What happened to AmRocs? Anybody know?

[CarlosMc]

Way back in the 60's, I got my hands on an AmRocs catalog. Soon after I ordered the Omega 123, a three stage rocket, unlike other three stage rockets of that era, because the fins of all the stages lined up. I didn't know the secret to line up and glue the fins perfectly in line but I came close enough.

Years later I became a BAR and my rebirth had me scratch build models inspired by television shows of my youth, Space Ranger, and one that I missed, Fireball XL-5. After building and launching my version of the Orbit Jet, and the afore mentioned Firball, I chose a less challenging model, the Omega 123. I still have trouble lining up the fins and gluing them one behind the other. I have built 3 versions of Omega, none of which were exactly like the original of my youth. And none have yet perfectly aligned fins.

The original Omega123 was a BT-20 about 18" tall. My 2014 version was about the same hgt. but fatter using a BT-50, because my older fatter fingers can't seem to manage parachutes in BT-20 tubes. The original had a hardwood nose cone, mine was balsa, that I turned myself. I immediately followed that with a near exact copy of that one but with a plastic nose one I borrowed from a Quest Viper. I lost it on its maiden flight.

It was about that time I discovered E motors. I made another replica of my 2014 model but made to accommodate E motors. The only change was lengthening the booster tube and expanding the fin width and length. In the process of building this E version, I cannibalized the third stage fins, as it had been lost for several days, and it had rained, and removing the engine proved much to stressful on the body tube.

The reason I tell you all this is because I really like that particular model and want to know what became of AmRocs? I had an accelerometer from them that I think I launched once as a kid with inconclusive results. I just finished a replica of that too, waiting to fly it. My iPhone is far superior an instrument, but: a), it won't fit in the Omega b), though it is more informative, I can't bring myself to risking it while my launch and successful recovery ratio is at about 50-50.

So, whatever became of AmRocs?

[samb]

Wow that's some model rocket history trivia. I have no earthly idea what became of AMROCS but that accelerometer doc has been preserved here:


http://www.oldrocketplans.com/publications.htm

http://plans.rocketshoppe.com/pubs/Amrocs/Amrocs_Accelerometer.pdf




And ninfinger has a 1967 AMROCS catalog here:

http://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/catalogs/amrocs67/67amrocscat.html

Hope that helps.

[jdbectec]

Amrocs was bought out by Space Age Industries, around1968-1969. They continued the kit line until they folded in 1971-1972. Their catalog is also on ninfinger.

[Jerry Irvine]

Claremont Rocket Society was a SAI dealer! We never saw Amrocs.

[jdbectec]

Claremont Rocket Society was a SAI dealer! We never saw Amrocs.


Jerry, if you check out the Amrocs catalog on the Ninfinger site you may recognise some of the kits.

[Jerry Irvine]

Some of those designs made it thru to SAI and MPC. Never saw that catalog till now.

We used the "Moon Go" at all public rocket demos because it was a promotional product with better availability, deeper discounts and freebies for demos. Estes also was heavy on promo models for demos and when Shecter moved to CA he and I went around and did Estes demos at all available retailers in socal. That was in the 64 Olds "rocket" of course.

[CarlosMc]

to an uninitiated like me, what does SAI and MPC stand for?

I've done searches on the web but I haven't concluded exactly what they mean. What did they do and how is it relevant?

BTW, I really like some of the U.S. Rocket models. The Sentra intrigues me.

[tbzep]

to an uninitiated like me, what does SAI and MPC stand for?

I've done searches on the web but I haven't concluded exactly what they mean. What did they do and how is it relevant?

BTW, I really like some of the U.S. Rocket models. The Sentra intrigues me.

SAI - Space Age Industries

http://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/catalogs/spaceage/saicat.html

MPC - Model Products Corporation, famous for plastic models more than rockets

http://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/catalogs/MPCInsert/MPCInsert.html

[Woody's Workshop]

I looked at the catalog from "67"
The Omega, at first glance looked like a 3 stagger.
Then I see it's a single stage
That one would be nifty to clone the build as a 3 stager.
It would be nice to get a scan of the instructions, if such a thing still exists some where.

[mojo1986]

I looked at the catalog from "67"
The Omega, at first glance looked like a 3 stagger.
Then I see it's a single stage
That one would be nifty to clone the build as a 3 stager.
It would be nice to get a scan of the instructions, if such a thing still exists some where.


No, the Omega by SAI was a three-stage rocket.

[Jerry Irvine]

Interestingly the MPC line was a General Mills product line! Mass market effort extreme.

[CarlosMc]

The Omega is indeed a three stage rocket. The boosters were sold separately. One paid something like $2.00 for the sustainer, and the boosters were $0.50 a piece. That is a detail I had forgotten until I looked at the catalog recently. I have a copy of the catalog page, somewhere, I just can't locate it at the moment.

[LeeR]

I've been on the ninfinger site lots of times to browse catalogs, but never noticed the AmRocs catalog.

The Omega is a neat design. I can understand the fascination. It reminds me of a stager a childhood friend built. It was Estes Design of the Month, #27, from 1964 -- the Deacon. His model was the first I'd ever seen with fully filled balsa parts showing no grain. Inspired me to do better finishes.

[JohnNGA]

Deacon, that's a cool design, time to order some parts from Semroc...erockets.

[mojo1986]

Deacon, that's a cool design, time to order some parts from Semroc...erockets.


The plan is in Estes Model Rocket News Vol 4 No 3 November 1964. Complete with a parts list and full size patterns.

Also here on the JimZ site, although the patterns may have to be scaled to get the right size


http://www.spacemodeling.org/jimz/eirp_27.htm


The root edge of the booster fin should be 2 3/4". The root edge of the upper stage fin 5.0".

Joe

[JohnNGA]

The plan is in Estes Model Rocket News Vol 4 No 3 November 1964. Complete with a parts list and full size patterns.

Also here on the JimZ site, although the patterns may have to be scaled to get the right size


http://www.spacemodeling.org/jimz/eirp_27.htm


The root edge of the booster fin should be 2 3/4". The root edge of the upper stage fin 5.0".

Joe

Joe..thanks for the info.

John

[samb]

Here is the MRN issue with the Deacon fin templates that Joe mentioned. These old stagers are cool.

http://www.oldrocketplans.com/mrn/mrn_v4_n3/MRN_V4_N3.pdf

[ghrocketman]

Another MRN three-stager that was really cool was the 3-stage Ring Rocket. One I have always wanted to build, but never got around to.

[mojo1986]

Another MRN three-stager that was really cool was the 3-stage Ring Rocket. One I have always wanted to build, but never got around to.


GH, do you know which MRN issue had that plan? I don't recall that one, but I'd like to see it.


Joe

[LeeR]

GH, do you know which MRN issue had that plan? I don't recall that one, but I'd like to see it.


Joe

Estes Design of the Month, #976 on JimZ site.

[mojo1986]

Thanks, Lee! Cool design!


Joe

[LeeR]

Joe,

No problem! I received the MRNs as a kid, and always enjoyed seeing what designs were included in each issue. Later issues dropped designs (most of the time, as I recall) which I thought was a big mistake. I built a few of them, but the designs also inspired me to scratch-build. I also remember getting printed copies of a number of the Designs of the Month. I seem to remember Estes including them in the shipments.

One of my favorites was the Augie II.


http://www.spacemodeling.org/jimz/eirp_28.htm

I've got plans to build a bigger version with Estes 29mm BP motors. Probably with the E16s to start. That thing would go pretty high!

[Woody's Workshop]

Thanks for that link Lee, I think I'm going to print that out and see if I can make one like that.
If I'm looking at it right, that's an uncommon design and ought to be quite the challenge.

[mwtoelle]

Personally, I believe there was more creativity in those MRN Plans than there was in the main Estes kit line. Only a few of those designs were converted into kits: Big Bertha, Sky Hook, Cobra (K-10), and Mars Snooper, IIRC. There may have been one or two others, I don't remember them at this time.

[ghrocketman]

I always hoped they would kit the 3-stage ring-rocket, but no dice.

[Royatl]

I still have body tubes for an SAI Hen Grenade (what happened to the rest of the kit, I have no idea).

[Gus]

I still have body tubes for an SAI Hen Grenade (what happened to the rest of the kit, I have no idea).
Roy,

Gordy made up a kit for me! I love this design.

[Dewalt]

Gus - I really like that one !

[Jerry Irvine]

I always hoped they would kit the 3-stage ring-rocket, but no dice.Don't hold your breath. I studied it and it is practical right now in 2.25"/6".