Got my Evil side revved up again yesterday. I've been scraping together information on another seldom seen Damon-era Centuri bird, the Firebird, which graced the back cover of the 1983 catalog. Not much out there from a plan standpoint, but a thread over at TRF was a windfall of info. Cut the fins yesterday while I watched international people make poor decisions about cramming things in bodily crevices. By this afternoon, I hope to have it flyable, at the very least ready for paint should spring ever get serious about springing here in the Cincy area. Very reminiscent of the Sabre, which I just finished. Must have been something in the water in Penrose at the time.

__________________
Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Centuri Mini Dactyl Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion Estes F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II Semroc Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark, Groonie Der V 1/2

Sounds like a neat build.

Those "locked up" International Traveler shows infuriate me.

If it was up to me our country (and rest of world too) would be a LOT more Amsterdam and a lot LESS Gestapo when it comes to substance policy. The supposed "War" on drugs started in about 1972 and has been nothing but a prison-filling DISASTER since. That is an issue that can ONLY be controlled by trying to reduce DEMAND. Attempted Control of Supply does nothing but make cartels richer by increasing prices. Governments also need to realize that substance USE does NOT equal substance ABUSE whether they try to modify that definition to their idiotic needs or not.
I'm of the opinion that if you are not doing definiable and measurable harm to someone ELSE, the gov't should butt-the-H-OUT of it.
I'll get off my soapbox now...sorry.

__________________
When in doubt, WHACK the GAS and DITCH the brake !!!

Yes, there is such a thing as NORMAL, if you have to ask what is "NORMAL" , you probably aren't !
Failure may not be an OPTION, but it is ALWAYS a POSSIBILITY.
ALL systems are GO for MAYHEM, CHAOS, and HAVOC !

YOU? Sorry about a soapbox? WTF, new meds? We're not used to this.
You know me, if no one else is showing up with something odd and aged at the pads, I'll build one just to say I've flown it. This one ticks all of the boxes.

__________________
Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Centuri Mini Dactyl Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion Estes F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II Semroc Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark, Groonie Der V 1/2

And soon the jails and prisons that have been emptied of drug convictions would fill right back up with theft, robbery, assault, aggravated assault, and murder convictions perpetrated by folks free to use all the drugs they want. Use leads to abuse in way too many cases, regardless of your definition.

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I love sanding.

As you touch on, yes, another of those ‘last year’ Centuri kits that are very hard to come by. Much like the Sabre, I have seen but one of these and that was on eBay about a year ago. Luckily, I was able to snag it but unlike the Sabre, I have not yet opened and scanned the Friebird as of yet. In general, I do open a given kit for scanning and building once I acquire a second one. I then look them over and decide which is in the better condition and that becomes my ‘keeper’. The lesser looking one becomes my builder. Once I do open it I’ll scan and post, but no idea at this point when that will be.

I think I have seen that TRF thread you mention, but don’t recall a great amount of detail about it, but I do recall that there are no posted plans, fin scans, etc to be found for this kit so far.

If you need some tube measurements or such like that which can normally be garnered from a sealed kit, let me know.

Earl

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

Rocket-Brained Since 1970

This is where I am at the moment.
When the time comes that you do open one, I'll be interested to see how close mine comes to resembling your built one.

Attached Thumbnails

 

__________________
Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Centuri Mini Dactyl Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion Estes F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II Semroc Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark, Groonie Der V 1/2

The "Spacemaster" was a neat Centuri version of the Satellite Interceptor in their last catalogs.
I always wanted to find the "MagnumB-D" SR-71, Tomahawk Cruise Missile, and 2-stage SAM-3 kits but never have for a realistic price.
The Tomahawk never entered production, so that one is out.
The only examples of the SR-71 and SAM-3 have went for wayyyy too much on ebay.
Over $200 for the SR-71 and over $150 for the SAM-3.
I'd only go $150 and $100.

__________________
When in doubt, WHACK the GAS and DITCH the brake !!!

Yes, there is such a thing as NORMAL, if you have to ask what is "NORMAL" , you probably aren't !
Failure may not be an OPTION, but it is ALWAYS a POSSIBILITY.
ALL systems are GO for MAYHEM, CHAOS, and HAVOC !

As I have it, these are the end days Centuri products that I believe were all produced using Estes parts. I'm not 100% certain, especially on the smaller Thunder series birds, but reasonably sure.
5340 Thunder Roc
5341 Magnum Hornet
5342 Magnum Jayhawk
5344 Spirit of America
5348 Spacemaster
5353 Lil' Ivan
5354 Bull Dog
5355 Magnum SAM-3
5356 Magnum Sprint
5357 Tiger Streak
5358 Python Fighter
5359 Firebird
5360 Sabre
5361 Zebra II
5440 Viking

I've built and flown a Thunder Roc, Magnum Hornet, Spacemaster, Lil' Ivan, Magnum Sprint, Tiger Streak, Python Fighter, Sabre, Zebra II Payloader and Viking. The Bull Dog and Firebird should be finished this weekend. I think I'm going to try the Magnum Sam 3 next.

__________________
Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Centuri Mini Dactyl Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion Estes F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II Semroc Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark, Groonie Der V 1/2

That list looks pretty complete, but I would say the Thunder series is probably an exception or at least a partial exception.

The first two, the Thunder Hawk and Thunder Bird are definitely Centuri parts based. Both use Centuri tubing (ST-7 and ST-10) as well as Centuri plastic nose cones.

The Thunder Roc is the partial exception in that it uses an Estes plastic nose cone; the same Estes PNC as used in the Omega, Der Red Max, and others. The tubing for that kit is ST-16, though I am not *completely* sure about it as the Centuri ST-16 tubing and the Estes BT-60 are so very, very close in size and I have not directly compared the tubing in one of my Thunder Roc kits to ‘known’ Centuri tubing or known Estes tubing to tell which Centuri was using in that kit. Could go either way on that one. But being a long super roc type bird, they may have gone with the somewhat thicker walled Centuri tubing.

Earl

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

Rocket-Brained Since 1970

Yep, meant to remove those and the SR-71 and Cruise Missile. I got half of them.

__________________
Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Centuri Mini Dactyl Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion Estes F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II Semroc Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark, Groonie Der V 1/2