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  #1  
Old 03-24-2008, 06:10 PM
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tbzep tbzep is offline
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Default Centuri Starter Set

I picked up this little set off ePray last week. It arrived today. Not sure how old it is, but both sections of launch rod are steel, vs. later aluminum base and brass upper. It has some old D size "photoflash" specialty batteries with it, just like in the catalog pics. The pneumatics seem to be sealed and functional, but I don't know if I'll ever try to launch anything with it.

I don't recall the Servo Launch System being bundled with the Screaming Eagle, so I guess the original Astro-1 is gone. There are several Sure-Shot ignitors with it, but the thermalite has become so brittle that you can't make the ignitor without the pyrogen coming off the wire.

As you can see, it's missing the blast deflector. I could use the one from my Powr-Pad, but I'd like to get hold of another one if possible. If anybody has an extra one cheap (used, rusty, etc), let me know.



The Screamin' Eagle is missing its nosecone. If anybody wants to sell me one cheap, let me know. IIRC, it's a PNC-89. The motor hook is bent out. I don't see a way to repair it because the spring steel will need to bend much farther back into the mount to straighten it. It had some old fiberglass wadding crammed in the body tube so tightly that I thought I was going to tear the thing apart pushing it out with a dowel rod. It finally came out. The body tube is heavier than the one from the Screamin' Eagle starter set I have. I believe this one is considerably older. The blue fin can is considerably lighter in color than the other one I have, but nothing else seems to be faded or yellowed from the sun. I'm not sure if they sold a batch that was lighter, or if it has faded. It has an even color all the way through, unlike most sun faded plastics.



Oh...there was a small present stuffed in the motor mount that wasn't mentioned by the seller, but I'm tickled to get it. Can anybody give me some history on Estes green motors? This one was made in 1973.

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  #2  
Old 03-24-2008, 06:59 PM
A Fish Named Wallyum A Fish Named Wallyum is offline
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Give a tug on that motor mount. Sometimes these old birds were built using just Elmer's Glue, which doesn't adhere plastic to paper all that well. The Screaming Eagle that I won last year just pulled apart.
Mine also has a balsa cone. Don't sweat it.
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Old 03-24-2008, 08:31 PM
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Hey, that's a nice acquisition! I remember that launch system when it came out; didn't really see what the excitement was with that pneumatic system and how it would last
(both the "hardware" and the system itself). But those pics look nice and I like the way
the A8-3 motor's casing looks. You should be able to find a compatible nosecone for the
Screaming Eagle.
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Old 03-24-2008, 09:59 PM
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Solomoriah Solomoriah is offline
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The fin can on the Screaming Eagle was held on in a similar way to the #2 Skywriter... the engine tube is fitted with a coupler instead of a thrust ring. This passes through a constriction at the top of the can, then has a special centering ring attached. This holds the fin can in place without needing any glue to bond the can to the tube. If it comes out, something was done wrong.

Mine did. It was my first rocket, and I screwed up, not using enough glue; it froze early, and my Dad brute-forced it. After a half dozen launches, the fin can blew out instead of the nose cone.

I should have repaired it, but I pitched it instead.
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Old 03-25-2008, 10:16 AM
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Dads that Brute-force a fincan ay ?
Sounds very familiar to my rocketry days with my dad back in the mid & late 70's.
Occaisionally I LIKE to use the BRUTE-FORCE assembly method, especially on simple 3/4 PLASTIC FNC rockets.
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Old 03-26-2008, 11:24 AM
shockwaveriderz shockwaveriderz is offline
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did instructions come with that pneumatic launch controller?How did that work anyway?

terry dean
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Old 03-26-2008, 11:37 AM
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Colored casing were tested (and sold) in that era. Rumor was that they wanted to use green for single stage, etc.
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Old 03-26-2008, 12:06 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by shockwaveriderz
did instructions come with that pneumatic launch controller?How did that work anyway?

terry dean
barnar 16158


No instructions, unfortunately. There is a small bladder in the pad that pushes one brass contact into another, completing the circuit. If I can remember, I'll try to get a photo that shows enough detail to be useful.

The "photoflash" cells are 1.5v, just like any other D cell, except they weigh a ton. I don't remember regular old D cells being that heavy.
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Old 03-26-2008, 12:55 PM
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Shreadvector Shreadvector is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tbzep
No instructions, unfortunately. There is a small bladder in the pad that pushes one brass contact into another, completing the circuit. If I can remember, I'll try to get a photo that shows enough detail to be useful.

The "photoflash" cells are 1.5v, just like any other D cell, except they weigh a ton. I don't remember regular old D cells being that heavy.


Modern Alkaline D cells (which did not exist back then) will work fine. The 'bladder' was a small balloon. you can find them in party balloon assortments. I had to grease the o-ring in the plunger to get a good seal - otherwise it leaked and never inflated the balloon.
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Old 03-26-2008, 12:56 PM
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The deflector is missing.....
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