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  #21  
Old 12-09-2012, 09:44 PM
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Earl Earl is offline
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I went back and checked my vintage catalogs for both Centuri and Estes for their 1969 catalogs (both were catalog numbers 69-1 I believe). Both of these catalogs represent the first appearance of the Saturn V kit for each company.

'Effective' price date for the Centuri catalog was December 15, 1968. 'Effective' price date for the Estes catalog was July 1, 1969.

So, assuming both catalogs were actually physically issued by their printed effective date, one would assume the Centuri offering hit the street some time before the Estes offering. Now that does not preclude the fact that Estes could have issued their Saturn V before the formal catalog for 1969 was issued. But the evidence seems to point to a Centuri product being first.

I think one of the Centuri American Rocketeer newsletters announced a June, 1968 availability date for the 1/45 Little Joe II, and in some 'shop' photos in that issue, one can see what appear to be Saturn V and Saturn 1b prototypes on a shelf in the background. These photos would have been made probably in the spring of '68 to be in that newsletter, so those two kits were probably in the works right on the heels of the Little Joe.

Either Lee or Vern I'm sure could answer definitively; might be time to drop one of them an email and nail it down once and for all.


Earl
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  #22  
Old 12-10-2012, 01:38 AM
jdbectec jdbectec is offline
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I can settle this with some degree of certainy. I recieived my Centuri Saturn as a Chistmas gift in 1969. My neighbor waited a few months for the Estes version. I waited for the Mercury Redstone from Centuri, which was released later than announced. I'm still waiting for my Enerjet D21's.
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  #23  
Old 12-10-2012, 04:59 PM
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If the timing were that close you probably can't really tell by the catalogs. They only printed once per year and many of their newer kits hit shelves well before a catalog update. Someone who knows him, ask Vern.

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  #24  
Old 01-06-2013, 08:33 PM
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Ok, this may help settle this.

Clipping attached is from the September, 1969 Model Rocketry Magazine. The article is by G. Harry and talks about the increasing use of plastics in the hobby.

He is talking about some current kits that employ a greater use of plastics and references the currently available Centuri Saturn series of kits (Saturn V, Saturn 1b, and Little Joe IIs) and then mentions the FORTHCOMING Estes Saturn V.

So, while this article was probably written by Harry a couple months prior to the cover date of the mag, in any event it appears the Centuri Saturn V was out already and the Estes offering was 'forthcoming'.


Earl
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  #25  
Old 01-06-2013, 08:53 PM
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Jerry Irvine Jerry Irvine is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jdbectec
I'm still waiting for my Enerjet D21's.
Composite Dynamics physically delivered them and sparked a controversy when they were CA certified before they were NAR certified.
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  #26  
Old 01-06-2013, 10:55 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sandman
Oh, the photo was just a comic pose meant to be funny.

Gleda told me She, Vern and the Priester's even took vacations together.


Vern and Lee recreated the same pose at NARAM 50, though with a couple of smaller rockets.
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  #27  
Old 01-08-2013, 09:52 AM
Rocket Doctor Rocket Doctor is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Earl
I went back and checked my vintage catalogs for both Centuri and Estes for their 1969 catalogs (both were catalog numbers 69-1 I believe). Both of these catalogs represent the first appearance of the Saturn V kit for each company.

'Effective' price date for the Centuri catalog was December 15, 1968. 'Effective' price date for the Estes catalog was July 1, 1969.

So, assuming both catalogs were actually physically issued by their printed effective date, one would assume the Centuri offering hit the street some time before the Estes offering. Now that does not preclude the fact that Estes could have issued their Saturn V before the formal catalog for 1969 was issued. But the evidence seems to point to a Centuri product being first.

I think one of the Centuri American Rocketeer newsletters announced a June, 1968 availability date for the 1/45 Little Joe II, and in some 'shop' photos in that issue, one can see what appear to be Saturn V and Saturn 1b prototypes on a shelf in the background. These photos would have been made probably in the spring of '68 to be in that newsletter, so those two kits were probably in the works right on the heels of the Little Joe.

Either Lee or Vern I'm sure could answer definitively; might be time to drop one of them an email and nail it down once and for all.


Earl



I saw both Saturn V's at the Pittsburgh Spring Convention back in 1969 in PA

Both Lee Piester and Vern estes were there showing off their new offerings.
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