Ye Olde Rocket Forum

Go Back   Ye Olde Rocket Forum > The Golden Age of Model Rocketry > Model Rocket History
User Name
Password
Auctions Register FAQ Members List Calendar Today's Posts Search Mark Forums Read


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #11  
Old 04-29-2016, 12:33 PM
PhoenixGuy PhoenixGuy is offline
Junior Rocketeer
 
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 6
Smile

Yes, I did fly several of the Coaster-style rockets, starting in the late summer of 1963, mostly using the 30 lb. and 40 lb. thrust engines. At age 14 then, I thought the flights were quite impressive, but expensive ($ 1.30 to 1.60 for each motor !).

The first one I flew was a scratch-build of Coaster's "Mercury" model, using plans that I had previously ordered from Coaster. Other models I built were of similar size and of my own design. In all, I probably had around 10 launches of the various larger models, one of which as I remember was destroyed on the launch pad (nozzle failure, I believe). My flying of the larger model rockets essentially ended when I went off to college.

I am, however, currently working on a scratch-built F35 jet model powered with an electric ducted fan and to be radio controlled - my version of "living the dream" while retired.

Believe it or not, I am thinking of putting my old, unused Coaster motors up for auction at some point, this is if I can find them somewhere in my garage (several moves since 1963) !
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 04-29-2016, 12:40 PM
JohnNGA's Avatar
JohnNGA JohnNGA is offline
Craftsman
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Jefferson, Georgia
Posts: 347
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by PhoenixGuy
Yes, I did fly several of the Coaster-style rockets, starting in the late summer of 1963, mostly using the 30 lb. and 40 lb. thrust engines. At age 14 then, I thought the flights were quite impressive, but expensive ($ 1.30 to 1.60 for each motor !).

The first one I flew was a scratch-build of Coaster's "Mercury" model, using plans that I had previously ordered from Coaster. Other models I built were of similar size and of my own design. In all, I probably had around 10 launches of the various larger models, one of which as I remember was destroyed on the launch pad (nozzle failure, I believe). My flying of the larger model rockets essentially ended when I went off to college.

I am, however, currently working on a scratch-built F35 jet model powered with an electric ducted fan and to be radio controlled - my version of "living the dream" while retired.

Believe it or not, I am thinking of putting my old, unused Coaster motors up for auction at some point, this is if I can find them somewhere in my garage (several moves since 1963) !


At auction now, I bet they bring a bit more than $1.30/$1.60....
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 04-29-2016, 12:47 PM
ghrocketman's Avatar
ghrocketman ghrocketman is offline
President, MAYHEM AGITATORS, Inc.
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Nunya Bizznuss, Michigan
Posts: 13,443
Default

Forgot the first labeling of the re-branded Coaster motors by Centuri was Atlas/Hercules.
The 20, 30 and 40lb Coaster motors were thrust-LEVEL, and NOT lb-sec total impulse.
In the late 90's/early 2000's there was a company that made G and H SU BP motors and even BP 'sparky' motors !
The exact company name slips my mind but I think it was something like Rocketflite. I'm fairly sure they were 38mm cardboard-cased too.
__________________
When in doubt, WHACK the GAS and DITCH the brake !!!

Yes, there is such a thing as NORMAL
, if you have to ask what is "NORMAL" , you probably aren't !

Failure may not be an OPTION, but it is ALWAYS a POSSIBILITY.
ALL systems are GO for MAYHEM, CHAOS, and HAVOC !
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 09-29-2016, 01:26 PM
John Dyer John Dyer is offline
Red River Rocketry
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Dallas, Texas
Posts: 322
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by ghrocketman
Forgot the first labeling of the re-branded Coaster motors by Centuri was Atlas/Hercules.
The 20, 30 and 40lb Coaster motors were thrust-LEVEL, and NOT lb-sec total impulse.
In the late 90's/early 2000's there was a company that made G and H SU BP motors and even BP 'sparky' motors !
The exact company name slips my mind but I think it was something like Rocketflite. I'm fairly sure they were 38mm cardboard-cased too.



Small Sounding Rocket Systems (SSRS) - later renamed Crown Rocket Technologies created composite E, F, and G motors.
I've forgotten the gentleman's name, but I met the owner at NARAM 19 and ordered one of each.

I was surprised when I got them in the mail - they were packaged with the E and F on one side and the G on the other, wrapped in brown paper.

I still can't figure out how they got through the mail - they looked like two sticks of dynamite wrapped in brown paper.

By the way - I did fly a Mini-Max F55 in a "Little Hustler" back in about 1974 or 1975. It was an impressive flight - those motors really made a lot of noise and smoke

John
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 09-29-2016, 02:10 PM
Joe Wooten's Avatar
Joe Wooten Joe Wooten is offline
Master Modeler
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,164
Default

I bought several of the E45's Crown made in 1982 and the Lasor 95 kit. Those were my first composite engines. Darn good ones too. I never had a failure.
Reply With Quote
  #16  
Old 09-29-2016, 05:24 PM
John Dyer John Dyer is offline
Red River Rocketry
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Dallas, Texas
Posts: 322
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe Wooten
I bought several of the E45's Crown made in 1982 and the Lasor 95 kit. Those were my first composite engines. Darn good ones too. I never had a failure.


I used to fly my Centuri Saturn 1B on those E's - they were great!

Until I had a failure - the motor tried to ignite - pushed the Saturn 1B off the rod and then shut down. The rocket landed on the asphalt - it was never the same after that...


John
Reply With Quote
  #17  
Old 09-30-2016, 06:39 AM
Joe Wooten's Avatar
Joe Wooten Joe Wooten is offline
Master Modeler
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,164
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by John Dyer
I used to fly my Centuri Saturn 1B on those E's - they were great!

Until I had a failure - the motor tried to ignite - pushed the Saturn 1B off the rod and then shut down. The rocket landed on the asphalt - it was never the same after that...


John


I bet it wasn't the same. I burned probably 10 E-45's, and then as I was preparing to order some of their F motors, I got a letter from the owner stating he was going out of business. But, Aerotech came along about that time too and I ordered a lot of stuff from them.
Reply With Quote
  #18  
Old 09-30-2016, 07:34 AM
stefanj stefanj is offline
Master Modeler
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Hillsboro, OR
Posts: 2,847
Default

Quote:
In the late 90's/early 2000's there was a company that made G and H SU BP motors and even BP 'sparky' motors !
The exact company name slips my mind but I think it was something like Rocketflite. I'm fairly sure they were 38mm cardboard-cased too.


You got it, Rocketflite.

I flew many of those.

* * *
FWIW, Centuri sold Coaster motors in their '64 catalog, and their '62 catalog had a very early version of the Aero-Dart which could only have been meant for Coaster motors.


* Three trapezoidal fins and a nose cone; I built a clone. Flew it a couple weekends back on a F15-6. Flew great!
__________________
NAR #27085 - Oregon Rocketry - SAM
Reply With Quote
  #19  
Old 05-02-2021, 10:36 AM
shockwaveriderz shockwaveriderz is offline
rocket dinosaur
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: My Old Kentucky Home
Posts: 1,184
Smile

Quote:
Originally Posted by stefanj
Anecdote:


Ed from AAA told me that when Irv Wait visited Centuri he spotted a flaw in the automated press that was used to make Mini-Max BP motors. There were three cylinders, but only one cut-off sensor, so it was possible that only one of the three motors had had its fuel grain properly compressed. Centuri equipped each cylinder with a sensor (depth? amount of pressure?) so all of the motors received the right amount of compression.

No further details about how automated the process was otherwise.


Excellent side note!. The Original Coasters and then the Atlas-Hercules and then Mini-Maxes were made with a gang ram. This as stefani reported, resulted in differing press pressures being put on the various motors being charged/pressed. A gang ram uses 1 hydraulic cylinder to press multiple motors at one time using a kind of plate that has multiple rams. This setup, 100+ years old in design and use, was replaced with multiple hydraulic cylinders and a pressure sensor on each ram. This allowed for minute adjustments to each hydraulic ram individually, resulting in near identical motors .
__________________
"Old Rocketeer's don't die; they just go OOP".....unless you 3D print them.
Reply With Quote
  #20  
Old 05-02-2021, 10:41 AM
shockwaveriderz shockwaveriderz is offline
rocket dinosaur
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: My Old Kentucky Home
Posts: 1,184
Smile

Quote:
Originally Posted by astronwolf
Thank-you for scanning and posting these.

I really appreciate being able to get more insight into the early days. In the 1963 catalog Coaster announced that the 20-lb motors were NAR-certified as F motors. But the 30- and 40-lb motors were not (yet) certified. Those are black-powder G motors!

Did you order 30- and 40-lb. motors, and fly rockets with them? Give us a story!

The "Mercury" rocket reminds me of an Estes Vagabond. Too bad they didn't include some dimensional data for their kits.


wolf:

actually the Coaster F15 and F25 in lb/s were F67 and F111 into days N/s scheme. I think, but cannot prove the F15 /F25 Coasters were safety certified in 1963-4 just as Coaster was being sold to Centuri.
__________________
"Old Rocketeer's don't die; they just go OOP".....unless you 3D print them.
Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:53 AM.


Powered by: vBulletin Version 3.0.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Ye Olde Rocket Shoppe © 1998-2024