I have been noticing several of the larger Centuri Little Joe II's showing up on eBay. All have been opened in various states of build or disrepair. All have the wrap already applied. Was this done at the factory? Most seem misaligned and/or bubbles.

Hi Nola_Bar,
Here's a 1/45th scale Centuri Little Joe II KS-8 that looks to be in good condition: https://www.ebay.com/itm/225990416279

This is not my auction, nor do I know the seller.

Typically, I believe, these wraps were applied at the factory. It may be that time and changing temperature conditions from storage have altered the appearance of the original factory application on others that you have seen.

Kind regards,
Jeff Jenkins
aka: Faithwalker
NAR #46879 SR

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If memory serves - the chrome Mylar body tube wraps were rolled on at the factory.
Somme of the lifting and bubbles can happen over time.

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A Centuri Saturn V and Saturn 1b have also appeared on eBay. Love the box art on these kits.

Yes, this exactly. They were ALL applied at Centuri. There are some remaining trim pieces that the builder applies during final assembly but they are minor strips of self adhesive chrome applied in just few places.

But yes, over time (and maybe heat from an attic or such) that wrap can bubble and lift some. And you are right, a couple of those recently listed in the past month or so have shown some pretty bad examples of that.

The one that Faithwalker references is in very nice shape indeed.

Since the re-introduction of the 1/45 scale by Estes about eight years ago, the Centuri version does not garner the prices it used to. Which is good if you are looking to grab one. It is a VERY nice kit. One of my favorites. Still, they are not cheap and generally go upwards of $200 or so, but sometimes less. Used to go $350 or so easy.

Earl

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Earl L. Cagle, Jr.
NAR# 29523
TRA# 962
SAM# 73
Owner/Producer
Point 39 Productions

Rocket-Brained Since 1970

Fasson Products manufactured both the 1/45th scale Little Joe II and the 1/100th scale Little Joe II chrome adhesive wraps used in the Centuri Little Joe II kits for Centuri Engineering Company. Fasson Products was a division of Avery Adhesive Products/Avery Products Corporation and was started by Avery in 1954, at Painesville, Ohio. The plant is still there today. The company name has changed a few times since it was started. In 1990, the company merged with Dennison Manufacturing to form Avery Dennison, which is the name it operates under today. Business was doing so well that Avery Dennison announced a 32,000 sq. ft. expansion of the plant in 2021.

Fasson Products marketed the Centuri chrome adhesive wraps as part of their "FasCal" trademark products and included their logo on the back side of the Centuri Little Joe II adhesive chrome wrap backing sheet. A photo example is provided here from one of my kits.

Centuri included the backing sheet in the 1/45th scale Little Joe II KS-8 kit with additional self-adhesive chrome trim strips. A photo example from one my kits is provided here. As you can see from my example, the chrome wrap has started to bubble and buckle from expansions and contractions over time. Has anyone here had any success trying to peel and re-apply the chrome wrap to remove the wrinkles?

Kind regards,
Jeff Jenkins
aka: Faithwalker
NAR #46879 SR

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And just to make sure folks understand, the Fasson sheet material was just that; blank chrome material. Centuri used that as the starting stock, to which they printed the UNITED STATES lettering and such on the outside, then pressed in the corrugations (which was a difficult and tricky task since the chrome sheet material was actually stretched some to make those corrugations in the material). I think they developed a specific press at Centuri just to produce this chrome wrap using the Fasson raw chrome sheets. During that pressing it also made a handful of perforated cuts in the chrome wrap that would later be removed by the builder for the fin placements and the launch lug.

I have some Little Joe II kits where the full remainder of the chrome sheet is included (like they one you showed) and others that include just the final trim strips the builder applies during construction. But yes, they were all part of one master sheet to start with.

The black and white wrap at the top of the main tube and that used around the capsule and LES motor are also Fasson self adhesive materials too, I think, and then printed with the correct black patterns by Centuri (or at a print shop of Centuri's choosing).

This was quite the kit when Centuri developed it during 1968 and it was quite an accomplishment for its time. Still is a very, very nice kit, even if that super-shiny chrome body wrap is not completely in keeping with natural aluminum (although bright) skin of the real Little Joe II.

Earl

__________________
Earl L. Cagle, Jr.
NAR# 29523
TRA# 962
SAM# 73
Owner/Producer
Point 39 Productions

Rocket-Brained Since 1970

Thanks for the clarification, Earl! That is good information! This 1/45th scale Centuri Little Joe II KS-8 kit is one of my favorites as well! It is an extremely nice kit and well engineered. With all the engineering that went into the kit, it is hard to believe that it sold for just $12.95 when it was introduced and made available on June 15, 1968 (see pages 1 and 8 of Centuri's American Rocketeer vol. 3, no. 1): https://plans.rocketshoppe.com/pubs...eer_vol3no1.pdf . Centuri also sold them for $12.95 when they were closing the kits out in 1977: http://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/ca...mmercenRT4.html . Sure would be nice to be able to buy them for that today!

Kind regards,
Jeff Jenkins
aka: Faithwalker
NAR #46879 SR

Quite the kit back then and still is today actually.

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I remember getting that Rocket Times magazine (along with the catalog) in March of 1977 when they announced they were closing out the Little Joe II. And at the original intro price of $12.95. That seems real cheap today (and it is!), but I recall even in 1977 as a (at the time) 14 year old kid, that was more than I could come up with at one time. So, I thought my chances of ever getting THAT kit were lost and gone forever. One never knows what the future will bring! Of course, I could have never dreamed at that time just what prices those kits would bring one day!!

Still, those kits and others are being dug up here and there and put up for auction. If one is patient and willing to put forth some effort and some cash, one can find (enventually) almost any kit. Note I said ALMOST any kit!

Earl

__________________
Earl L. Cagle, Jr.
NAR# 29523
TRA# 962
SAM# 73
Owner/Producer
Point 39 Productions

Rocket-Brained Since 1970