Semroc (Centuri) Taurus Build, Part 12, Where'd That Tube Go?

All the balsa is filled, all the tube seams are filled.
Everything is painted and pretty much ready for assembly and decals. Well, almost . . .

I can't find the center ST-8 tube!
It was filled and painted white, ready for the tunnels and decals.
We've all misplaced launch lugs, but I've never lost a tube. I thought about putting in an order for a replacement, but you know what will happen. A day after the order is made, I'll find the original.

Another problem - I don't know what the tube length was. The kit height is 23.5" tall. I can measure the assemblies, subtract that total from 23.5" and I'll have the ST-8 tube length.

The Semroc instructions say the tube is a ST-857. Using Centuri lingo, that might mean it's a ST-8 tube, 5 3/4" long.

The Semroc Classic Kit parts list (CLICK HERE) says the length is 5.75" long.  Under the "Original Part No." listing it says: ST-8?

Then I went to a new Centuri list being compiled by Jay Goemmer. To see the Centuri kit parts list: CLICK HERE
This list also gave me a length of 5.75" long.


To get the model to 23.5" tall, on my model that ST-8 tube ended up at 6" long. Some Semroc reissued kits aren't always exact clones.
I was lucky enough to find an 8" length of ST-8 tubing. My OOP Odd'l Rockets Pipeline kit used ST-8 tubing, a lucky break. Keep your extra rocket parts - You never know!
The new piece of tubing was cut to size, seam filled, filler/primered and shot with gloss white.

The way it always goes - That original tube will show up in a day or so -