Info on the 1970 Centuri Payloader/Payloader II (KC-20) kit.

[K'Tesh]

[FONT=&quot]Helping someone research a kit. We're looking for info on the 1970 Centuri Payloader (KC-20) kit. The kit may also be known as the Centuri Payloader II (KC-20). I've found instructions on plans.rocketshoppe.com dated 1969, and 1973. The 1969 instructions have two small centering rings (probably about .25" thick), and the 1973 instructions have one large (?.75"?) centering ring. I'd like to know if anyone has instructions dated 1970, build one in 1970, or has one to guide me on this.

The decals I've seen only say Payloader, but the instructions say Payloader II, and the 1969 and Christmas 1970 catalogs also say Payloader II (KC-20).

I could also use some help with the decals. I need to know the height of the wrap. I have my suspicions, but printing .pdf files here in China has proven to me is that .pdf files do not print at 100% here. The scan of the fins from plans.rocketshoppe.com has a ruler, so that will work for them.[/FONT]

 

[K'Tesh]

Bump

 

[new2hpr]

I've got a Centuri Payloader II that I built back in '78 or so. I can get you dimensions on the roll pattern, but not likely any on the engine mount rings (unless I can see some swelling from the glue?).
-Ken

 

[K'Tesh]

Hi new2...

I'll take the info on the roll pattern. I really just need the height of it. With that I can scale the images I have.

Thanks!
Jim

 

[Buzzard]

I do not have nor built the kit. I was a Centuri fan from the start. They did offer a Series 10 motor mount consisting of a tube coupler and two centering rings. Perhaps these were included in the later year kits with a printed addendum to assemble the motor mount. Just a thought.

Charles

 

[K'Tesh]

I do not have nor built the kit. I was a Centuri fan from the start. They did offer a Series 10 motor mount consisting of a tube coupler and two centering rings. Perhaps these were included in the later year kits with a printed addendum to assemble the motor mount. Just a thought.

Charles

In the 1969 instructions, the motor mount has two centering rings, and in the 1973 instructions, it's one centering ring, but it's much longer than its predecessor.

 

[new2hpr]

The roll pattern is 1.87" tall. I didn't measure the height or width of each bar section, as you said you could scale it. Age ha certainly taken its toll on the original decals. You can see that 70's or 80's me went a bit nuts with the extra decals after the original build! Aside from some minor damage to the top of the tube from the shock cord (and the shock cord rotted away), it could fly tomorrow.
-Ken

 

[K'Tesh]

The roll pattern is 1.87" tall. I didn't measure the height or width of each bar section, as you said you could scale it. Age ha certainly taken its toll on the original decals. You can see that 70's or 80's me went a bit nuts with the extra decals after the original build! Aside from some minor damage to the top of the tube from the shock cord (and the shock cord rotted away), it could fly tomorrow.
-Ken

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Thanks Ken!

Could you measure the launch lug for me? I can't find that info on the web. Oh, and how long is the balsa coupler?



Pointy Side Up!
Jim

 

[new2hpr]

I can definitely get the lug. The balsa coupler will be a little tricky, but I think I can measure it close enough. It's glued into the clear payload section, plus it has a foam pad glued to it (safer for bugs!).
Do you need the location of the lug as well?
-Ken

 

[new2hpr]

Lug is 2.25"
coupler is 1 3/8"

 

[K'Tesh]

I can definitely get the lug. The balsa coupler will be a little tricky, but I think I can measure it close enough. It's glued into the clear payload section, plus it has a foam pad glued to it (safer for bugs!).
Do you need the location of the lug as well?
-Ken

Thanks for the info! The LL in the 1969 instructions wasn't specified. However, it looks like the back end of it was at the top edge of the fins, or just a tad back from it. Also the 1969 fins were printed on the balsa and left for the end user to cut out, which could lead to variations in the dimensions. I went with what was posted on plans.rocketshoppe.com's page.

In my research, I saw some chatter about how the payload section's length changed over the years, and from the images on the 1969 instructions, I suspect that the balsa bulkhead also changed length. To me, it looks like it's only 1" (this is not a criticism of the measurement given, again, things apparently changed with the kit over time) . The instructions clearly show it that it was only 1/2" that was exposed (to go into the cardboard body tube).

 

[new2hpr]

I'm also guessing that mine has the one larger motor mount centering ring. It is 1.15" from the end of the airframe up to the bottom of the centering ring. That's a long way up there for a "normal" 2-ring mount. For parts measurement, I know mine is unaltered from the original build, so those dims should be accurate. As far as the build, I was only in ~6th grade at the time, so take that into account.
-Ken