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  #1  
Old 12-03-2016, 12:26 PM
flybuoy flybuoy is offline
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Default Model Rocketry in 1964

The attached photo was taken in May 1964 at a science fair held at Michigan State University. We were a group of high school students that got in involved in model rocketry in 1962.

We designed and built the large two stage rocket and the smaller single stage rocket. The orange two stage rocket was a kit.

The large two stage rocket was powered by “F” type engines. The first stage used three of these in a cluster and the second stage used one engine. The most difficult problem at the time was ignition. We discovered that an AG-1 flashbulb fit perfectly into a “F” engine nozzle and this solved the problem. The second stage was also ignited by a flashbulb. The silver section at the top of the first stage contained a battery and mercury switch that ignited the second stage after the first stage burned out.

I remember that we had to special order these engines since we did not want any delay charge in the first stage engines. We also wanted a longer delay in the second stage engine than was available with the off the shelf engines.

The orange two stage rocket used “E” class engines and was a very high flyer. It was lost after a few flights, On the last flight we spotted the chute with binoculars but the wind carried it away. I do not remember the company that produced the kit or the engines. I know it was not Estes or Centuri. I do remember that the fins were thin wood and strong (not balsa). Also, the engines cases were made of a different material that all the other engines we used.

By the way, I married the girl in the picture, we celebrate our 50th anniversary in 2017.
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  #2  
Old 12-03-2016, 01:39 PM
Initiator001 Initiator001 is offline
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Neat picture.

The rocket in the lower left of the picture looks like an early Centuri Aero-Dart model.
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  #3  
Old 12-03-2016, 02:15 PM
flybuoy flybuoy is offline
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The single stage that we took to the science fair was replacement for the the original single that was very similar to the Centuri kit. The original flew many times to test various payloads (including mice). However the original was destroyed while we were testing ignition systems for the large rocket. One of our igniters caused the rocket to explode at launch. Luckily we stumbled upon the flash bulb ignition system that worked very well. See the attached photo.
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Old 12-03-2016, 04:09 PM
kapton kapton is offline
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Hey, I had a picture just like that. In my case, it was a match-head motor that behaved, well, like a match-head motor.
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  #5  
Old 12-03-2016, 10:28 PM
stefanj stefanj is offline
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This is a very cool photo and remembrance.

Those were almost certainly Coaster motors. Both Coaster and Centuri sold sturdy, large parts for E and F motors.

FSI started up in 1968 or so.


Quote:
The rocket in the lower left of the picture looks like an early Centuri Aero-Dart model.

I had the same thought, and WOW, that is the first evidence that that model was ever actually produced and sold.

i cloned that model based on the 1962 Centuri catalog photo and the dimensions of the most-likely parts.
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  #6  
Old 12-04-2016, 02:00 PM
flybuoy flybuoy is offline
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All of the parts for the large two stage rocket came from Centuri. The original single stage that exploded probably was the Aero-Dart kit, since I remember the original rocket had a checker board pattern on the tube like the one shown in the 1964 Centuri catalog. We also used their "F" Class engines for the Aero-Dart type rocket. We may have had Centuri manufacture the special engines we needed for the large two stage rocket as well, but I am not sure.

In reviewing the 1964 Centuri catalog, I remember building and flying the Payloader, the Black Window and the Acro-Bat. The Acro-Bat did not fly well at all. We had better luck with Astron Space Plane and the Astron Falcon from Estes.

The White and Orange two stage rocket may be a Pro-Dyne Skylark ??? I seem to remember that we got that kit from Utah.

Last edited by flybuoy : 12-04-2016 at 02:29 PM.
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