While I was looking for my missing Estes Payloader today, I came across a couple of other kits that I'd either forgotten I'd bought or just misplaced. The one I forgot I bought was a Pitsco kit. As I remember it, I paid less than a dollar for this, and when it arrived I felt like I'd gotten ripped off. It was missing the instructions and parachute, it had a nose cone that didn't fit into the clear payload section that appeared to serve as a body tube, and it had an A8-3 engine, plug and igniter included. Also included was an engine tube, two hefty centering rings, an engine hook, and a bunch of rolled up blue paper. Thinking that the blue paper was the instructions, I unrolled it and found that it was blank. To top it all off, it had cardboard fin stock, but no fin pattern. To say that I was confused would be putting it lightly, and I envisioned parting the pieces out for use in other projects, then forgot they existed.
Well, after finding the box tonight, I got reinterested and started searching the internet for an instruction sheet. Nada. I was about to once again give up and start parting out when I found a "How To Build A Rocket" video from YouTube. HA! This was it! And BOY, it wasn't at all what I was expecting. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMpprXaRcEw
Nope, not at all what I was expecting, but I wish I'd thought of this in 1977. Has anyone actually built and flown one of these. Gotta admit, I'm intrigued. It's not likely to be pretty, but as a DIY project goes, I'm looking forward to starting on it tomorrow.

__________________
Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Centuri Design Contest F-150 Hurricane Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion Estes F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II Semroc Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark, Groonie Der V 1/2

I always wondered about the Pitsco rockets. I knew tube-making was involved, but that was it.

Was the blue paper adhesive?

__________________
NAR #27085 - Oregon Rocketry - SAM

It didn't really strike me as adhesive backing, but I'm guessing it was. I was looking for printing, not glue. I'll know more in the morning. I just got back from the Rocket Reviews site and adding it to my "fleet". I found a couple of threads here and at TRF concerning these kits and named the rocket the Pitsco Hazard after one of Fred's comments.

__________________
Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Centuri Design Contest F-150 Hurricane Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion Estes F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II Semroc Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark, Groonie Der V 1/2

I got stuck with 10 of them a few years back on EBAY.
I bought them for the parts but as it turns out, the body tube is just a hair bigger diameter than a BT-50. Maybe a BT-52?
These kits didn't have the roll it yourself tubing.
Mine came with a small piece of yellow Quest style wadding, not enough to protect the ugly parachute.

The Pitsco rocket blog post is here:
http://modelrocketbuilding.blogspot...m-ebay-lot.html

Attached Thumbnails

 

__________________
Hans "Chris" Michielssen
Old/New NAR # 19086 SR

www.oddlrockets.com
www.modelrocketbuilding.blogspot.com
http://www.nar.org/educational-reso...ing-techniques/
Your results may vary
"Nose cones roll, be careful with that."
Every spaceman needs a ray gun.
Look out - I'm the Meister Shyster!

Yours was the first bit of info that I found online. When you mentioned that they also had a roll your own tube version with gummed tape, I should have realized what I was dealing with, but I'm a little slower on the uptake than most.
Did you ever fly your version? I'd be interested in hearing how it flew. I'm going to track one down to fly alongside the Hazard. Just 'cause.

__________________
Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Centuri Design Contest F-150 Hurricane Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion Estes F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II Semroc Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark, Groonie Der V 1/2

I built one last year. 'Roll your own' version. I had never seen a kit before where you had to make the tube, so I just had to give it a try. I made a few mods to mine...........I'll post photos later today.

Joe

This is my Pitsco Special. Hand-rolled tube. You can see the clear tube that is used as a mandrel. It's a sturdy rocket and very stable..........has to be since I gave it the distinction of being my go-to launch system for my homemade shuttle. First launch was a spectacular failure. Back to the drawing board, and I added nose weight plus some weight in the form of pennies offset from the long axis to counteract the effect that the shuttle has in moving the CG off-center. Shuttle flaps are held down on boost by two pieces of dowel glued to the fins. Parachute deployment launches the shuttle via a loop attached to the nose cone. Since the initial disaster, this little combo has flown like a dream.........

Joe

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I never built any of mine.
I was so disappointed with the fit of the centering rings (way too loose) and the short engine mount tube I just set them aside.
More complaints:
The shock cord is too thin and probably wouldn't last a single flight.
The screw eye is very small and impossible to install in the nose cone unless you used needle nosed pliers.
That and an ugly six sided red and yellow parachute. They supplied only five reinforcement rings - Brilliant!

__________________
Hans "Chris" Michielssen
Old/New NAR # 19086 SR

www.oddlrockets.com
www.modelrocketbuilding.blogspot.com
http://www.nar.org/educational-reso...ing-techniques/
Your results may vary
"Nose cones roll, be careful with that."
Every spaceman needs a ray gun.
Look out - I'm the Meister Shyster!

Yes, the Pitsco rockets are crap.

I drove to San Diego and bought 400 of them for our club through an online school surplus auction site.

The version I got is the one with an actual body tube. I have also seen the 'roo your own' tube version at the Columbia Science Center and was even more dissapointed in it (and in the competecny of the science center staff for selecting such a POS).

The one's I got had no instructions and did have the Estes A8-3 motor attached in a tiny bag. I figured out what needed to be done to make them work and our club president whipped up excellent written isntructions for them. We replaced the shock cord and provided a normal shock cord anchor (any style of "normal" will work). Also, you do need to use needle nose plyers to install the tiny screw eye. AND you have to wrap the outside of the centering rings with paper to get them to fit properly.

See the attached instructions. We named it in a club committee meeting at Jack-In-The-Box based upon the Big Bertha-ish fin profile.

Attached Files

Big_Bonnie_instruc_sheets_rev3a.doc (163.0 KB, 43 views)

__________________
-Fred Shecter NAR 20117 (L2)
Southern California Rocket Association, NAR Section 430

Thanks, Fred. That helps a lot.

__________________
Bill Eichelberger
NAR 79563

http://wallyum.blogspot.com/

I miss being SAM 0058

Build floor: Centuri Design Contest F-150 Hurricane Estes - Low Boom SST Semroc - Marauder, Shrike, SST Shuttle

In paint: Canaroc Starfighter Scorpion Estes F-22 Air Superiority Fighter, Multi-Roc, Solar Sailer II Semroc Cyber III

Ready to fly: Estes - Solar Sailer II Semroc - Earmark, Groonie Der V 1/2