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  #1  
Old 10-21-2010, 05:50 PM
K38 K38 is offline
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Default Help me find my first rocket!

I would like to find my very first rocket kit. I know that it was not Estes or Centuri I know the name of it was Zeus. It was a streamer recovery model. I lost it on the first flight. It may have been MPC, but I don't think so. I think it was around 1969 or so when I got it. Any help would be wonderful.

Thanks,

Dwight
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  #2  
Old 10-21-2010, 05:58 PM
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blackshire blackshire is offline
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Cox made a plastic Ready-To-Fly Nike-Zeus, but (although I never had one) I think it used parachute recovery, and it was a two-stage model.
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  #3  
Old 10-21-2010, 06:06 PM
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A model rocket kit called Zeus was made by MRI (Model Rocket Industries) between 1968 and 1970 (see: http://www.semroc.com/Store/scripts...arts.asp?ID=822 and http://www.semroc.com/Store/scripts/ClassicKits.asp ). Here is its citation in the 1969 MRI catalog: http://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/ca...i69/69mri0.html .


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Old 10-21-2010, 06:36 PM
stefanj stefanj is offline
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I had a Zeus. AVI sold a lot of MRI stock in the mid to late 70s, and even put together recreation kits with photocopied instruction sheets. The Zeus I bought might have been one of those.

It wouldn't be hard to recreate the model.

I had a Flare and a Lepus too.
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  #5  
Old 10-21-2010, 06:42 PM
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I would guess at nine inches long it would have been a T-20 tube and a conic 620C nosecone. Not sure if you could find the original metric tubes, or if you want to go on a hunt, but the BT-30 is about 18.5mm in diameter and a BT-40 is about 22mm. As for the nosecone - you may have to hunt that one. Once you have decided upon an approximation of the tube size, then you can search for your cone. If you go with a slightly larger tube size then your options for a conic nose cone will increase. Of course, there are any number of very nice people that will custom turn a cone for you.
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  #6  
Old 10-21-2010, 08:20 PM
K38 K38 is offline
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The MRI Zeus is the one!! Thanks guys! I'm going to take my grandson out flying rockets this weekend. Third generation of rocket madness. I have my 1979 Estes Sprint repainted and ready to go.

Thanks a Bunch!

Dwight
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  #7  
Old 10-21-2010, 08:41 PM
jbuscaglia jbuscaglia is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jharding58
I would guess at nine inches long it would have been a T-20 tube and a conic 620C nosecone. Not sure if you could find the original metric tubes, or if you want to go on a hunt, but the BT-30 is about 18.5mm in diameter and a BT-40 is about 22mm. As for the nosecone - you may have to hunt that one. Once you have decided upon an approximation of the tube size, then you can search for your cone. If you go with a slightly larger tube size then your options for a conic nose cone will increase. Of course, there are any number of very nice people that will custom turn a cone for you.


Quest T-20 is basically the same tube. BMS also sells that tube size (T20Q).

Looks like Semroc has a reproduction of that nose cone available - BC-T2032C.
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Old 10-22-2010, 01:41 AM
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It also looks like the Quest Zenith II two-stage rocket (which was an MPC kit and may also have been an AVI kit) might have first been an MRI kit. Their Zenith Two kit (see: http://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/ca...i69/69mri0.html ) looks just like the MPC/Quest Zenith II.
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Black Shire--Draft horse in human form, model rocketeer, occasional mystic, and writer, see:
http://www.lulu.com/content/paperba...an-form/8075185
http://www.lulu.com/product/cd/what...of-2%29/6122050
http://www.lulu.com/product/cd/what...of-2%29/6126511
All of my book proceeds go to the Northcote Heavy Horse Centre www.northcotehorses.com.
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  #9  
Old 10-22-2010, 02:38 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jbuscaglia
Quest T-20 is basically the same tube. BMS also sells that tube size (T20Q).

Looks like Semroc has a reproduction of that nose cone available - BC-T2032C.


Yes indeed it is, calls out the MRI 620C in the description. That and a 6" section of tube is a winner! Plus the Quest engine mount (00410). Now, just need to find the fin template...
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  #10  
Old 10-21-2010, 06:06 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by K38
I would like to find my very first rocket kit. I know that it was not Estes or Centuri I know the name of it was Zeus. It was a streamer recovery model. I lost it on the first flight. It may have been MPC, but I don't think so. I think it was around 1969 or so when I got it. Any help would be wonderful.

Thanks,

Dwight


MRI Zeus. Located here: http://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/ca...i69/69mri0.html
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