FSI F100's, F7's, and Mach 1 DART Thruster Packs for Free for Flight or for Sale

[Chuck Rogers]

To All:

I have some Flight Systems Incorporated (FSI) large black powder motors from my motor collection which I need to donate or sell. I now live in a house that is in a high-risk fire area. The composite motors in my collection I'm comfortable with keeping, but the large FSI black powder motors are just too much of a risk to have in this high-risk fire area.

These motors are 40 years old but based on how they have been stored I think they may have a reasonable chance of not failing when fired.

I recently saw on this forum, or another forum, (apologies I'm not remembering which one) where old FSI motors were successfully flown.

The stars of this collection are three complete, unopened Mach 1 Super Thruster Systems (F100-0 with fins and D20-12) for use with the FSI Mach 1 DART for supersonic flight. My proposed approach for whomever gets these motors would be to static fire one F100-0 and one D20-12 from one pack, and if they static fire successfully, since all three packs were stored in the same conditions, there is a good chance that the motors from the other two packs should work.

My first question is; from others experience, do 40-year-old FSI large black powder motors that were stored well/pretty well have a reasonable chance to work?

I'd really like to see the Mach 1 Super Thruster System motors flown in a reproduction FSI Mach 1 DART with an instrumentation package, for an actual in-flight measurement of does the rocket really go Mach 1 or not.

I'll be at LDRS in June at Lucerne Dry Lake, so if you can come to the launch, we can coordinate to meet in person to deliver the motors so shipping will not be an issue.

There are more F100 and F7 motors in the collection, the list is below.


Here are the three options I am considering:

1) If you are planning to actually fly the FSI motors at Tripoli/NAR launches, they will be free, and you will be at the top of the list.

2) If you are a collector, make me an offer on the motors via a private message. Almost all of the FSI motor packages are unopened. Again, delivery at LDRS in June at Lucerne Dry Lake.

3) If people don't really want to try to fly the motors, and collectors aren't really interested, everyone else see me at LDRS. During the launch, by the end of the launch, I'll be giving the remaining motors away.


Here's the list of motors. The FSI motors are production dated 1981 and 1982.

1) 3 Mach 1 Super Thruster Systems (F100-0 and D20-12), packages unopened.

2) The following 3-packs of FSI motors. All of these packages are unopened.

F7-6 (These are production dated 1979)
F100-0 (Booster)
F100-0 (Booster)
F100-4
F100-4
F100-8
F100-10

3) Some old Estes motors from the 1960's in the cardboard diagonal boxes. Most opened.

4) Some old Centuri motors from the 1960's/early 1970's, all opened.

5) Estes D12's; D12-0 (Booster) and various delays. In blister packs, appear to be from the 1970's.


Again, if you plan to fly the Mach 1 Super Thruster Systems in reproduction FSI DART's, or plan to fly the F100 and F7 motors, then they will be free to you.


And please no wisecracks about how I'm giving away 40-year-old motors, when you weren't even born yet 40 years ago. Remember, I was your age when I bought these motors.
The motors are from an age prior to large composite high power rocket motors where we staged and clustered FSI large black powder motors for the first high power rockets.



Charles E. (Chuck) Rogers

 

[fyrwrxz]

Back when dinosuars roamed test ranges, I got talked out of using my FSI motors in rockets. Sadly they were all converted to ball shell lifters for a private pyro show. Dammit, they all worked perfectly! Even frickin staged! I was bummed. Show was fun, but I would have rather sacrificed a rocket for the cool factor. I hope these fly at LDRS. I'd certainly risk it!

 

[DabCat]

I would love to fly them at LDRS. I'll be there all 5 days. I sent a PM.

 

[prfesser]

The BP itself should be fine. There are documented cases of barrels of BP from the War of Northern Aggression Civil War that apparently were properly stored. The BP lit and burned just as it did a century and a half ago.

There may possibly be some deterioration of the paper, from long contact with an oxidizer, but a static test or two should show this up.

Wish I was going to LDRS, Chuck, I'd'a snapped these up!

Best -- Terry

 

[DeeRoc29]

To All:

I have some Flight Systems Incorporated (FSI) large black powder motors from my motor collection which I need to donate or sell. I now live in a house that is in a high-risk fire area. The composite motors in my collection I'm comfortable with keeping, but the large FSI black powder motors are just too much of a risk to have in this high-risk fire area.

These motors are 40 years old but based on how they have been stored I think they may have a reasonable chance of not failing when fired.

I recently saw on this forum, or another forum, (apologies I'm not remembering which one) where old FSI motors were successfully flown.

The stars of this collection are three complete, unopened Mach 1 Super Thruster Systems (F100-0 with fins and D20-12) for use with the FSI Mach 1 DART for supersonic flight. My proposed approach for whomever gets these motors would be to static fire one F100-0 and one D20-12 from one pack, and if they static fire successfully, since all three packs were stored in the same conditions, there is a good chance that the motors from the other two packs should work.

My first question is; from others experience, do 40-year-old FSI large black powder motors that were stored well/pretty well have a reasonable chance to work?

I'd really like to see the Mach 1 Super Thruster System motors flown in a reproduction FSI Mach 1 DART with an instrumentation package, for an actual in-flight measurement of does the rocket really go Mach 1 or not.

I'll be at LDRS in June at Lucerne Dry Lake, so if you can come to the launch, we can coordinate to meet in person to deliver the motors so shipping will not be an issue.

There are more F100 and F7 motors in the collection, the list is below.


Here are the three options I am considering:

1) If you are planning to actually fly the FSI motors at Tripoli/NAR launches, they will be free, and you will be at the top of the list.

2) If you are a collector, make me an offer on the motors via a private message. Almost all of the FSI motor packages are unopened. Again, delivery at LDRS in June at Lucerne Dry Lake.

3) If people don't really want to try to fly the motors, and collectors aren't really interested, everyone else see me at LDRS. During the launch, by the end of the launch, I'll be giving the remaining motors away.


Here's the list of motors. The FSI motors are production dated 1981 and 1982.

1) 3 Mach 1 Super Thruster Systems (F100-0 and D20-12), packages unopened.

2) The following 3-packs of FSI motors. All of these packages are unopened.

F7-6 (These are production dated 1979)
F100-0 (Booster)
F100-0 (Booster)
F100-4
F100-4
F100-8
F100-10

Charles E. (Chuck) Rogers

Chuck,

I'll be at LDRS and will fly as many as time/weather permit. I'll buy the rest.

I've flown lots of FSI F100 and F7 motors successfully that were made in the 70's and 80's. I light the F100's near the nozzle.

Derek

 

[Rocketjunkie]

Get out the Ultimate. Mine flies well to about 1000' on 7 Estes F15s

 

[DeeRoc29]

I have a THOY Nighthawk...

 

[fyrwrxz]

I have a THOY Nighthawk...

OMG!, So do I! I thot they were extinct!

 

[Neutronium95]

Judging by this large sample size study, I'm pretty sure that the motors have about a 50% failure rate. I hope that whoever flies them gets good pictures and/or video, just so that these motors can be remembered well. For example, I've never seen a Silver Streak motor, but some friends of mine fired one off at a night launch, and now everyone on the internet can see what they were like.

 

[DeeRoc29]

Judging by this large sample size study, I'm pretty sure that the motors have about a 50% failure rate. I hope that whoever flies them gets good pictures and/or video

Nah, my personal experience with ancient FSI motors indicates a much lower failure rate. If Chuck let's me fly 'em at LDRS, video will be taken and data recorded. Does the Mach 1-Dart really go supersonic?? We'll find out once and for all at Lucerne next month!

 

[Chuck Rogers]

Nah, my personal experience with ancient FSI motors indicates a much lower failure rate. If Chuck let's me fly 'em at LDRS, video will be taken and data recorded. Does the Mach 1-Dart really go supersonic?? We'll find out once and for all at Lucerne next month!

I've delivered the motors to DeeRoc29. Another rocketeer is getting some of the motors also. There are going to be some great FSI flights at LDRS!

If there are no CATO's, or very few CATO's, during the first few flights, since all of the motors were stored together over the last 40 years, things are going to look really great. It's going to be FSI flight party time! As DeeRoc29 mentioned, the Mach 1-Dart and the other rockets will be instrumented. We'll see whether the Mach 1-Dart will actually go supersonic.

And attached is a photo of yours truly flying some of these motors 40 years ago. It's a minimum diameter F100-0 staged to an F100-0 staged to an F7-6.

Charles E. (Chuck) Rogers

 

[DeeRoc29]

Thanks again, Chuck. I started a thread on the MPR page: https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/fsi-extravaganza-at-ldrs-40.173076/