Discussion
Not sure if I've posted this before but for anyone wanting to live their schoolboy aeromodelling career... nine here that I built from gliders to control line:
https://www.vintagemodelcompany.com/kk-replicas
https://www.vintagemodelcompany.com/kk-replicas
I always keep an eye out for the KK Dolphin glider on ebay as I would love to build one again (I do have the plan downloaded). My brother and I used to be sent to my aunties in Lowestoft during the summer holidays and I remember one year buying the Dolphin kit from the local model shop and building it the garage. We only got around half way before my brother cut himself quite badly with a modelling knife so it never got finished. Happy memories though.
tim0409 said:
We only got around half way before my brother cut himself quite badly with a modelling knife so it never got finished. Happy memories though.
Reminds me of Clive James' comment on the carve from a solid block of balsa models of his youth "If you ended up with something that looked like an aircraft, you were an expert. If your fingers still resembled fingers, you were a genius."Yes, cutting a chunk of balsa across the grain with a modelling knife is when you discover it's a hardwood... then I used to make a hole in the back of the nose block and pour in molten lead for a built-in nose weight!
My favourite model was Caprice, an excellent towline glider with auto-rudder that circled the rugby pitch beautifully. It flew faster than I could run. But I probably said that before
My favourite model was Caprice, an excellent towline glider with auto-rudder that circled the rugby pitch beautifully. It flew faster than I could run. But I probably said that before
808 Estate said:
Can you still get the Jetex engines for the jet models?
That’s a blast from the past if you pardon the pun. I remember them being for sale many, many years ago when I worked in a RC model shop (I think they were reintroduced for a while). I never mounted them in a model but had fun playing around with them (I can still vividly remember the smell). From what I can see, the Vintage Model Co sold rocket motors for a while but it looks like they are now discontinued - https://www.vintagemodelcompany.com/tsp-l1-rocket-...
tim0409 said:
808 Estate said:
Can you still get the Jetex engines for the jet models?
That’s a blast from the past if you pardon the pun. I remember them being for sale many, many years ago when I worked in a RC model shop (I think they were reintroduced for a while). I never mounted them in a model but had fun playing around with them (I can still vividly remember the smell). From what I can see, the Vintage Model Co sold rocket motors for a while but it looks like they are now discontinued - https://www.vintagemodelcompany.com/tsp-l1-rocket-...
johnpsanderson said:
I’m not familiar with the Jetex motors but those look an awful lot like the Estes rocket motors I’ve bought in the last few years.
This is a Jetex: https://archivesite.jetex.org/motors/motors-50.htm...Discontinued in 1972.
Simpo Two said:
johnpsanderson said:
I’m not familiar with the Jetex motors but those look an awful lot like the Estes rocket motors I’ve bought in the last few years.
This is a Jetex: https://archivesite.jetex.org/motors/motors-50.htm...Discontinued in 1972.
tim0409 said:
I was convinced they were reintroduced in the late 80s or early 90s when I worked in a model shop but I have just searched and it was a copy called Jet-x.
How did that work? I remember seeing Jetex promoted and Dad built a swept-wing glider (Veron 'Verosonic' IIRC) that could be either Jetex propelled or bungy launched. Dad went for elastic option. 
I built a couple of Jetex powered models back in the late 60's. Not particularly successful, I have to admit.
Jetex were basically solid fuel rocket motors. Fuel tablet was placed inside the motor can and a small length of fuse coiled and kept on top of the fuel pellet by a piece of metal gauze. The nozzle was then clipped on, with the tail of the fuse poking trhough the exhaust hole allowing it to be lit when you were ready to launch.
A lot of the time the fuel pellet failed to ignite (not enough fuse coiled on top of the pellet?) or a lump of fuse would block or partially block the exhaust nozzle leading to a reduction or complete lack of thrust.
Happy days.
Jetex were basically solid fuel rocket motors. Fuel tablet was placed inside the motor can and a small length of fuse coiled and kept on top of the fuel pellet by a piece of metal gauze. The nozzle was then clipped on, with the tail of the fuse poking trhough the exhaust hole allowing it to be lit when you were ready to launch.
A lot of the time the fuel pellet failed to ignite (not enough fuse coiled on top of the pellet?) or a lump of fuse would block or partially block the exhaust nozzle leading to a reduction or complete lack of thrust.
Happy days.
Simpo Two said:
Yertis said:
How did that work?
I never used one but it looks very much like you put the solid fuel pellets in the tube, close it, add a fuse, light it and stand back for blast off...How about a Jetex helicopter -
https://youtu.be/0-XV30hkXEc?si=7IPjmxpDVakSxlNR
Edited by tim0409 on Tuesday 22 April 18:40
Gassing Station | Scale Models | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff