Diamond in the Rough... Centuri ORION

[Phred]

Green Dragon's post about 'special' rockets got me thinking...

I collect vintage built model rockets. Although I appreciate the fine skills, and many hours of work that rocketeers of the past put into their models, I also like 'kid built' rockets (especially Alphs with upside-down fins!!). These old veterans usually require some repair or outright restoration and always require cleaning.

Case in point is a recent aquisition of mine: a vintage built-up Centuri Orion. The model was decently built, with the fins attached relatively straight (even though I had to re-attach them). Although the truly vintage built up nosecone (at least 7 pieces!) was well built, too much glue was used on parts of the wraps, andnot much sanding sealer was used, and the decakls appear to have been applied hap-hazardly.

All in all, the model cleaned up well, has wonderful charm. I have attached a few pics for your pleaseure. And yes, I will fly it at least once. I owe this old veteran that.


Phred

[Green Dragon]

Looks ok as is , nice find ( Im jealous :(

I think you should restore it , and post the beofre / after pics on your decal site.

or maybe other before / after's ( maybe my Wolverine, will get pics )

~ AL

[Phred]

Thanks Al,

I think I will leave this one as is, since I already have a clone of this model.

As Dr Frankenfurter says: "It has a certain naive charm..."

Ph

[Ltvscout]

Case in point is a recent aquisition of mine: a vintage built-up Centuri Orion. The model was decently built, with the fins attached relatively straight (even though I had to re-attach them). Although the truly vintage built up nosecone (at least 7 pieces!) was well built, too much glue was used on parts of the wraps, andnot much sanding sealer was used, and the decakls appear to have been applied hap-hazardly.
Cool. I've never seen the original built up cones. Kinda like a TLP kit. ;) Was this an eBay acquisition?

[Phred]

It sure was. I did not win the auction and wrote the whole thing off. Then after a few days, I received a 'second chance' notice, which I took. As with most ebay finds, the seller knew next to nothing, and the fins were all broken off.

[Royatl]

Case in point is a recent aquisition of mine: a vintage built-up Centuri Orion. The model was decently built, with the fins attached relatively straight (even though I had to re-attach them). Although the truly vintage built up nosecone (at least 7 pieces!) was well built, too much glue was used on parts of the wraps, andnot much sanding sealer was used, and the decakls appear to have been applied hap-hazardly.


Phred

Thanks for showing that. I've had a tough time convincing people that the original Orions had such "composite" nose cones!

(P.S. yours appears to have a balsa cone closer in shape to the eventual plastic cones. Mine actually flared out toward the top and had a flat tip)

[A Fish Named Wallyum]

Do the instruction sheets and templates exist for this cone? That would make a cool project.

[snaquin]

Thanks for showing that. I've had a tough time convincing people that the original Orions had such "composite" nose cones!

(P.S. yours appears to have a balsa cone closer in shape to the eventual plastic cones. Mine actually flared out toward the top and had a flat tip)

I liked the looks of the orignal cone better. Has more of a space capsule appearance about it. I've never been able to find plans for that version but it would make for an interesting build :)

By the time I was in high school 76-79 they all had plastic cones. I wonder when Centuri made the change over to plastic?

[Royatl]

Thanks for showing that. I've had a tough time convincing people that the original Orions had such "composite" nose cones!

(P.S. yours appears to have a balsa cone closer in shape to the eventual plastic cones. Mine actually flared out toward the top and had a flat tip)

Wheeee! finally managed to snarf up a built Orion on E-Bay with the balsa/paper nose AND balsa nose cones on the pods! Just like the one I won at NARAM 13!

It was a store display model, painted silver (so redoing that'll be the first order of business).
The engine mount is there but not glued in, and the upper wrap appears like too much glue was used. Two fins and a pod were cleanly detached, leaving fillet shells on the model. And just as I remembered, but dared not mention lest someone think I was crazy, the pod cones were not rounded cones nor ogives, but a weird cross.

Along with the Orion, I also got three other somewhat forgettable rockets, a E2X Dagger in fine shape, a Bail Out in bad shape, and another rocket that looks familiar, though plain, and I can't place it. The amazing thing about it is that it has an old 1971 black injection molded version of the PNC-60AH. Now I have two of them! (the other came from a Patriot I also won at NARAM 13)

[Ltvscout]

Wheeee! finally managed to snarf up a built Orion on E-Bay with the balsa/paper nose AND balsa nose cones on the pods! Just like the one I won at NARAM 13!

It was a store display model, painted silver (so redoing that'll be the first order of business).
The engine mount is there but not glued in, and the upper wrap appears like too much glue was used. Two fins and a pod were cleanly detached, leaving fillet shells on the model. And just as I remembered, but dared not mention lest someone think I was crazy, the pod cones were not rounded cones nor ogives, but a weird cross.
Great find, Roy! Talk to Carl. Maybe you could send him one of those pod cones for him to be able to turn them out on his lathe.

[CPMcGraw]

...and another rocket that looks familiar, though plain, and I can't place it. The amazing thing about it is that it has an old 1971 black injection molded version of the PNC-60AH...

Roy,

That yellow bird on the left looks like a bash of parts from either the Raven or a Mean Machine. It's been worked into an upscale of the Estes Antares. Not a bad conversion, from the looks of it. Would probably fly like the Der Red Max, needs at least a B6-4.

[Royatl]

Roy,

That yellow bird on the left looks like a bash of parts from either the Raven or a Mean Machine. It's been worked into an upscale of the Estes Antares. Not a bad conversion, from the looks of it. Would probably fly like the Der Red Max, needs at least a B6-4.

Well, it was built with a 24mm mount in it, and the 1/8" lugs are on standoffs that make me think it was built for a Cineroc or a Scrambler payload section.