The instructions that come with the Semroc Penetrator kit list the year as 1984. I'm sure plenty of guys called that phone # in the catalog. At the time I didn't think of it as anything special and figured he wanted flyers to call since he put his phone # in the catalog right next to his name as if to encourage calling him :)

I only called a few times. I was interested in the Thunderbolts. Another thing I remember Lonnie as saying was that he flew his Nova on an F100 and I remember checking the catalog and noticing that motor wasn't listed, only the F7. Next weekend I took my Nova out to the Bonnet Carre Spillway and tried an F100-8 and it flew great although I never seemed to be able to pack enough streamer into the smaller diameter tubes. I preferred the OSO and Voyager for F engine flights.

Since Paul was speaking about the Stargazer and I assisted in derailing his Stargazer thread I'll mention something Stargazer related now ..... :o

For a while I have considered building the three stage model in the RC-1 catalog. There is a photo in that catalog that shows a three stage rocket "sucessfully test fired on 4-16-72".

http://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/ca...e_rc1/rc12.html

I believe the lower fins are the Stargazer fins. I base this assumption on the text "built completely from FSI parts listed on page 31".

http://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/ca..._rc1/rc130.html

Looks like the model used Micro fins for the 3rd stage, Orbit fins for the 2nd stage, and Stargazer lower fins for the 1st stage. I don't think the 1st stage fins could be for the Nova/Sprint because the span would be less than the 2nd stage Orbit fins and these two stages appear to have the same span. The Stargazer and Orbit fins would have about the same span for use on the 1st and 2nd stages.

Any comments from you or other forum members about this model? Anybody see this or a similar model at any launches or meets around 1972? This was before the D20-0 was available so I imagine it used a D18-0 for the booster and other 21mm engines for the other two stages.

.

I am planning on building the same one! Your guess on the three sets of fins matches mine. The caption said that the entire rocket was built from readily available parts from the catalog, which included pre-cut fins for the various FSI models that were out at the time. So all three sets of fins had to be from existing models, and the rocket would have probably also had to use body tubes that were cut to the lengths shown in the catalog. I wonder sometimes if FSI ever planned on releasing a three-stager.

What is your guess on the motor combination that would have produced the stated total N-s?

MarkII

Mark,

I'm going to PM Scott and ask him if he could start a new thread with the title "FSI 3-Stage Rocket Reese Catalog RC-1" so we can discuss this model starting with post #29. It will make it easier for members or other casual lurkers to find information on this 3-Stage model. I have a partial RockSim file I started a good while back for this model and I'd like to discuss it with you and the other forum members to bounce some ideas while leaving Paul's thread for the Stargazer mostly intact. I'm not at home this afternoon but I'll try to get that RockSim file finished and posted into the new thread and also submit it to Craig for BARCLONE.

:)

FWIW, Firefox carries sets of plywood fins which are patterned after the FSI fins.

In fact, they might BE FSI fins. I suspect that Firefox picked up FSI's remaining stock of parts. Their model rocket parts are very similar to FSI's, at least. Including a "Select a Chute."

Firefox? I'm not familiar with this vendor. Do you have a link?

I would have thought that all of the FSI-produced components would be long gone from the retail channel now, the remainder being either in the hands of collectors or lost. Since I resumed rocketry in 2004, I have never seen any for sale by anyone but collectors (actually, just one collector, or more accurately, keeper of the flame. ;) )

MarkII

Site appears to be down. Confirmed by downforeveryoneorjustme.com.

MarkII

I was looking at it this afternoon. Patience!

Perhaps they shut down the server at night? I'll try it tomorrow during the day.

MarkII

The matches Firefox sold worked well until they ceased shipping those. Now they only sell them at trade shows. I would think they would have trouble selling those old FSI fins since mostly pyro and fireworks guys would be buying supplies there but I could be wrong. I'll bet they sell tons of the one piece plastic fin units and the tubes for quick assembly. If someone wanted a true replacement set though it's good to know they have those for sale.

Too bad their nose cones for the RBT113 are balsa replacements instead of the FSI hardwood HNC-101 cones. I'd would order a few of those if they had them.

:(