My first kit was a Centuri Payloader II. A greater majority of the kits I had as a youth were Centuri kits. I guess I just liked the designs better, plus I appreciated the thicker wall tubing they used. Their kits (except for the ones with fiber fins) always seemed to last longer for me.

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Scott D. Hansen
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Centuri was long gone when I started flying rockets. I did however find a Centuri Javelin recently that was shipped from Centuri in Feb 1965. The kit is older than I am by two weeks. It is currently being refinished and will fly next year.

Joe

That's great,"Ye Olde" indeed. I've been trying to pick a few from '64 myself,originals of course. And no,no shelf queens either!

That was the year I started - I wonder if you could scan the instructions? The ones on Jim Z site are from later years, I remember the sheet from my kit had an exploded view but not much more.

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Dale Greene

Mentor, Penn Manor Rocket Club
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2010 Calder Cup
The Old West
2009 Calder Cup

" Speaking the Truth in times of universal deceit is a revolutionary act. " George Orwell

I had contacted Jim about it. I have a scan but due to significant yellowing on one side the scan needs some cleaning up. I will be trying to get that done as well as scan all the accompanying documentation. There was a lot of paperwork included with the rocket. Original mailing box (shipped to Zieglerville, PA, post dated Feb 5, 1965, a town less than 100 miles from where I was born two weeks later), Centuri's Model Rocket Engine Operating Instructions, Fin Positioning Guide and a Fin Alignment Guide. Parachute Assembly Instructions and one Paper Chute Protector. A handwritten letter requesting the kit and a 1965 catalog, ($2.75). There were also two Centuri 1/2A8-4 Rocket Engines (12867).

It was interesting for me to see writing on the fins when I cleaned the up (ROOT CHORD this side to body tube). I just need to attach the launch lug and prime and paint. I am going to leave the nose cone original, since it is in good shape and doesn't need any help. Attached are some photos.

Attached Thumbnails

         

GIJoe,

*Great* pictures! The outline for those "old school" fins were silkscreened onto the balsa sheets, and that's what I had in the Javelin I bought in 1971. That was after they started including a plastic nose cone, but before they began using diecut balsa fins.

That's a great historical find you've got there!


Say, could you measure the root chord of those fins for me?


Thanks, and cheers,

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Jay Goemmer
"Centuri Guy"/"Tau Zero"
YORF Member 28
Semroc SAM #0029
NAR 86131


"I think about organizing things all the time. Never seems to happen. I find something that piques my interest and I'm off on a quest. Or a Centuri. "

--Bill Eichelberger, 02/22/2022


“Centuri fret buzz in an updated form.”
Bill “Wallyum” Eichelberger re: Estes Flutter-By
03 Sept 2014

My first ever kit was a Centuri Micron. IMHO, Centuri kits were better quality and design over the Estes Kits.

Love the simple yet performance improving innovations such as PassPort Staging, Composite Motors, Pod B/G, Self Adhesive shock cord mounts, ejection baffles, Serial Tags for your rocket listing recommended motors, and highly scaled model rocket kits, i.e. 1/45 Little Joe, Smoking Nike Smoke (you know the lines you see to the right or left of the Atomic Bomb Mushroom clouds), and the Saturns. Many more innovations we now take for granted.

Bob

That was another thing I liked about Centuri kits... the fin patterns were printed right there on the balsa. Made the making of the fins much more easier and straight forward.

Bob

Here are some more of the Javelin photos I took, the last one shows the Fin Root measurements. When I get it repainted I will post a photo of it. I will probably go back to the Red & Black paint scheme it had when I purchased it. I will also be looking for the simple roll pattern shown in the '65 catalog.

Attached Thumbnails

       

Was this an eBay purchase? May I ask what you paid for it?

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Scott D. Hansen
Ye Olde Rocket Shoppe - Your One Stop BAR Shoppe!
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WOOSH NAR Section #558