Centuri Aero-Dart and LIA-100: 'Birthday' Date
 

About a year and half ago, I was able to pick up a 1962 and 1963 Centuri catalog (which almost NEVER appear for sale) along with a 1963 Estes catalog and a couple other minor model rocket manufacturer's catalogs in one group.

The 1962 Centuri catalog is especially notable as it was their very first catalog. But what I noticed on page 18 of the catalog was of some additional interest. This page features the original three-finned Aero-Dart design and the LIA-100 heavy duty launcher (page scan below).

What is notable on that page is, in essence, a 'birthday' for each of these two items as the page is stamped by both items "AVAILABLE AFTER SEPT. 1, 1962".

Obviously, this catalog was released before that date, with anticipated availability of those two items by Sept 1. Assuming Centuri met that date, then maybe one can assume a 'birthdate' for each as 9-1-1962. That would make them 23 days younger than me.

Both items are still nice, functional designs which have held up well over the years. My 'design' though I don't think has held up as well! :o :chuckle: ;)

Earl

As a total aside, if you adjust the LIA-100 price for inflation, it would cost nearly $49 USD. Yes, I know that a CPI calculation would be a better representation of an equivalent cost but still interesting (at least to me).

I would gladly pay more than $49 for a clone LIA-100.

Knight sells the hardware kits including the patterns for the wood in the $30 range for the base model, tilting version is more - not sure if anyone is doing complete versions.

I thought there were a couple of guys making these for sale? It is easy enough to make the pieces.
_________________

We have been waiting for YEARS for the guy thst sold clone LIA-77 pads to supposedly supply us with the LIA-100.
STILL waiting.
Have no desire for an incomplete parts pack that requires me to source wood for legs, etc.
As long as it's under $100, I will buy a couple.

Now back to my regularly scheduled mid-day NAP.

Two weeks older than me. ;-)

More than 8 years older than me.

These images may be helpful . . .

Dave F.

Images 3 and 4 (on the dark blue blanket) are mine posted 5-6 years ago as I recall.

Well... a bit of searching and here is the thread from six years ago to the month about the LIA-100 and its larger deflector (larger than the one on the LIA-77).

Earlier thread link: https://forums.rocketshoppe.com/sho...ghlight=lia-100

Earl

A few more items . . .

Dave F.

No, Sandman does not.

Here's a link to a thread for a gentleman that was selling the LIA-77 and was working on producing the LIA-100.

https://www.oldrocketforum.com/showthread.php?t=17099

I cloned both of the early-model Aero Darts. The Semroc 1.5" id tube wasn't available at the time, so I used a mailing tube that was almost identical, and BMS custom parts.

The smaller, earlier one flies nicely on the Estes F15.

Nicely done!

Yes, these are nicely done. I recall them from earlier posts. I don’t recall right off hand: where did you source your template for the fins? I have some of this Semroc tube in my stash and might want to clone this original version.

Can you mention your fin template source and post your template file, by chance?

Earl

Knight Mfg. . . .

https://knight-mfg.com/launch_pad_kits

Also , "Ryder's Rockets" . . .

http://mitchell300.com/ryder-s-rockets.html

Dave F.

More images . . .

Dave F.

The PDF files should allow an accurate copy of the blast deflectors to be made.

Dave F.

I didn't know others had quit making these. Can't do much right now being 6 degrees outside. If anyone needs one, I can make most of the parts.

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Total guesswork, based on the pictures in the catalog.

I will someday remember to post scans of the fin templates I made for the 1962 and 1965 Aero-Dart. Simple parallelograms.

If I did these kits again, I would make the fins TTW.

I remember seeing a picture, likely posted here, of a early-60s science fair display that included a picture of the 1962 Aero-Dart. So the kit WAS released!

Earl

Stefan and I discussed his two models about ten years ago I too was interested in building these models.

See post #37 for Stefan’s dimensions and parts listing and also see post #41 includes a link to two RockSim files that I made using this information that you can use to print the fin templates with RockSim or OpenRocket.

https://www.oldrocketforum.com/show...92&page=1&pp=10

:D

Thanks Steve for the reference back to the old thread! Wow, it’s funny how the message exchanges start coming back to memory after reading a few. Hard to believe that has been just about right at a decade ago, too!

About a year ago I bought some of the various sizes of larger tubing that eRockets had (and in some cases, still has) on sale because it was being discontinued. The #150 tubing and some ancellary parts were a part of that order. So, I have a good number of items already on hand for the 1962 Aero-Dart.

Thanks again...and thanks Stefan for the long ago posts.

Earl

I remember sharing the fin templates, such that they are, but didn't remember that I shared them here!

You could make clones of the 1962 and 1965 Aero-Dart using BT-60, and not be too far off. A pointy cone would be nice; maybe there's one out there.

I need to decide whether to repair the 1965 version, which crashed a couple of summers ago. Hung parachute. It will be tricky to match the tube size. I'd have to get new mailing tube, make couplers, etc.

One of the worst discontinuations by the "new" Semroc is that of all the LT tubing and SLS parts.
Became a BAR due to Carl offering all those parts/kits.
Without that, I doubt I ever would have.
My first kits built coming back to the hobby were a SLS Scorpion and SLS Jaguar.

Yeah, gotta agree with you there. By the time I realized what I could build out of them, they were on the way out.