07-11-2010, 11:57 PM
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Master Modeler
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Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Fairbanks, Alaska
Posts: 6,507
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Originally Posted by stefanj
Ah, EIGHT pack. Twelve seemed an awful lot.
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You're right. For "civilian" youth group customers such as 4-H and schools, Centuri sold their Viking (which was physically identical to the Akela-1 but had different decals, see: http://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/ca...81/81cen34.html ) in 12-Packs, along with motor 12-Packs as shown in the Centuri catalog citation linked above. They offered A8-5 motors in the 12-Packs, which was ideal for the high-performance Viking.
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Originally Posted by stefanj
I remember the box and decals (as I mentioned, I still have a sheet), but not those silver stickers. Look at all the out-of-production motors!
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Maybe the metallized "spec sheet" decals were added to later Akela-1 production runs? (I always liked those, by the way. Not only were they handy recommended motor references, but they also aided tracking by flashing in the sunlight!)
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Originally Posted by stefanj
The instruction sheet had plans for a very simple DIY launch pad and control panel. It introduced me to the wonderful idea of using an extension cord plug and receptacle as a safety key.
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As Andy Griffith would have said, it's "right-cheer!": http://www.oldrocketplans.com/centu...654/cen1654.htm .
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Originally Posted by stefanj
The photo work and sample models are very handsome.
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Indeed! I wonder who Centuri's "Mike Hellmund" (who built Estes' catalog display photo kits to museum-quality standards) was? Whoever it was did an equally-fine job with the Akela-1 display rockets. |