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K38
10-21-2010, 05:50 PM
I would like to find my very first rocket kit. I know that it was not Estes or Centuri I know the name of it was Zeus. It was a streamer recovery model. I lost it on the first flight. It may have been MPC, but I don't think so. I think it was around 1969 or so when I got it. Any help would be wonderful.

Thanks,

Dwight
blackshire
10-21-2010, 05:58 PM
Cox made a plastic Ready-To-Fly Nike-Zeus, but (although I never had one) I think it used parachute recovery, and it was a two-stage model.
tbzep
10-21-2010, 06:06 PM
I would like to find my very first rocket kit. I know that it was not Estes or Centuri I know the name of it was Zeus. It was a streamer recovery model. I lost it on the first flight. It may have been MPC, but I don't think so. I think it was around 1969 or so when I got it. Any help would be wonderful.

Thanks,

Dwight

MRI Zeus. Located here: http://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/catalogs/mri69/69mri0.html
blackshire
10-21-2010, 06:06 PM
A model rocket kit called Zeus was made by MRI (Model Rocket Industries) between 1968 and 1970 (see: http://www.semroc.com/Store/scripts/ClassicParts.asp?ID=822 and http://www.semroc.com/Store/scripts/ClassicKits.asp ). Here is its citation in the 1969 MRI catalog: http://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/catalogs/mri69/69mri0.html .


-- Jason
stefanj
10-21-2010, 06:36 PM
I had a Zeus. AVI sold a lot of MRI stock in the mid to late 70s, and even put together recreation kits with photocopied instruction sheets. The Zeus I bought might have been one of those.

It wouldn't be hard to recreate the model.

I had a Flare and a Lepus too.
jharding58
10-21-2010, 06:42 PM
I would guess at nine inches long it would have been a T-20 tube and a conic 620C nosecone. Not sure if you could find the original metric tubes, or if you want to go on a hunt, but the BT-30 is about 18.5mm in diameter and a BT-40 is about 22mm. As for the nosecone - you may have to hunt that one. Once you have decided upon an approximation of the tube size, then you can search for your cone. If you go with a slightly larger tube size then your options for a conic nose cone will increase. Of course, there are any number of very nice people that will custom turn a cone for you.
K38
10-21-2010, 08:20 PM
The MRI Zeus is the one!! Thanks guys! I'm going to take my grandson out flying rockets this weekend. Third generation of rocket madness. I have my 1979 Estes Sprint repainted and ready to go.

Thanks a Bunch!

Dwight
jbuscaglia
10-21-2010, 08:41 PM
I would guess at nine inches long it would have been a T-20 tube and a conic 620C nosecone. Not sure if you could find the original metric tubes, or if you want to go on a hunt, but the BT-30 is about 18.5mm in diameter and a BT-40 is about 22mm. As for the nosecone - you may have to hunt that one. Once you have decided upon an approximation of the tube size, then you can search for your cone. If you go with a slightly larger tube size then your options for a conic nose cone will increase. Of course, there are any number of very nice people that will custom turn a cone for you.

Quest T-20 is basically the same tube. BMS also sells that tube size (T20Q).

Looks like Semroc has a reproduction of that nose cone available - BC-T2032C.
blackshire
10-22-2010, 01:41 AM
It also looks like the Quest Zenith II two-stage rocket (which was an MPC kit and may also have been an AVI kit) might have first been an MRI kit. Their Zenith Two kit (see: http://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/catalogs/mri69/69mri0.html ) looks just like the MPC/Quest Zenith II.
jharding58
10-22-2010, 02:38 AM
Quest T-20 is basically the same tube. BMS also sells that tube size (T20Q).

Looks like Semroc has a reproduction of that nose cone available - BC-T2032C.

Yes indeed it is, calls out the MRI 620C in the description. That and a 6" section of tube is a winner! Plus the Quest engine mount (00410). Now, just need to find the fin template...
jdbectec
10-22-2010, 08:05 AM
Yes indeed it is, calls out the MRI 620C in the description. That and a 6" section of tube is a winner! Plus the Quest engine mount (00410). Now, just need to find the fin template...


I built an upscale one out of BT-55 and a Demon-style nose cone, never flew it and have misplaced it. I scaled up the picture found here:

http://plans.rocketshoppe.com/pubs/AVI/catalogs/1976/avi1976-1.pdf

and copied the fin pattern from that, should be close enough. ;)
jharding58
10-25-2010, 02:28 PM
Could anyone with experience tell me if this is close the fin shape of the Zeus? I pulled the MRI ad and tried to guess on proportion and shape, but the parallel section of the fin is giving me fits.
K38
11-09-2010, 07:13 AM
Many, Many thanks to all who helped find the Zeus. Now if I could find a kit or plans it would be great.

Yours,

Dwight L. Brown
NAR 69453
jharding58
11-09-2010, 07:57 AM
Many, Many thanks to all who helped find the Zeus. Now if I could find a kit or plans it would be great.

Yours,

Dwight L. Brown
NAR 69453

I think that in this thread is pretty much all you would need to build the model. The original length (9") is specified from the ad, the clone of the NC from Semroc,deduce the length of T-20 tube and mount from Quest, and the fin approximation is pretty close to the drawing from the ad also.

Your could just became a can.
jdbectec
11-09-2010, 08:50 AM
Could anyone with experience tell me if this is close the fin shape of the Zeus? I pulled the MRI ad and tried to guess on proportion and shape, but the parallel section of the fin is giving me fits.

I thought I had replied to this but I hadn't. My apologies, That fin shape looks correct compared to what I came up with. As I said I scaled up the picture and the model (to BT-55).

The horizontal lines on the fin were not quite paralell. I assume the fins are meant to have a " lightening bolt" look to them.

I'll post a pic later when time allows.
jdbectec
11-09-2010, 08:57 AM
I think that in this thread is pretty much all you would need to build the model. The original length (9") is specified from the ad, the clone of the NC from Semroc,deduce the length of T-20 tube and mount from Quest, and the fin approximation is pretty close to the drawing from the ad also.

Your could just became a can.


Bt is 6" T-20

fins 3/32" balsa

nose cone from semroc is correct,

Due to the short length of the model it will require one or possibly two of the lead nose weights also available from Semroc. I'm pretty sure it is two.

I've never found plans for it, but the lepus instructions will work.