A Visit To Centuri Engineering

[Initiator001]

Originally posted by Gus
Then "those airplane people", Cox, got into the act by making all-plastic kits that weren't really rockets because you didn't have to build them. Sheesh, what were they thinking? Ready-to-fly rockets, what a stupid idea. No wonder it never caught on!

In the early 1970s COX also offered the Saturn 1B & Saturn V models as kits. I bought built & painted the Saturn V. Never flew it.

When COX re-issued their RTF rockets in 1989-1990, I bought at least one of each. I flew all of them. The Honest John was a good flier. The X-15 was a dog and I could seldom get the parachute to deploy on it. The Saturn 1B flew well, it really went on an E15-7W! The Saturn V I flew regularly on two E15s. Clustering composites is always exciting, especially when one doesn't ignite. That's how it's demise came about.

I visited COX back in 1975 when they were still located in Santa Ana, California. They gave a great tour of the plant. At the end of the tour, everyone received a special certificate with their name on it for having taken the tour. Hmm, I sense another thread topic...

Did I mention that I was a 'consultant' to Cox when they re-issued the rockets? I was paid in product (I got a case of Saturn Vs) plus other goodies (Leftover parts from mold tests, unused rocket parts). I was also given their 'stash' of leftover rocket stuff from the 1960s-70s. It was mostly Canaroc motors they had used for testing.

My fellow AeroTech employee, Scott Pearce (Production Manager) went through the box of parts I received from Cox and made a high-power version of the Saturn 1B. He did a beautiful, accurate paint job on it. The Cox guys were blown away by it. He later flew it on a Vulcan 29mm 'H' motor. We never saw it again.

 

[Initiator001]

Originally posted by rokitflite
We can compromise and just post the "alternate" Enertek catalog photo!

Done.

See the 'Enertek' thread.

 

[EMRR]

Thanks. I enjoyed those photos. Giving me an idea.....

Nick

 

[Bob Stephenson]

Bob,

thanks for the short walk down memory lane... I love this sort of history as it takes me back to the 70's and my own recollections of that era. My firts rocketry experiences here in Oz were with Cox models and rocket motors.

Does anybody out there remember the Nike Zeus that Cox sold ? It was a two stager made from ABS plastic and was heavy enough that it could have probably punched a hole through a car bonnet (hood for those in the US .

Cheers

(Evil) Bob

 

[Initiator001]

Originally posted by Bob Stephenson
Does anybody out there remember the Nike Zeus that Cox sold ? It was a two stager made from ABS plastic and was heavy enough that it could have probably punched a hole through a car bonnet (hood for those in the US .

Cheers

(Evil) Bob

Dear Fellow Bob,

I most certainly do remember the COX Nike Zeus. I used to go into my local hobby shop 30+ years ago and stare at that rocket. I couldn't afford it because it cost $5.00 while an Alpha was $1.25 & a Big Bertha $2.25. Too rich for my blood.

A few years ago, one popped up on e-bay and I won it! I was a happy guy. It wasn't in the box but it was complete and had never been flown. It now resides on top of my bookcase with three other 'classic' rockets.

I have some great stories about Cox and their rocket kits. They will have to wait until I finish the Enertek thread.

 

[Bob Stephenson]

Hey Bob,

now this is starting to get messy - your photo of the Nike Zeus has me wiping the drool of my chin !

Thanks for posting the photo - it took me straight back to 1972. I got mine from a local hobby import company that was going out of business back then. A$20 bought the rocket and every Cox motor they had in stock PLUS the Cox launch pad.

Unfortunately I got 'sensible' in the early 80's and gave all my gear to the local charity store. Funny, I kind of regret that now - along with the collection of colour and B&W 8x10 glossy Star Trek photos that I gave away to a girlfriend whose name I now can't even remember

If you ever think of selling... nah, what am I thinking!

Cheers

(Evil) Bob

 

[Initiator001]

(Evil) Bob,

I will start a new thread about Cox rockets as I have some pictures to post. Check it out.

 

[Initiator001]

Here's some history for those who have wished they could have visited Centuri Engineering back when it was still in business.

I think it's great that threads going back to teh beginning of the forum can now be searched. Thanks, Austin!

 

[JAL3]

I truly love when you offer reminiscences like this to the rest of us.

Thank you.

 

[Woody's Workshop]

Yes, thanks for bringing it back, well worth the time for enjoyment.
I had a few Centuri kits, but I think they were mostly card stock.
That's all I could afford mowing a couple yards a week, and still buy engines.

 

[Initiator001]

I truly love when you offer reminiscences like this to the rest of us.

Thank you.

You are welcome, John.

There's several threads I started on the 'old' TRF with historical information and pictures.

 

[burkefj]

Man, I wore out my brothers copy of the Centuri 1974 catalog staring at it daily......they had great designs......

 

[kpklein]

That must have been a great experiance. If I wanted to see something along the way while traveling on vacation I was always told No, we do'nt have time, or just get ignorred.

 

[shreadvector]

Print yourself a new copy.

https://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/catalogs/centuri74/74cencat.html


Of course, 1971 is not too shabby either:

https://www.spacemodeling.org/JimZ/71cen00.htm

https://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/catalogs/centuri71d/71dcencat.html

Man, I wore out my brothers copy of the Centuri 1974 catalog staring at it daily......they had great designs......

 

[Steven]

Having lived in Phoenix I too took a tour of their business. It's exactly as you have shown and described it. I got my dad to get the larger scale Little Joe II. Beautiful model! Then I burned down the desert when only one engine lit going up maybe twenty feet looping, landing in some scrub, off came the capsule and tower assembly then the other two engines lit backwards with flames coming out the top.

My dad and I had to take our shirts off in a frantic effort to extinguish the fire that spread rapidly through the dry scrub. That stuff lit up faster than a Christmas tree. We did get it out though. oint:

 

[Steven]

As for Centuri kits that I have presently they are : 1/45th scale Little Joe II, Saturn V, Saturn 1b, Screaming Eagle Starter set and that's all I could think of off the top of my head. All yet to be started. Paid a pretty penny for the Little Joe II.

 

[ballistic_trep]

I grew up in the country a few miles outside of a fairly bustling town and believe it or not....it had a great hobby shop. The hobby shop was located in the basement underneath a camera shop and it was fully stocked with RC models (mostly planes), plastic models and, of course, flying model rockets. But the only brand of rockets they carried was Centuri. Over the course of a few years (late '70's) I built quite a few Centuri rockets, most of which are long gone now. But just looking at Centuri rockets leaves me nostalgic and brings back many fond memories with friends and family.

 

[Forever_Metal]

That must have been a great experience. If I wanted to see something along the way while traveling on vacation I was always told No, we do'nt have time, or just get ignorred.

I had a little better luck!!

I MADE my Dad turn around (travelling at 55mph wasn't so bad for that) as we went past Estes back in '77, '78 I think; on our way to a family reunion. I just happened to look up and saw the Estes logo going by; think I levitated from the back seat (remember the burnt orange chevy v-8 family truckster?) to just behind my dad's head in the station wagon. After a short conversation and promises of no need of birthday or Christmas presents for the rest of my life, he reluctantly turned around. He was steamed for over a month because we were really late at that point. Though they didn't have a tour available (don't think they ever did...), the lady at the front desk let me walk around and look at all of the cases of rockets and photos on the wall (yes, I was there for an hour, think of being inside fort knox). I think she took pity on me as we were vacationing from Iowa, and i was slightly excited. That made my vacation though; I figure that's why I still recommend, build, and fly the Estes stuff (though it's hard to forgive them for stopping production on the interceptor series rockets!).

fm