Friday, June 3, 2022

Before Estes & Centuri - Jetex!

On the Facebook, Estes Model Rocket page - 
Bob Cassova reminded me of the old Jetex engines. This one is the smaller "50" style, the same engine I used. Jetex also made a larger 150 engine.
   


That small pin hole is the nozzle! It wasn't very efficient.
Jetex also had a line of balsa and tissue airplanes that used these engines to help them reach apogee before gliding back.
1. You'd open the case - that thick wire is held in the nozzle side and snaps on over the rear of the main body. Snap off the wire and connected nozzle cap.
2. Reddish brown pellet slugs are slid in the main body.
3. Feed the Jetex fuse through the small noz-hole. Coil the fuse so the loop lays against the top of the propellant pellets.
4. Snap the wire and nozzle onto the main body housing.


I made a car out of a tin plate with four wheels taped to the bottom. The Jetex engine was screwed into the top of the metal plate body with the engine facing out the back.
It performed a little like the Estes Land Rocket cars but had no guidance line to run it in a straight line. You'd light the fuse, run away then turn around in enough time to see it roll 75' down the street.

My mistake - 
I bent up flaps on the backside of the car hoping for a "wheelie". The flaps got it airborne! It flew about 8 feet up and seemed to hover. Not very stable. My interest in the Jetex engines quickly subsided.
Luckily I saw an Estes catalog soon after.

For more background, check out the Wikipedia page: CLICK HERE

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