It seems I've been touching on a lot of MPC information lately.
I've got a MPC launcher and controller coming from Ebay.
I'm still flying 40 year old MPC Minijet engines with great success.
On a whim, I made a few searches and found the phone number of Myke Bergenske. I was surprised he remembered me.
Myke started MRI (Model Rocket Industries) which was aquired by MPC (Model Products Corporation). Myke got all the MPC inventory, tool and dies and started AVI (Aerospace Vehicles Incororated)
My first MRI rocket engines from MRI and were sent out (illegally) by the Johnson Smith Company in 1969.
California had strict laws about rocket engines coming into the the state.
That first three pack of MRI engines were 18mm, A3-2's.
California had strict laws about rocket engines coming into the the state.
That first three pack of MRI engines were 18mm, A3-2's.
On a phone call, I asked Myke some questions:
On every MPC Minijet engine has the date 26 July 71 printed on them? This is the same whether it's a 1/2A3-5m, A3-4m or B3-7?
He responded: "It's a mystery to me!"
Some engine casings had the dates printed on them before or after production.
He said he could look it up in some older records. I said that wouldn't be necessary.
Some engine casings had the dates printed on them before or after production.
He said he could look it up in some older records. I said that wouldn't be necessary.
He explained at the peak of production , MPC was producing 40,000 engines a day! They were producing engines in three work shifts, 24 hours a day!
I asked if the Quest engine making machines (now in storage) are the original MPC machines?
After MPC stopped making rocket kits and engines, FSI (Flight Systems Incorporated ) bought the MPC machinery for next to nothing. When they got the machines back to Missouri the Reese's (Owners of F.S.I.) couldn't get them working. Myke came out and got them up and running.
This might be when FSI added 18mm engine production.
This might be when FSI added 18mm engine production.
Bill Stine (Quest) later bought the machines from FSI. These were the machines used when Quest made their engines here in the U.S.
Some interesting information from Myke:
The largest sale of MPC rocketry merchandise was to KMart for $670,000!
GM (General Mills the parent company of MPC) thought the MPC model rocketry sales should be in to $40 million dollar range per year. Sales were 1/10th of that, at $4 million. Still, pretty respectable.
During the space race, rocketry sales went up 10% every year.
In 1970, MPC exceeded Estes in sales!
The largest sale of MPC rocketry merchandise was to KMart for $670,000!
GM (General Mills the parent company of MPC) thought the MPC model rocketry sales should be in to $40 million dollar range per year. Sales were 1/10th of that, at $4 million. Still, pretty respectable.
During the space race, rocketry sales went up 10% every year.
In 1970, MPC exceeded Estes in sales!
It was great fun to talk to Mr. Bergenske. I thanked him for his time.
Great stuff, thanks for sharing! My first model rocket came from MPC. I still have my originial pad and launch controller and consider them the best-designed I've ever used. Not sure why that three-legged design with its built-in "umbilical tower" and ceramic deflector hasn't lived on. Maybe someone should buy the rights and re-produce it!
ReplyDeleteBought some MPC rockets from a local hobby store in San Antonio Texas in the early 1970's. Bought a lot of stuff from AVI in the mid 1970's and recently acquired my Lunar Lectric launch pad in my mid 50's.
ReplyDeleteA canadian company called Canaroc sold the Lunar Lectric sans gantry and ceramic cone. Maybe they acquired the molds to that piece of the old MPC systems?
Rounding out the launch controller is the controller from COX. I was surprised to see that in their 19890 catalog.
FWIW
Robert Casares
Hi Robert,
DeleteWho knows the lineage of the MPC launchers. Looks like Canaroc had them in 1978, after AVI had closed up shop. they may have gotten a good deal on some older stock.
From the Canaroc 1978 catalog - http://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/catalogs/canaroc78/78can20.html - they still had the gantry.
The MPC launcher was a brilliant design.
I have MPC ceramic blast deflectors available from Odd'l Rockets. This new one was molded from a original mint MPC deflector. The base of the new deflectors are stronger with a lip underneath.
I also liked the Cox launchers except you had to use their igniters. They plugged into the leads.
Thank you for the reply.
ReplyDeleteI'm not familiar with Odd'l Rockets. Would you please tell me more about them?
TIA
Hi Robert,
DeleteOdd'l Rockets is my model rocket company. I specialize in odd-rocs and accessories. Go to:
oddlrockets.blogspot.com for more information.