Vintage MPC Rockets?

StefanJ said:

Scans of docs and pictures of the equipment would be cool! No rush; we've waited forty years already, right?

I still have dreams -- literal dreams -- of stumbling into an old hobby shop with old kits and starter sets; a shop with a senile owner who doesn't know what he's got.

I scanned in some MRI kit instructions; they and others are available on the Ye Olde Rocket site:

https://www.oldrocketplans.com/mri.htm

Click to expand...

This gal that used to come out our launches found an old hobby center that the owner was going out of business. He had a supply of old Estes and Centuri motors that he was selling at 50% off the price on the packages, most of the Estes were blue diamond packs. Unfortunatly the majority were ruined, water had got to them at sometime and the cases were swelled up I did get a some B14-7's and other motors, mainly there were some A3-6 mini motors I haven't burned any of those after all the years I've had them but it's in the plan to use a few this year. I built a SEMROC Thunderbee and a booster for it, going to stage them to an A10-0, adding a Mylar streamer and see what kind of altitude I can get from them

Fishhead said:

The Tomahawk had an oddity of its own. The 18mm motor tube was only about 1.5 inches long. A motor hook was installed with an engine block, which was then glued into the top oif the plastic fin can using gel CA. When dried it was glued into the bottom of the main body tube. Half of the length of the motor is held in place by the fairly fragile engine hook with a naked plastic fin can. Interesting, but it seems like it should work. Not so sure how the plastic will hold up to the heat of a motor casing, but we'll see when B6-4 Field resurfaces.

Click to expand...

It's interesting that when the MPC Tomahawk was re-issued by Quest they specified a A6-4 engine ONLY!
It was because of the fin can and the short engine mount tube you mentioned.
Any longer burn engine would get too hot and possibly melt the fin can.

Quest looks like the way to go. Now I just have to figure out what else I want to, as Chas put it, round out the order.:wink:

Fishhead said:

Quest looks like the way to go. Now I just have to figure out what else I want to, as Chas put it, round out the order.:wink:

Click to expand...

Fishhead, You can certainly use the Estes A8-3s in the Quest Tomahawk.
The Quest engines have thinner walls and transfer more heat.
Heck, you could probably fly it with Estes B6-4s or C6-5s too.
They are thicker walled than the Quest Chinese made engines and would probably contain the heat.
But, don't say you heard that from me.

Better yet -
Fly it with 13mm A10-3t engines in a 5/20 style adapter.
The adapter would give you good heat insulation, there would be a bit of space between the engine and the plastic fin can.

hcmbanjo said:

Fishhead, You can certainly use the Estes A8-3s in the Quest Tomahawk.
The Quest engines have thinner walls and transfer more heat.
Heck, you could probably fly it with Estes B6-4s or C6-5s too.
They are thicker walled than the Quest Chinese made engines and would probably contain the heat.
But, don't say you heard that from me.

Better yet -
Fly it with 13mm A10-3t engines in a 5/20 style adapter.
The adapter would give you good heat insulation, there would be a bit of space between the engine and the plastic fin can.

Click to expand...

Wow! :eyepop: Just the thought of the Tomahawk with a B6-4 on B6-4 Field is an eye-opener! I could fire it this weekend and it would have a nice, soft splashdown next week when it's supposed to hit 50 again.:wink: I do like the idea of the 13mm flight. That would be about perfect up there. I'm definitely going to fly it on an A8-3 first, just because. I really want to see how that fin unit holds up. I'm getting to the point that an all-MPC launch is a possibility. I feel a theme launch coming on.

RoyAtl said:

So, what vendors currently have old MPC stock?

Click to expand...

I know Uncle Mike's Rocket shack has some,
another possibility is
https://vintagevending.weebly.com/sky-high-hobbies.html

Fishhead said:

Wow! :eyepop: Just the thought of the Tomahawk with a B6-4 on B6-4 Field is an eye-opener!

Click to expand...

Try that kit with an AeroTech 18mm F55 motor.

Zoom! Gone!

Well, not quite. The model was recovered but could not be flown again. The plastic fin can had melted to the motor casing.

Yes, and the Starhawk would be unstable with the heavier C6 motor in the back end, plus the melting.....

They redesigned the Starhawk and the new version is superb, but it is still limited to A6-4 and B6-4 motors.

hcmbanjo said:

It's interesting that when the MPC Tomahawk was re-issued by Quest they specified a A6-4 engine ONLY!
It was because of the fin can and the short engine mount tube you mentioned.
Any longer burn engine would get too hot and possibly melt the fin can.

Click to expand...

Dave,

The Estes motor collection is still available. I would prefer to sell it all as listed. If you want them, and have someone who can pick them up, just let me know.

Thanks.

NR

As requested. These may not be in the exact correct order, but you'll figure it out.

StefanJ said:

Wow, that's a real rarity! A unique launch pad and launch system, no doubt.

Any chance of getting a scan of the instruction booklet?

Click to expand...

Thanks for the scans!

The launch system seems very minimal, but functional.

I had and built an MRI-branded "Flare." I did a pretty good job of it; nice and shiny and red. I am not sure what became of it.

There is many MPC rocket kits on ebay.
Are they still produced?
I've tried to search for Manufacture, but all I'm getting is sales sites, reviews and articles of vintage kits.

Woody's Workshop said:

There is many MPC rocket kits on ebay.
Are they still produced?
I've tried to search for Manufacture, but all I'm getting is sales sites, reviews and articles of vintage kits.

Click to expand...

I have a handful of old "vintage" MPC kits, but have not built one yet. They are amazingly cheap compared to old Estes or Centuri kits, that's for sure.

The new MPC kits, like Kiss, Star Trek, Daffy Duck, etc. are I think a wholly different enterprise. Also heavily discounted, when i see them.

If anyone has a good source of MPC history, websites, catalogs, etc. that would be interesting.

There is just a single date-unkown calander at Ninfinger.

I flew an MPC Nike Patriot for a few years 'way back in the 70's. Always enjoyed it as it tracked really well although it wasn't a high flier being a bit on the heavy side. Would love to find another one or even two to experiment with making it into a two stage, maybe ream out the fin can a bit to accept D-engines...

N.

I'm in the process of building a MPC Redstone Quasar right now. I had this kit as a kid and was on my most sought after list for a long time. I managed to get one for a reasonable price on ebay.

Tramper Al said:

I have a handful of old "vintage" MPC kits, but have not built one yet. They are amazingly cheap compared to old Estes or Centuri kits, that's for sure ...

Click to expand...

You do know that The Godfather, G. Harry Stine, was a consultant for them, right ?

Tramper Al said:

If anyone has a good source of MPC history,

...

Click to expand...

Here's a couple:

https://www.rocketryforum.com/showthread.php?63543-The-Lost-History-of-Model-Rocketry especially posts #9 and #11

https://www.oldrocketforum.com/showthread.php?t=16731 among many threads in the Ye Olde Rocket's Model Rocket History subforum.