#21
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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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Earl L. Cagle, Jr. NAR# 29523 TRA# 962 SAM# 73 Owner/Producer Point 39 Productions Rocket-Brained Since 1970 |
#22
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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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Jeffrey Deem NAR16741 CIA section 527 |
#23
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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.
Randy www.vernarockets.com |
#24
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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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Earl L. Cagle, Jr. NAR# 29523 TRA# 962 SAM# 73 Owner/Producer Point 39 Productions Rocket-Brained Since 1970 |
#25
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Quote:
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#26
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Quote:
Vern and Lee recreated the same pose at NARAM 50, though with a couple of smaller rockets.
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Roy nar12605 |
#27
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Quote:
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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