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  #1  
Old 01-30-2014, 10:20 AM
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Default When did plastic fin cans make the scene in rocketry?

I have a question about plastic fin cans.

When was the first prefabricated plastic fin can used? What model, and who developed it?

Did plastic nose cones show up about the same time> Earlier, later?

Thanks,

David
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Old 01-30-2014, 10:31 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by astronot
I have a question about plastic fin cans.

When was the first prefabricated plastic fin can used? What model, and who developed it?

Did plastic nose cones show up about the same time> Earlier, later?

Thanks,

David
Plastic fin cans have been in use since the git-go. If you look at the old catalogs at ninfinger.org , you will see the 1961 Estes catalog included them. ( http://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/ca...61/261est6.html )

These early fin cans originated with fireworks and fit the old BT-1 tubes. By 1963, Estes was offering plastic nose cones for the old BT-40 tubes.

So these components date back to very early in the hobby. And RTF and E2X kits do as well. Even in the 60's, there were folks with 10 thumbs who wanted to fly rockets but couldn't glue three fins on straight.

Doug

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Old 01-30-2014, 11:32 AM
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Thanks Doug. I remember reading that Vern Estes Father or Grandfather or Vern himself, had a pyrotechnic business or at least, Vern had a Pyrotechnic background.

Guess that explains the fireworks fin cans. I'm sure that experience also went a long to helping him envision, develop, and produce the end burning BP rocket motor.

David
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Old 01-30-2014, 12:38 PM
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Chas Russell Chas Russell is offline
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In my collection I have one each of the Dirty Bird type plastic fin unit and one of the spin fins. Would have to research when Estes started using plastic fins, but Centuri did in the 1973 catalog with the Screaming Eagle model and the Argus. The later fin can was used on the Centuri Phoenix Bird, Enerjet 1340 (?) model, and now on the Estes Eliminator.
Centuri was an early adopter of plastic nose cones, mostly two piece injection molded, but also blow molded such as the 1/10th Nike Smoke and later Enerjet Athena. I actually have a partially assembled first run Nike Smoke with a two-piece vacuumed formed nose cone. First attempt at assembling vacuum-formed pieces, which is probably why I never finished it...

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Old 01-30-2014, 12:55 PM
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Yeah, I have a couple of the old Estes plastic fin sets, I just need some BT-1 and nose cones to go with them

Actually now that I think of it, I believe I do have some BT-1 size nose cones. I know I have a few of the engine blocks for it.
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Old 01-30-2014, 01:24 PM
stefanj stefanj is offline
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Estes started using fin cans "again" in 1971, with the Saros and the Sandhawk (?).

When I was a little kid just getting into rocketry, and didn't have a nickel to spare, I actually built a rocket with a hand-rolled tube and a discarded silver plastic spin-fin unit I found on the beach after July 4th. It was melted open on one side.

Firefox sells "Dirty Bird" style plastic fin units, plus a tube to match. They sell cones as well, but I'm not sure if they are soft or hard plastic, slip-on or with a shoulder. It would be interesting to order a package and make a limited-run "retro" kit. I figure you could use a dowel as an engine block, and use a couple of rubber bands stretched between the dowl and fins to hold the fin can on.
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Old 01-30-2014, 01:27 PM
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Oh:

MPC had fin cans early on, for their 20mm and 25mm tubes. These were slip-on units. The 30mm tube had a plastic fin mounting system consisting of two slip-on rings with grooves on them. The fins -- swept delta and Redstone shaped -- had lugs that fit into the grooves.

These kits were around in 1970, and had probably been made for a year or two at that point.
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Old 01-30-2014, 02:25 PM
Ltvscout Ltvscout is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kurtschachner
Yeah, I have a couple of the old Estes plastic fin sets, I just need some BT-1 and nose cones to go with them

Actually now that I think of it, I believe I do have some BT-1 size nose cones. I know I have a few of the engine blocks for it.

Did you get those from that shop that you and Bob Craddock plundered?
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Old 01-30-2014, 02:51 PM
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No, I got the fin cans from Steve. He handed them out at a club meeting one time. The nose cones and engine blocks were from the place in northern Illinois that Steve and I plundered.

Quote:
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Did you get those from that shop that you and Bob Craddock plundered?
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Old 01-30-2014, 03:23 PM
Ltvscout Ltvscout is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kurtschachner
No, I got the fin cans from Steve. He handed them out at a club meeting one time. The nose cones and engine blocks were from the place in northern Illinois that Steve and I plundered.

Hmm, that must've been before I joined the club. Otherwise I'd remember that.
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