Aerobee-Hi

[Tau Zero]

Title: Aerobee-Hi

Kit number: KV-2

Background Information brief: Scale

Designer: Model Missiles, Inc. (MMI) / Carl McLawhorn

Release Date: 07/17/2005

In Production: 2005-2014


Requested attachments: (STILL NEEDED)

Plans PDF (color original)

Decal scan

.

[5x7]

Link to the Semroc archived product page: https://web.archive.org/web/20050213024237/http://www.semroc.com:80/Store/Scripts/RocketKits.asp?SKU=KV-2

First release announcement YORF 7/27/2005: https://www.oldrocketforum.com/showpost.php?p=2344&postcount=5

Formal Kit announcement:
Semroc is announcing four new kits at NARAM-47 in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are the Aerobee-Hi, Texas Firefly, cc:SST Shuttle-1, and Vega.

The Aerobee-Hi is a scale model of the original Model Missiles, Inc. Aerobee-Hi Kit# 000-1. The MMI Aerobee-Hi was the first mass produced model rocket by Orville Carlisle and G. Harry Stine in 1958. The Texas Firefly is a 175% upscale of the original Centuri Firefly that was released in 1968. The cc:SST Shuttle-1 is a "carbon copy" of the Centuri SST Shuttle produced in 1971. The Vega is an early Semroc single engine large beginner model rocket that was first produced by Semroc in 1968.

As the first announced sponsor and vendor for NARAM, Semroc fully supports this major event in the following ways:
• Semroc is proudly sponsoring the Division A Championship trophies this year. We recognize that the youth of today will be keeping the sport alive tomorrow and NARAM recognizes the "best of the best."
• We have released 100 special commemorative Aerobee-Hi kits that will be free to the first 100 customers at NARAM (and online ) until they are all gone.
• We will be sponsoring Junior High Power certification motors all week. If you are between 14 and 18 and want to certify in the NAR JHP program and you have your guardian present, we will help you be successful and provide your motor and use of the hardware FREE! If you don't have a rocket, see Ken Allen at Performance Hobbies and get hooked-up! We will work with the older "kids" for their cert flights as well.
• We will be providing Boids all week or until they are gone for anyone that wants to sit with us and build it and "talk rockets!"
• Surprises, drawings, some future kit demonstrations, and as much fun as we can pack in one week!

Kit pictures from an auction site.
Link to images of NARAM commemorative edition: http://ashasta-sadie.com/2020/10/25/aerobee-hi/
Archive (https://web.archive.org/web/20220518152039/http://ashasta-sadie.com/2020/10/25/aerobee-hi/) of page above.

[5x7]

This is one of a few Semroc kits to receive a commemorative release, in fact it had the NARAM commemorative release mentioned above, and a later NARCON 2008 release. The announcement:

The Retro-Repro™
Aerobee-Hi™ is our NARCON 2008
Commemorative kit. The first 100 customers at NARCON 2008 and online received a free Aerobee-Hi™. The original Aerobee-Hi by Model Missile, Inc. was produced 50 years ago on April 12, 1958. Semroc salutes the historic event and its impact on our hobby.

If anyone has images of the NARCON release please post them.

[Earl]

Decals and fin sheet.

Earl

[SolarYellow]

Stine donated both built and unbuilt samples of the MMI kits to the Smithsonian. Photos are online.

https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/rocket-flying-model-kit-aerobee-hi/nasm_A19850057000

https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/rocket-flying-model-aerobee-hi/nasm_A19930855000

I poked around erockets, and the decal sheet, fin sheet, nose cone and body tube are all available there as of today.

[SolarYellow]

Decals and fin sheet.

Earl

Do you actually have that fin sheet?

erockets describes it as 3/16" thick, which seems crazy for a BT-40 tube.

https://www.erockets.biz/semroc-laser-cut-fins-aerobee-hi-3-16-balsa-sem-fv-2/

The PDF attachment in the OP of this thread

https://forums.rocketshoppe.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=57206

says 3/32, which makes a lot more sense.

If you have the sheet, can you confirm which it is?

Thanks!

[Earl]

Do you actually have that fin sheet?

erockets describes it as 3/16" thick, which seems crazy for a BT-40 tube.

https://www.erockets.biz/semroc-laser-cut-fins-aerobee-hi-3-16-balsa-sem-fv-2/

The PDF attachment in the OP of this thread

https://forums.rocketshoppe.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=57206

says 3/32, which makes a lot more sense.

If you have the sheet, can you confirm which it is?

Thanks!

It is 3/32. The rocket it built, but I can tell by the squared off body strips.

Earl

[ghrocketman]

I have both a kit and a built one.
Confirming 3/32".

[SolarYellow]

Would use a like button if there was one.

[SEL]

This is one of a few Semroc kits to receive a commemorative release, in fact it had the NARAM commemorative release mentioned above, and a later NARCON 2008 release. The announcement:

The Retro-Repro™
Aerobee-Hi™ is our NARCON 2008
Commemorative kit. The first 100 customers at NARCON 2008 and online received a free Aerobee-Hi™. The original Aerobee-Hi by Model Missile, Inc. was produced 50 years ago on April 12, 1958. Semroc salutes the historic event and its impact on our hobby.

If anyone has images of the NARCON release please post them.

I have both the NARCON and the commercial release kits , but again, I’m not very mobile. I might be able to talk my wife into digging the SEMROC box out this weekend so I can go through and take pics of the items needed. I think I have a built Aerobee as well.

Sean

[5x7]

I have both the NARCON and the commercial release kits , but again, I’m not very mobile. I might be able to talk my wife into digging the SEMROC box out this weekend so I can go through and take pics of the items needed. I think I have a built Aerobee as well.

Sean

Would love to see them whenever you can get to it.

[Tau Zero]

It is 3/32. The rocket it built, but I can tell by the squared off body strips.The RockSim file attached above specifies 0.094" (~3/32") thick.

I know, lots of RockSim files are less than accurate sometimes.

I can't explain the 3/16" thickness variable.

Cheers,