08-14-2015, 05:13 PM
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Flying since 1977
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Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Middle TN
Posts: 455
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LeeR
Thanks for the confirmation on the date code question I posed. Here is the information I found in the rec.models.rockets FAQ on older date codes:
5.12 How can I tell the age of my Estes motors?
Estes uses a date code on their rocket motors. It's of the form XXYZZ
(example, 25T9) where the first number is the day of the month of
manufacture, the letter is a code indicating year of manufacture, and the
last number is the month (1 = January, 12 = December). Date codes
run progressively through the alphabet, as follows:
T 1989
U 1990
V 1991
W 1992
X 1993
Y 1994
Z 1995
A 1996 - Estes cycled back to the beginning of the alphabet
In the early 70's, Estes motors had the actual date stamped on them.
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The earilest Estes/Centuri motors with that style of date code that I have seen were some B6-6s with the code 11 G 7 or 11 Jul 76. I have also seen some motors of 1976 vintage with the the actual date printed them. YMMV. Please note that Centuri's 18/13/24mm motors were made in Penrose from 1961 to late 1970, and then from 1975 to 1983.
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'Til next time,
Mike Toelle
NAR 31692 L1
SAM 0373
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