A gift from a friend...

[Vanel]

A friend of mine dropped by and wanted to give me some "old rocket junk"... needless to say, I took them off his hands... :eek:

Meet Electro Launch No.227:

http://www.billcooke.org/images/Electrolaunch.jpg
http://www.billcooke.org/images/Electrolaunch2.jpg

A comparision with the catalog indicates that the safety key is definitely not original, and the launch rod is similar to the old 2 piece Centuri ones. But, hey, I ain't complaining :D

The package also included some parts:

http://www.billcooke.org/images/Oldparts.jpg

There are some Saros pieces, including a broken fin can, Interceptor parts, a Enerjet-style nose, and the "bug-eye" nose cone used in the Alien Invader (#1281). I am unable to identify the white plastic fin can - the bottom tips of the fins come to a sharp point, which seems to rule out the Estes Quasar. The Camroc is functional, missing only some tape.

Some pretty good freebies, methinks...

[Gus]

Holy Cow, Bill.

Now that's what I call a friend! :)

[tbzep]

The Saros plastic was also in the old Nomad kit. Hard to tell what the fin can is from that angle. Sorta looks like a white Alpha III fin can.

[tbzep]

BTW, are you going to launch a few vintage kits off the pad? When I got hold of my Centuri Powr Pad, I had to get a few liftoff shots of the Screamin Eagle and a couple other Centuri kits. :)

[Initiator001]

I am unable to identify the white plastic fin can - the bottom tips of the fins come to a sharp point, which seems to rule out the Estes Quasar.



Nice haul. :D

The last year or two that the Quasar was available, Estes no longer included the chrome colored plastic fin can and nose cone. These parts were replaced with a white colored plastic nose cone and fin unit from the Alpha III.

Bob

[mrhemi1971]

VERY NICE! I need a few friends like that! Gotta love that camroc!

[Royatl]

A friend of mine dropped by and wanted to give me some "old rocket junk"... needless to say, I took them off his hands... :eek:

Meet Electro Launch No.227:

http://www.billcooke.org/images/Electrolaunch.jpg
http://www.billcooke.org/images/Electrolaunch2.jpg

A comparision with the catalog indicates that the safety key is definitely not original, and the launch rod is similar to the old 2 piece Centuri ones. But, hey, I ain't complaining :D


There are some Saros pieces, including a broken fin can, Interceptor parts, a Enerjet-style nose, and the "bug-eye" nose cone used in the Alien Invader (#1281). I am unable to identify the white plastic fin can - the bottom tips of the fins come to a sharp point, which seems to rule out the Estes Quasar. The Camroc is functional, missing only some tape.

Some pretty good freebies, methinks...

Odd that there's a modern PNC50K in the bunch! Or did you put that in for comparison?

That type of two piece rod also came in early electro-launches. In fact, IIRC the hobby started with that type of rod in the Model Missiles kits.

[Vanel]

BTW, are you going to launch a few vintage kits off the pad? When I got hold of my Centuri Powr Pad, I had to get a few liftoff shots of the Screamin Eagle and a couple other Centuri kits. :)

Yeppers - I need to replace the rusty blast deflector with one from an old style Porta Pad (orange or red color) and I think I'll be good to go.

An Alpha or my Bertha (shown below) would look awesome lifting off from it :D

http://www.billcooke.org/images/Fleet/BigBertha.jpg

[tbzep]

Yep...the 69 Bertha would be perfect. I'm partial to that version of the Bertha myself.


Regular and supersized. ;)

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y283/tbzep/Rockets/attachment.jpg

[Vanel]

Odd that there's a modern PNC50K in the bunch! Or did you put that in for comparison?

That type of two piece rod also came in early electro-launches. In fact, IIRC the hobby started with that type of rod in the Model Missiles kits.

Hmmm... I know my friend has a kid just starting college, who launched some rockets a few years back. It might have got mixed in with the old stuff - he said there was still some junk up in the attic.

I can always use the cone :D

[shockwaveriderz]

vanel:

I wish I had an old friend like you did! I would be sure to send a card of thanks to this friend of yours!

terry dean
nar 16158

[A Fish Named Wallyum]

vanel:

I wish I had an old friend like you did! I would be sure to send a card of thanks to this friend of yours!

terry dean
nar 16158

By "card" you mean "beer", don't you?
This guy would never buy his own beer again if he was my friend. :rolleyes: ;)

[mojo1986]

Not sure, but the three white plastic parts............. nose cone, adapter and fin can..............all look to be parts from an Astron Saros.

Joe

[alancantor]

I had an Electro Launch, and I also lost the metal key. From that point on, I used a paper clip that I had unbent... It worked....

[CharlaineC]

that is some eautiful parts of rocktery history.hope you put the to good use. i see a few parts that i would be drooling over.

[Vanel]

Got the below from a friend who is retiring from science ed...

http://www.billcooke.org/images/IMG_0190_m.jpg
http://www.billcooke.org/images/IMG_0191_m.jpg

[Earl]

Got the below from a friend who is retiring from science ed...


Nice haul, Bill!

Geez, with so much stuff, doubt you'll have time to fully evaluate that Cineroc. It would likely eat up the majority of your time that you could be spending with those other items anyway. As a fellow YORF'er, I'd be glad (heck, darn happy!) to take that distraction off your hands!

Seriously, good selection of items there! I'm sure they have found a good home now. BTW, just how good a friend was this? Can you define the terms of 'got' from your original statement above??


Earl

[Vanel]

They were given to me - person wanted to get rid of the "old junk".

[Earl]

They were given to me - person wanted to get rid of the "old junk".


Would that we all had friends like that! I guess what the say is true: one man's trash truly is another man's treasure. And those certainly are some treasures. I do truly suspect he was passing them on to someone who he thought would most appreciate them.

Are the kits fairly well complete, in particular the boxed items like the Mars Lander and Cineroc?

Post some more pics of some of the kit contents of those, if you get a convenient opportunity.

Congrats on a good catch!

Earl

[ghrocketman]

Goog Grief !
If that Trident is un-opened it is worth a LOT of $$$.
The green skill-level header card Trident was around much shorter than the other variants.
It should go for well over $300, if you sell it.
The Mars Lander was actually produced by the boatload, and prices of those have dropped a LOT since the Semroc kit has been available.
I actually remember Circus World Toys in my area selling off shelves and shelves of Mars Lander kits for around $8/each in the late 80's/early 90's.

[tbzep]

Wow!