brought an interesting response from The Fireman:
I first got involved with flying model rockets about 1958-59. The only DB fin units I can remember seeing then were white polystyrene, and fairly brittle at that. The Range store at the old Peak City section range occasionally had bagged DB kits. I'm not 100 percent sure, but I think they were left-overs from the Colorado Springs hosted Boy Scout Jamboree. (1960, wasn't it?)
The MMI nosecone was around very early. I wish Bill Stein or someone who might know would give us a short history of that cone. The earliest Aerobee MMI kits had wooden cones as I recall, but the second and third models, (with the shorter box) and all of the MMI Arcon models had the vinyl cones.
Old timers will remember that most all of these cones were a bit crooked, some more than others. Something about a flaw in the original mold if I remember correctly. I would love to know who made them, how they came about, and anything else about them. The ones I have are either white or light grey, but they may have appeared in other colors. The styrene inserts that I have are either red or green transparent plastic, though again, there may have been other colors. Anybody know?
One of my long term rocketry goals is to make a good copy of the MMI cone, either in vinyl, like the originals, or possibly in a fairly stiff RTV silicone rubber. If I just live long enough, maybe I will get that done someday. (Though if Quest or someone would bring them back, I would be waiting in line... Ditto for a clone of the old MMI tower.) I did make up a few styrene clones of the old MMI fin units a while back, just for my own use. A bit tricky, but not all THAT difficult...
It is great to know that some of you youngsters still appreciate some of the early rocket models!
Keep 'em flying!
The Fireman
formerly NAR 2217,
Peak City Section *2
The Dirty Bird plastic fin can came from the back end of sky rocket fireworks.
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