used the Semroc LT-125 and did modify the capsule base to fit. If you look closely you can see a seam in the LT-125 tubing where I had to cut the capsule base and the tubing to allow this mod. and a short length of 1.25" dia dowel.

Determining exactly when that 4th Ed. Handbook picture was taken would help to determine the correct color of the fin can. I guessed at Red color based on the 1973 Centuri Argus because that's the earliest color photo of that fin can I could find and what I learned about the original EnerJet 1340. Perhaps someone else can contribute some more information in this area.

I hope this helps Chris. I always thank Sean for how well my SR1340 came out. It was his post and picture that brought me to YORF while searching for information on these early EnerJet rockets last year :D

[Chris_Timm]

Great info Steve!
I had similar emails with JI as well a few years back and he said the same thing about the red fin can.
I have some Enerjet 2-page fold-out fact sheets on the 1340 and 1340/20.
One part I haven't found yet is the 0.1" exposed shoulder payload coupler for the 1340.
Email me and we'll discuss some things further.

christimm@chartermi.net

Now I must go and check over the big-box-o-rockets for Saturday's launch.

WOO-HOO!

[Initiator001]

Some of the fin cans in 1975 were "Centuri Orange" and "Hot Blue". Earlier versions were Red and were used on the Centuri Argus in 1973.



Duoh!

That's right! That ST-13 fin can was originally molded in red.

A few years later, when I bought an Argus, the color had changed to an orange. Centuri must have used up all the original molded units and changed the color for a second parts run.

Darn! All this Enerjet talk has me wanting to build some Enerjet clones. Or, I could just build the boxed Enerjet Nike Ram and AeroDart kits I have resting about two feet from my computer. ;)

Bob "I need to finish a project for my job so I can get back to building rockets!"

[Initiator001]

Thanks Bob.

Do you know if these were ever kitted or simply advertising eye-candy?
With you being a big-time kit collector ---you be the guy who knows best!
If they were kitted, the instructions might have a clue as to what the color scheme might have been.

Its hard to believe that there wasn't a flourescent color in there somewhere.

Chris

Chris,

That particular model was never kitted. It was probably just something that was made up for fun by the staff.

Storytime.

In one of the Centuri newsletters (I think it was an Enerjet newsletter), there was a picture of the lower 2/3rds of a Saturn V model with an X-24 Bug on top.

Fast forward to late 1987-early 1988. Scott Branche and I were exploring around inside the American Hobbycraft/Enertek warehouse.

We would often find Centuri/Enerjet items stored in closets, up on shelves or even in non-descript boxes.

Scott called me over as he had found something. He pulled it out of a closet (I think). It was the lower 2/3rds of a Centuri Saturn V. Also, there was an unfired Enerjet E24 motor in the model.

The next day, Scott told Bill Stine (Our boss) about the find. Scott asked if he could keep it. Bill said 'okay'. Scott took the Saturn V, I took the E24. Bill reminded us about the Saturn V/X-24 model. We still don't know for sure, but this could have been the model that was pictured in the article.

Bob

[snaquin]

Duoh!

That's right! That ST-13 fin can was originally molded in red.

A few years later, when I bought an Argus, the color had changed to an orange. Centuri must have used up all the original molded units and changed the color for a second parts run.

Darn! All this Enerjet talk has me wanting to build some Enerjet clones. Or, I could just build the boxed Enerjet Nike Ram and AeroDart kits I have resting about two feet from my computer. ;)

Bob "I need to finish a project for my job so I can get back to building rockets!"

Thanks for confirming the ST-13 fin can color Bob! :) I wasn't sure about it. Just a "best guess" based on what I had learned from searching for some of the same details as Chris.

It's too bad there isn't more information posted online for the early EnerJet sounding rockets. I'll bet some guys have some really cool EnerJet pictures in their collections that attended NARAM-14 and actually saw some of these originals up close and personal.

[snaquin]

Chris,

That particular model was never kitted. It was probably just something that was made up for fun by the staff.

Storytime.

In one of the Centuri newsletters (I think it was an Enerjet newsletter), there was a picture of the lower 2/3rds of a Saturn V model with an X-24 Bug on top.

Fast forward to late 1987-early 1988. Scott Branche and I were exploring around inside the American Hobbycraft/Enertek warehouse.

We would often find Centuri/Enerjet items stored in closets, up on shelves or even in non-descript boxes.

Scott called me over as he had found something. He pulled it out of a closet (I think). It was the lower 2/3rds of a Centuri Saturn V. Also, there was an unfired Enerjet E24 motor in the model.

The next day, Scott told Bill Stine (Our boss) about the find. Scott asked if he could keep it. Bill said 'okay'. Scott took the Saturn V, I took the E24. Bill reminded us about the Saturn V/X-24 model. We still don't know for sure, but this could have been the model that was pictured in the article.

Bob

Bob,

Awesome story!

I always wonder what happened to some of those early designs and prototypes. Like the "EnerJet Boosted Space Shuttle" in the 1972 EnerJet catalog. The picture shows it was ready for flight. Did it fly? How well did it fly?

http://tinyurl.com/ldxus

What closet is it in so I can go get it? :D

[SEL]

Chris,

That particular model was never kitted. It was probably just something that was made up for fun by the staff.

Storytime.

In one of the Centuri newsletters (I think it was an Enerjet newsletter), there was a picture of the lower 2/3rds of a Saturn V model with an X-24 Bug on top.

<snip a bit>

The next day, Scott told Bill Stine (Our boss) about the find. Scott asked if he could keep it. Bill said 'okay'. Scott took the Saturn V, I took the E24. Bill reminded us about the Saturn V/X-24 model. We still don't know for sure, but this could have been the model that was pictured in the article.

Bob

Which brings me to this question: There was/is a launch report in one of the back issues of odel Rocketeer/American Spacemodeling that mentions Larry Brown doing a demo launch of said Saturn V/Bug rocket. Can anyone point me to the correct issue? I think the launch was held at a not-yet-open highway overpass, and they were having problems with kids on bikes grabbing rockets as they landed and riding off with them. I'll admit that I havn't gone through every issue, but I have looked through most of the issues prior to 1980 with no luck.

Sean

[Initiator001]

A year or two ago, Gary Rosenfield had a link to (I think) the RCS website where he had a six minute Quicktime movie from NARAM 16 featuring many Centuri/Enerjet rockets and flights (Plus a car fire!).

I don't see the video link on either the AeroTech or RCS website for this film anymore. :(

Bob "Still not done with the project for my job"

[Initiator001]

It's too bad there isn't more information posted online for the early EnerJet sounding rockets. I'll bet some guys have some really cool EnerJet pictures in their collections that attended NARAM-14 and actually saw some of these originals up close and personal.

It has been a few years but I recall that Gary Rosenfield had a black covered photo scrapbook which had quite a few B&W photos of Enerjet rockets. The pictures may have been PR items from Enerjet.

(At least, I THINK Gary was/is the owner of this photo album. He was quite the Enerjet fan).

Bob "Project due on Tuesday" :eek:

[rocketguy101]

Reading this thread, and a couple others on other forums about Centuri/EnerJet, especially about those fin cans, I dug out my old scrapbooks and scanned some photos from modroc conferences I attended in '71 to '73. I posted them here one of my picture pages (http://www.geocities.com/rocketguy_101/strib_rocpic_9.html) --hope I remembered all the details correctly!

David Stribling

[SEL]

Reading this thread, and a couple others on other forums about Centuri/EnerJet, especially about those fin cans, I dug out my old scrapbooks and scanned some photos from modroc conferences I attended in '71 to '73. I posted them here one of my picture pages (http://www.geocities.com/rocketguy_101/strib_rocpic_9.html) --hope I remembered all the details correctly!

David Stribling


Great Stuff, David!! Thanks for posting.

Sean

[Green Dragon]

Great info Steve!
I had similar emails with JI as well a few years back and he said the same thing about the red fin can.
I have some Enerjet 2-page fold-out fact sheets on the 1340 and 1340/20.
One part I haven't found yet is the 0.1" exposed shoulder payload coupler for the 1340.
Email me and we'll discuss some things further.

christimm@chartermi.net

Now I must go and check over the big-box-o-rockets for Saturday's launch.

WOO-HOO!

I was looking at the coupler used on modern Estes E2X kits ( the 1.34" generic ones with different names ,etc ), just the other day .
I'd posted re: how that coupler with .120" exposed was possibly close to the 1340 coupler ( although it;s 1.34 / ST13, not 1.25" ) .

Might make a good stand-in , or be modiified for use ?

~ AL

raining here again, launch postponed ( again ) .... sigh ...

[Green Dragon]

Great Stuff, David!! Thanks for posting.

Sean

to coin a phrase - AWESEOME :)

real good early info, thanks again.

~ AL

[snaquin]

Reading this thread, and a couple others on other forums about Centuri/EnerJet, especially about those fin cans, I dug out my old scrapbooks and scanned some photos from modroc conferences I attended in '71 to '73. I posted them here one of my picture pages (http://www.geocities.com/rocketguy_101/strib_rocpic_9.html) --hope I remembered all the details correctly!

David Stribling

Great pics David and thanks so much for posting! Must have been great to be there in person taking those pics.

[rocketguy101]

yeah, too bad I didn't appreciate it at the time! We thought EnerJet (and Centuri) would go on forever...whoda thunk? :( :confused: