Centuri Moonraker #KB-11 Build, Part 2, Fin Prep

I'll be spending some time on the fibre fins. Most builders would simply punch them out and immediately glue them to the body.
Die cut fibre (mat board) fins require some edge prep to get smooth.

The hold down tabs were larger than normal. Don't punch these fins out! You would end up with more to clean up later.

The fins were removed using an X-Acto knife.







After removing the fins you can see the corner hold down ticks.
These will be cut back and the edges sanded.

The sides of the fins were lightly sanded with 400 grit on a block.
The picture shows the darker sanded edges where the raised sides were taken down a bit. These edges are rougher now and will need to be smoothed out.

Model Rocket News Idea Box - Piston Ejection

From the Estes Model Rocket News, Vol.3, #1, February/March, 1963

Here's an early piston ejection drawing making wadding or parachute protectors unnecessary.
A solid nose block is slid down and rests against the engine block. The nose block is attached to a shock cord and to the nose cone.
Note the engine block recessed down from the top of the body tube. it is glued in place and stops the travel of the piston. That upper engine block could block passage of the parachute.
The instructions say to securely friction fit the engine so it doesn't eject. Where is the ejection charge supposed to go or vent?
It's still a great idea and used in some MPR kits.

Centuri Moonraker #KB-11 Build, Part 1, Parts

At $.85 how could you go wrong? This was one of those models you'd throw to get your order total high enough for free shipping. I would think the price of the packaging was more expensive than the actual parts in the kit. For such a little rocket there are some few, interesting parts.

Taped to the instruction sheet is the engine retaining wire. This isn't an engine hook but is meant to flex out of the way at ejection.
At ejection the engine does eject and the two body section separate. the upper section has one fin and nose cone. The lower section has two fins.

This wire goes around the top longer fin, down both sections and bends under the engine casing. It helps hold the rocket together.

Here's the fibre fins.
The top side (where the die-cut blades strike first) has rounded edges.
The back side edges are squared off. Look at the tip of the longer fin and you can see where the die-cutting has slightly pressed out and creased the leading edge.

Below that is a black dot. I don't know what caused it. It doesn't go into the fin area. A black dot of oil or ink would be hard to cover up with spray paint.

The Centuri plastic nose cones were of great quality, injection molded with no seams.

Below the body tube is a small depression. I'll flip over the tube and glue a fin over it.






The launch lug "luglets" are short, only 1/4" long.
They were set over a Q-tip so I wouldn't lose them.

Hobby Lobby Resets

Hobby Lobby is resetting the rocket shelves with some new Estes products.
Many of last years kits were on clearance at 40% off.

It looks like they are keeping some standard fare next year, including the Mercury Redstone.
The Quinstar is there along with the new Expedition and BT-60 based Nike Smoke.
Others include: Super Neon, Goblin, Super Nova, Comanche 3, PSII Star Orbiter, Sequoia and Puma.

About the only thing I've ever searched on my smart phone is the Hobby Lobby 40% off coupon when I buy engines.

Centuri Moonraker #KB-11 Build, Background

The Centuri Moonraker was introduced in the 1973 catalog. New kits and supplies were added as extra pages to the outside of the 1972 catalog format. To see this page, CLICK HERE
A few of the new kits had "pre-cut fibre fins". The fin material was like mat board, approximately .050" thick. This material is similar to what fibre centering ring are cut from.
The Hummingbird, Moonraker, Jayhawk, Nomad, Excalibur 2 and Arrow 300 had die-cut fibre fins.

"Two sections gyro-flutter safely back to earth. Features changeable shape, pre-cut fibre fins."
I have a lot of experience with the Cyclone maple seed monocopter recovery model. With the Moonrakers shorter fins I have to wonder if it helicopters in or flutter tumbles.

I don't know where I picked this kit up.
In the upper right corner is a handwritten price of $1.00, a second price says $.90. The original catalog price was $.85 so this was probably produced after 1973.

Not much in the bag. All you can see is a nose cone, two short body tubes and small launch lugs.





The metallic "Spec-Plate" was a new kit bonus feature in 1973.
While a great idea on a larger model, this plate might be too much on this little rocket. (Note the pressure sensitive nose cone tab stuck under the Spec-Plate.)

Old Launch Controllers on Ebay

Here's an interesting Ebay listing: CLICK HERE
A real collector might be interested in these -

The first controller looks like the Centuri Professional Firing Panel.
For the Centuri catalog listing, CLICK HERE

This controller looks like the original "Spring Return Safety Switch" contact switch used in the earliest Electro-Launch systems.
To see the catalog listing: CLICK HERE

Enerjet News, Mercury Little Joe I, Finished

Look above the orange stripe and you'll see a raised bubble on the card stock wrap.
When setting the orange decal some water got under the edge of the card stock wrap. You'd think the paint would have sealed the edge.
Luckily it flattened out when the water dried. I did roll the raised area down with a Sharpie barrel as it dried.

The placement of the vertical decal and vertical orange blocks were a compromise. This plan had a longer than scale body tube for stability and room for a parachute.

The Booster is finished except for some Odd'l parachutes. The booster will get a 15" chute, the capsule and tower a 12".

All things considered, this is a good representation of the Little Joe. The later Little Joe test vehicles had the black capsule but not the orange bars on either side of the UNITED STATES markings. I know it's incorrect but I built the model as described in the Enerjet News plans. I did a little extra work on the decals and trim. My UNITED STATES decal is longer than the Enerjet News showed.

With the Mercury Capsule on: 

With the success of the recent Estes scale model releases, I wouldn't be surprised if Estes came out with a MR Little Joe I using the 2" diameter Centuri capsule and tower.