Model Rocket -> MPC -> AVI Astroport -> Quest?

[Doug Holverson]

Has anybody ever documented the quirky history of Model Rocket Industries to MPC to AVI Astroport and then skipping about 15years when that tooling ended up at the original '90s Quest?

 

[astronwolf]

I'd be asking these sorts of questions over at YORF. Just sayin...

 

[caveduck]

Hi Wolf!

I've collected what I knew and could find about that history in the manufacturer history section of the README file in my OpenRocket database on https://github.com/dbcook/openrocket-database/blob/master/README.md. It's a big file, the relevant stuff starts with the MRI section about 40% of the way down. There are some fascinating things including the transfer of the 18mm motor making equipment to FSI and some mysteries including how the FSI+AVI motor equipment came to be found in ratty shape years later somewhere in the Midwest, and Myke claiming MPC was bigger than Estes in 1970. Chris Michielssen (hcmbanjo) actually got in touch with Myke in recent years and turned up some previously unknown info.

 

[astronwolf]

Hi Dave... I wish I was flying rockets in San Diego right now...

I always wanted to update the parts database for OpenRocket. There are a few things that need tuning, and a lot of stuff that could be added. Nice work overall - I use the parts db all the time.

 

[hcmbanjo]

Has anybody ever documented the quirky history of Model Rocket Industries to MPC to AVI Astroport and then skipping about 15years when that tooling ended up at the original '90s Quest?

I did some rocket builds for the Bergenske's when they had AVI.
I contacted Myke Bergenske a few years back for some insights:
https://modelrocketbuilding.blogspot.com/2011/03/some-mri-mpc-and-avi-questions-answered.html
https://modelrocketbuilding.blogspot.com/2013/01/letter-from-nik-bergenske.html

Myke Bergenske has since passed away. Myke never got the credit he deserved, he was one of the few to have made high production engine making machines.
His wife Diane might be able to answer most questions.
I found their phone number online, not too many "Bergenske's" out there I guess.