Interesting Old Motors

[Gus]

I recently acquired a box of old rocketry stuff which included some interesting old motors.

First up were some Model Rocket Industries motors, B3-3s. These are thick walled motors with no production dates. There is a MRI catalog on Ninfinger which lists these, catalog dated 1969.

Next up were some Estes Citation motors, C6s and B4s. What is interesting about these is that they are not marked with delay lengths. The motors say "Single Stage" so I know they're not booster motors, but no delay length is given. Any idea why?

Next were some Shorty booster motors, 1/2 A6-OS and A50-S. Interesting how the motor designation is different on the motors with the dash before the zero on the 1/2A6 but after the zero on the A5. Hard to believe there used to be a variety of A booster motors and today we have none.

Finally was the very nice pack of B14-7s. This is the first time I've actually held a B14 and the nozzle size is certainly impressive.

All in all, a really interesting assortment of old motors.

[Bazookadale]

.

Next up were some Estes Citation motors, C6s and B4s. What is interesting about these is that they are not marked with delay lengths. The motors say "Single Stage" so I know they're not booster motors, but no delay length is given. Any idea why?

.

on the citation series I believe the number is the delay so the B4 was actually a B6-4 and the C6 a C6-6
it was an attempt to simplify the coding system for the mass market

The A50-S I'm guessing was a misprint - are they all the same date code?

[tbzep]

on the citation series I believe the number is the delay so the B4 was actually a B6-4 and the C6 a C6-6
it was an attempt to simplify the coding system for the mass market


I bet you're correct on the coding system. It looks like C5 on that last motor to me, so that would make it a C6-5. Makes more sense to just relabel their production C6-5's than to certify a 6 second delay motor for a few boxed kits.

[Mark II]

As I understand it, the Citation Series was the first attempt by Estes to sell via the mass market route. (Pretty darn nice rockets, too, for mass market!) Apparently, they felt that the non-hobbyists who were the target market for these kits would not understand the subtleties of motor designation arcana, such as the difference between a B4-4 and a B6-4, so they just repackaged some motors for this line and labeled them simply as "A," "B" and "C" motors.

And it's funny, when you think about it, but that is how most of us think of these motors, too, after all. ;)

(But for us, it is just short-hand. When I hear someone talking about a black powder C, for example, I automatically think of a C6. The other person doesn't have to add the "6"; it is understood.)

Mark \\.

[tbzep]

(But for us, it is just short-hand. When I hear someone talking about a black powder C, for example, I automatically think of a C6. The other person doesn't have to add the "6"; it is understood.)


That's unfortunate too, because we'd be thinking a little differently if the C5-3 was still around.

[Royatl]

on the citation series I believe the number is the delay so the B4 was actually a B6-4 and the C6 a C6-6
it was an attempt to simplify the coding system for the mass market


I can confirm that. It was mentioned at NARAM 13.

[Mark II]

That's unfortunate too, because we'd be thinking a little differently if the C5-3 was still around.
Yes, but there has always been a C6 in Estes' product line, at least since 1968, when they went to metric designations. The C6 has always been the "standard" C. I never got to see a C5, unfortunately, but I gather that whenever anyone mentioned it, they always had to be sure to say "C5" so that everyone knew that it was that motor, and not the C6, that they were referring to. If you just said that you were flying your Estes Stealth or your Centuri E.S.S. Raven, for example on a "C", everyone would assume that you meant a C6, unless you specified that you meant on a C5.

I'm still hoping for the day that I can get a crack at flying something on a C5 or a B8.

Mark \\.

[Rocket Doctor]

I recently acquired a box of old rocketry stuff which included some interesting old motors.

First up were some Model Rocket Industries motors, B3-3s. These are thick walled motors with no production dates. There is a MRI catalog on Ninfinger which lists these, catalog dated 1969.

Next up were some Estes Citation motors, C6s and B4s. What is interesting about these is that they are not marked with delay lengths. The motors say "Single Stage" so I know they're not booster motors, but no delay length is given. Any idea why?

Next were some Shorty booster motors, 1/2 A6-OS and A50-S. Interesting how the motor designation is different on the motors with the dash before the zero on the 1/2A6 but after the zero on the A5. Hard to believe there used to be a variety of A booster motors and today we have none.

Finally was the very nice pack of B14-7s. This is the first time I've actually held a B14 and the nozzle size is certainly impressive.

All in all, a really interesting assortment of old motors.




A nice lot of motors, I'm still looking for a Eastern Ballastic motor to BUY. At one time, one was posted here with a photo, I'm looking to buy one. If anyone has any info on the location of that that is for sale, please PM me.


RD