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#1
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Semroc’s first kit releases when Carl relaunched in 2003
When Launch Lab Rocketry had thier black Friday sale I noticed a Semroc kit Lil Hercules that seemed unusual. The blue in the hang tag was very dark, the font of the address was small and rounded, and the numbered kit badge was printed in greyscale on a label that included the edges of other labels from the sheet. I also noticed two other kits the Micron and Triton that were already sold that were similar. The kits were low numbers, the Micron was 0013 and the Lil’ Herc was 0016. The tag for the Triton is tucked under the fins so the number could not be seen. I got to thinking those numbers might be low enough to be in the original run of kits sold at NARAM several months before being offered to the general public, so I ordered the Lil’ Hercules and waited. The kit came the other day and is in great shape. The Face Card appears to cardstock and there are a lot of pages for a kit with a few parts. I gently lifted the edges of the instructions through the bag to try to glimpse the instructions date Carl added to most instructions and was rewarded with a date of July 29,2003, a couple of days before NARAM, where the initial run of kits was sold. Carl officially started taking orders in October 2003 and the published instructions of the initial four kits have an October date, so this find confirms these early instructions are dated and there may be other differences between the July/August and October kits. Below are screen shots of all three kits, it is nice to finally see these early kits.
Editing to add that a Sky Hook, the fourth and final Semroc NARAM release was found, again at Launch Lab and I was fortunate to see it when it came up, and bought it. The Sky Hook is #27, and the instructions are dated July 2003, the same as the others. Images of the complete run of first releases is below. Last edited by 5x7 : 12-26-2022 at 10:31 AM. |
#2
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Thanks for pointing it out, I replaced the duplicate and it is picture number 2 now.
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#3
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Nice find, it deserves a place of honor for display.
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Paul If we weren't all crazy, we would go insane - Jimmy Buffett NAR #87246 www.wooshrocketry.org |
#4
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I plan to do that, I have been searching for information about these NARAM kits for years. I would still like to find a numbered Sky Hook (any number) if anyone has one. |
#5
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5x7, thank you for the very informative post. I'll be honest; I had no idea when I bought these that they had historical significance. I bought these two kits fairly recently; I got back into the hobby after a 3 decade hiatus this summer. The kit you refer to as a "Swift" is actually a Micron. It is indeed #13. The Triton is #22. Both are dated July 29, 2003, just like your Lil Hercules. I did think it strange that this Micron had a different nose cone than the later ones that you can find instructions online for. I guess it was an early version of the kit. Later Semroc Microns have a nose cone that more accurately matches the Centuri original. I've attached photos to confirm the kit numbers. |
#6
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Thank you!! I fixed the original post. It is so nice these went to a good home, but let me know if you want to sell or sell plus trade for more recent kits.
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#7
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I have a Sky Hook, (oddly enough, one that I haven't treed.) I'll be downstairs tomorrow looking for a Screaming Mimi decal that I promised someone, so I'll keep an eye peeled for that one as well. Very low number, as I recall.
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Bill Eichelberger NAR 79563 http://wallyum.blogspot.com/ I miss being SAM 0058 Build floor: Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion Centuri Mini Dactyl Estes F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II, Xarconian Cruiser Semroc Cyber III Ready to fly: Estes - Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark |
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Please do, thanks!!
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#9
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That didn't work as expected. Apparently I don't have a Sky Hook, but I do have both opened and unopened cc: Space Plane kits. I knew I had one that was open. I had no idea that I bought another one as a "collector". The unopened one is kit #21, so I'm guessing the builder is #22.
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Bill Eichelberger NAR 79563 http://wallyum.blogspot.com/ I miss being SAM 0058 Build floor: Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion Centuri Mini Dactyl Estes F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II, Xarconian Cruiser Semroc Cyber III Ready to fly: Estes - Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark |
#10
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Thanks for looking!
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