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  #1  
Old 01-16-2013, 11:36 AM
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Default Orion and Athena Nose Cones

Carl,

It may have been discussed before. I was trying to figure out how far down to go with the red trim on my Orion nose cone and realized that the cone from your kit is much more pointy than the nose cone I used to make my Athena clone and the one Kody used on his scratch Orion. IIRC, the Athena and Orion used the same shape. I have two Orion kits so the shape isn't a fluke. Was this done on purpose for trademark reasons?
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Old 01-16-2013, 12:06 PM
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The nose cone shape we use on the Orion is based on the early production nose cones that used a balsa tip (BC-1315 is our number) and then a paper shroud. We combined the two into the BC-2031. You can see the discontinuity about 1.5" from the top since the balsa slope and the paper section were at two different angles.

The later Centuri PNC-231 replaced the balsa-paper cone. It was then used on several other designs. I understand the basla-paper cone was only on a limited run of kits until the plastic arrived. Dr. Bob Craddock at the Smithsonian let me borrow his opened early production run kit to reproduce the parts.

Bob told me that Larry Brown designed the Orion based on one his father's early sci-fi designs from the 1950's. I though I had relayed that story when we released the kit, but I did not see it anywhere. Larry's dad must have had some talents that he passed on to his son.
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Old 01-16-2013, 12:13 PM
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Thanks for the info. I knew you would have a good reason for the shape!

I knew about the early shroud cones, but I just figured they had the same profile as the later plastic ones.

I'll go ahead and finish this one, but I may end up grabbing another cone with the other profile because the Orion will be hanging beside the Athena.
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Old 01-16-2013, 12:52 PM
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The 1972 Enerjet Aero Dart used the same molded plastic cone as the Enerjet Athena and later Orion used. Not sure any other kits used that ST-20 size cone. I use the Semroc Balsa version on both my Enerjet Aero Dart clones. My built Athena uses the Moldin' Oldies cone with the panel lines for 'accuracy' to original. My unbuilt Athena SLS 'kit' from a certain special individual that I got years back has the balsa cone.
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Old 01-16-2013, 06:57 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ghrocketman
The 1972 Enerjet Aero Dart used the same molded plastic cone as the Enerjet Athena and later Orion used. Not sure any other kits used that ST-20 size cone. I use the Semroc Balsa version on both my Enerjet Aero Dart clones. My built Athena uses the Moldin' Oldies cone with the panel lines for 'accuracy' to original. My unbuilt Athena SLS 'kit' from a certain special individual that I got years back has the balsa cone.


Actually, the plastic version of the cone was first used in the Orion kit in 1970 before the Enerjet kits were even out. As Carl noted the original Orion used the two part balsa and paper shroud nosecone along with balsa pod cones.

By sometime in latter '70 and probably no later than early '71 the balsa cones were replaced with plastic.

In early '72 the new Enerjet models were released with the two you mention using the same plastic cone that had been developed originally for the Orion.

I've long been on a lookout for a copy of the original Orion instructions, but have never come across a copy.

Carl, by any chance did you copy those instructions from Craddock's kit when you had it?


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Old 01-16-2013, 07:06 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Earl
I've long been on a lookout for a copy of the original Orion instructions, but have never come across a copy.

Carl, by any chance did you copy those instructions from Craddock's kit when you had it?


Earl

I thought I saw it them posted here once when we were talking about the nose cone. Maybe I just dreamed it.
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