Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!ncrlnk!ncrwic!encad!mjohnson
From: mjohnson@encad.Wichita.NCR.COM (Mark Johnson)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Re: Model Rocket Engines
Message-ID: <511@encad.Wichita.NCR.COM>
Date: 13 Jan 89 20:23:14 GMT
References: <6189@ecsvax.uncecs.edu>
Reply-To: mjohnson@encad.UUCP (Mark Johnson)
Distribution: sci
Organization: NCR Corporation, Wichita, Kansas
Lines: 29

In article <6189@ecsvax.uncecs.edu> cjl@ecsvax.uncecs.edu (Charles J. Lord) writes:
>All this talk re model rocketry has peaked an old interest in a
>long-ago hobby.  I have a number of old engines from the late
>60's to early 70's , all Estes A and B series.  Anyone got any
>idea how reliable these would still be?  They have been kept
>cool and dry for the time, so little to no breakdown of the
>propellant or recovery charge should have occurred.  I might
>get ol' Big Bertha out and find out myself...

They should (and I emphasize SHOULD) be OK to use...try one flight; if
it functions normally all of 'em are probably OK to use...I have seen 10-15
year old MR engines, similarly cared for, work without problems.

On the other hand, if the first test flight yields a blow-thru incident
(characterized by a sudden WHOOF which cleans the motor casing from end to end
at an altitude of 10-30 feet, and ejects the chute at such altitude), throw
all of them out (per instructions) and pick up some new A/B/C series motors,
which are still about $3-$3.50/3 pack.

In fact, (small :-) here) save those motors--I know some old-motor collectors
who just might be interested.

Sorry to prolong this, but there isn't a rec.rockets or rec.model.rockets
or anything like it yet (although some of us are working on it).
-- 
Mark Johnson (Mark.Johnson@Wichita.NCR.COM) WB9QLR/0 (Monon RR enthusiast)
NCR Engineering & Manufacturing-Wichita, KS  phone: (316)636-8189    
email:...!rutgers!hplabs!hp-sdd!ncr-sd!ncrwic!encad!mjohnson 
US snailnet: 3718 N. Rock Rd., Wichita, KS 67226