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Centuri Lil Herc Kit-Brief Lineage
In response to the topic in the "Ebay Deals" thread about the Centuri Lil Herc kit, here is a quick posting of some of the earlier kit images and kit face cards and instructions.
At a cost $.75 cents for a good portion of it's sales life, the Centuri Lil Herc was no doubt a popular beginner's kit. I zeroed in on it in my first Centuri catalog (1971) because it was the cheapest kit in the catalog. However, I did not get one at that time. Later, in the summer of 1976 I did get one (as a freebie kit), which was the second version, the "Lil Herc II", modified for full-length 18mm motors and fin tip weights after the shortie motors were discontinued beginning with the 1972 Centuri catalog. Below are some images and scans. First is a photo of the earliest Lil Herc I have, from 1967. This kit was part of a 'gift' set of kits from Lee Piester to then NAR President Ellsworth Beetch (I think I have that spelled right), which I acquired about 10 years ago from Mr. Beetch's son, along with a handful of other then popular Centuri kits that were given to Mr. Beetch. Next, is a color face card scan of the Lil Herc from 1969, showing the 'roll pattern' face card design that was so classic for Centuri face cards starting in about 1969 and ran through the early 70s for many Centuri face cards. Next, is a Little Herc II face card, this from either late 1971 or sometime in 1972, after the kit had been redesigned for the longer 18mm motors. This face card is very similar to the prior design, but it does designate that the kit has been redesigned for 18mm motors. This is the only face card version to my knowledge that used the "II" designation in the title. But, the instructions for the kit did for the duration of the kit life (see last item below). Next, is a Little Herc II face card, without the "II" on it, from 1973 onward. Finally, a set of instructions for the Little Herc II. Notice the first page lists the kit name simply as "Hercules II". This set of instructions, as far as I have been able to find, would be the version that was used for the duration of the kit until Centuri ceased operations in 1983. Earl
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Earl L. Cagle, Jr. NAR# 29523 TRA# 962 SAM# 73 Owner/Producer Point 39 Productions Rocket-Brained Since 1970 |
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