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-   -   I need a FSI (Flight Systems) history lesson? (http://www.oldrocketforum.com/showthread.php?t=1748)

2ahoser 05-12-2007 12:20 AM

I need a FSI (Flight Systems) history lesson?
 
Hi there,

I am getting more and more confused about FSI history. When I was younger ( in the early '80's) FSI stuff was available. I thought they had gone out of business back then. But, on ebay, I have seen catalogs for sale that list the '90's?

So, anyone out there have a time line, a web link or just some information on this company?

I am curious that no-one has bought the company, reproduced the kits and motors. After all, I would still by their F100 and E motors!! Who owns the rights to the company?

Any information would be greatly appreciated,
Thanks,
Bob

stefanj 05-12-2007 02:39 PM

FSI may have gone vewwy, vewwy quiet for a few years after 1984, when the driving force behind the rocketry division, Lonnie Reese, was killed in an auto accident.

They were putting out catalogs and such again by the time I got back into the hobby (1988). They went under for good around 1993.

I think the Reese family ran out of interest and expertise after Harold Reese, who made the motors, died.

Royatl 05-12-2007 05:08 PM

Quote:
Originally Posted by 2ahoser
Hi there,

I am getting more and more confused about FSI history. When I was younger ( in the early '80's) FSI stuff was available. I thought they had gone out of business back then. But, on ebay, I have seen catalogs for sale that list the '90's?

So, anyone out there have a time line, a web link or just some information on this company?

I am curious that no-one has bought the company, reproduced the kits and motors. After all, I would still by their F100 and E motors!! Who owns the rights to the company?

Any information would be greatly appreciated,
Thanks,
Bob



StefanJ is pretty much on the money. They continued to make special effects motors for various clients (movies and such), they obtained one or two of the MPC/AVI motor machines and introduced a line of 18mm A-C motors which they sold through hobby shops in the late 80's and early 90's when Quest somehow obtained the machines from them. They continued to make the 21 and 27 mm motors until Harold Reese died. I have F100s and F7s made in 1980 and in 1988

barone 05-12-2007 05:13 PM

Quote:
Originally Posted by Royatl
...... I have F100s and F7s made in 1980 and in 1988
I loved the F7s :D

Royatl 05-12-2007 05:19 PM

Quote:
Originally Posted by barone
I loved the F7s :D


You wouldn't love these. Everyone I tried (even when they were fresh) created an exciting cato. It got to where I made special throwaway two stage rockets to see if by chance one would work. Boost it up to a safe altitude on a D12-0 and then see what happens (it always blew!).

It was very annoying, because Romie Lucas bought his motors from the same hobby store (B&B in Loganville, GA) and he never had a cato (or rarely).

timmwood 05-12-2007 07:31 PM

Adventures with the steam machine
 
Here's an article I posted on my web site about my adventures with the F7:
http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanave.../steamrock.html
My one three-pack of F7s didn't CATO, but I had some wild times with it.
I bought lots of stuff from FSI in the early 90s. I appreciate the history info in this thread. I once actually tried to track down their address in Raytown, Mo. All I found was a house in a residential neighborhood. Maybe that was their mailing address. I heard unofficially that they operated out of an old Nike missile station.
timmwood

barone 05-12-2007 07:44 PM

Quote:
Originally Posted by timmwood
Here's an article I posted on my web site about my adventures with the F7:
http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanave.../steamrock.html
My one three-pack of F7s didn't CATO, but I had some wild times with it.
I bought lots of stuff from FSI in the early 90s. I appreciate the history info in this thread. I once actually tried to track down their address in Raytown, Mo. All I found was a house in a residential neighborhood. Maybe that was their mailing address. I heard unofficially that they operated out of an old Nike missile station.
timmwood
Daja Vu.....I did the same thing and found just a house. I later found out from a fellow club member that the actual plant was further east of town, towards the Air Force Base. Could have easily been an old missile facility.

timmwood 05-12-2007 09:47 PM

More FSI tidbits
 
I heard somewhere that FSI actually made motors for Quest. Perhaps FSI made Quest motors for awhile, then sold them the machines. I understand Quest made their motors for a period of time, and now their motors come from Germany..
In the two to three years that I bought stuff from FSI, the only difference in their annual catalogs was the date on the cover.
One of their kits was a scale model fo the Sandia Sandhawk. I converted it to D motors and it was an impressive flyer. The fins, though, were one-quarter-inch balsa, which seemed out of scale!
Their tube-fin rockets, the Viking series, were pretty cool.
I hope Semroc resurrects some FSI kits or expands their parts collection to make it easier to clone FSI kits.
For the F7 fans - how about Apogee's long-burning composite F motors? It would seem to be much safer than a mammoth black powder motor.
The FSI catalogs also had a page that said the "Thunderbolts" were coming and had some data for a G-level motors. There was a rubber-stamped "not available" message on that page of the catalog. I wonder if the "Thunderbolts" were composite motors or an even bigger black powder motor?
timmwood

Bazookadale 05-12-2007 10:03 PM

Quote:
Originally Posted by 2ahoser

I am curious that no-one has bought the company, reproduced the kits and motors. After all, I would still by their F100 and E motors!! Who owns the rights to the company?

Any information would be greatly appreciated,
Thanks,
Bob


I wonder about that myself - I heard a number of years ago that someone ( I forget who ) had bought the old 21 and 27 mm presses, but obviously no product in all that time. Shoot I'd buy them if the price were right!

2ahoser 05-12-2007 10:39 PM

Someone must know something?
 
Thanks for all the responses.
It just seem strange to me that a certified NRA motor would just go away that fast. Plus, the kits would most likely sell in todays market. Semroc ( along with others) have shown a market for the older kits.

I did not know that Quest and FSI had a link. I have been waiting to see Quest's new "D" motors, so may be we will see larger motors from them?

I still have some F100's and they were like 50/50 at some launches. But FSI D and E motors where great. Nothing like my old Echo 1 going up on two E motors. Those were the days.....

Keep the information coming, hopefully I can get a better understanding of the history of FSI.

Thanks,
Bob


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