Jetex.org: Latest updates


	Latest updates to Jetex.org

	31 Dec 2007	The Jetex.org Forum is fully back in operation, with all messages and topics preserved. It's now on an upgraded and more secure platform, ready for a new year of discussion.

	25 Dec 2007	We end the year with a flourish — Roger Simmonds resumes his popular Smoke Trails series with Issue 13, We publish the first part now (Czech rarities, Boys in France, RTP Vampire) and the second in the new year.

	31 May 2007	The dual-powered Ray Fireball features in Roger Simmonds’ Smoke Trails 12, along with discussions of dihedral (tricky), the new Jet-X fuel (promising) and some French discoveries (merveilleux) – all both in text and pictures.

	28 April 2007	Ray Models’ innovative designs for CO2 power, and modern Rapier conversions, feature in Roger Simmonds’ Smoke Trails 11, along with a tribute to the late UK stalwart Funf, and the fate of the fabled Jetex Trophy.

	3 April 2007	We have a superbly detailed full-size plan of Howard Metcalfe’s profile model of the BAE Hawk for Rapier L-1, with all markings and insignia in full colour for affixing to your model.

	28 Mar 2007	This odd vintage motor features in Roger Simmonds’ Smoke Trails 10, along with a miscellany of models, ranging from a 1928 Rocket Racer to recent Rapier powered Thunderstreaks and Thunderflashes.

	28 Feb 2007	Roger Simmonds’ offers wide-ranging inspiration for the scale modeller in Smoke Trails 9 – from the Ryan Vertijet to “the largest Jetex scale model marketed”.

	31 Jan 2007	We get our 2007 website updates off to a flying start with Roger Simmonds’ first Smoke Trails of the new year. Roger flies a Panther in New Zealand and tells us of other Panthers, Scorpions, space ships and his hopes for new motors for them all.

	26 Dec 2006	In his final Smoke Trails of 2006, Roger Simmonds tells of triumphs and tribulations of the British and colonial year, considers Cougars, and reviews rocket craft of the past.

	9 Nov 2006	We’ve filled in a glaring omission in our Jetex Motor pages, with an illustrated account of the Jetex 50R aka 50HT, the highest-powered Jetex motor, produced to enable rocket models to achieve vertical ascent.

	15 Oct 2006	We now have Bill Deans’ complete illustrated building and flying instructions for his Jetex 50-powered all-sheet profile F-4D Skyray. Ultra-stable and just 2-3 hours building time!

	28 Sep 2006	We’ve filled the final gap in our online versions of Roger Simmonds’ (Jet)X Files with his July 2003 issue. Inter alia, Roger tells us of the toil and tribulation - and ultimate triumph - of developing his own Rapier powered Leduc 021.

	14 Sep 2006	We’ve added to the random selection of illustrations on our homepage a collage of static and flying shots of Richard Crossley’s fine scale models of the Bell X-1 series. You’ll need to keep refreshing the page to see it.

	27 Aug 2006	We’ve enhanced the site with a host of fine new photos, sent us by David Ranford. You’ll find details of what they are, and where you can see them, in Reply #52 in the Website Updates thread in our Discussion Forum.

	15 Aug 2006	We’ve added to the random selection of illustrations on our homepage a couple of splendid action shots of Rapier-powered models, seen at the Flying Aces Nationals held in Geneseo, NY, last month. You’ll need to keep refreshing the page to see both of them.

	28 Jul 2006	Issue 6 of Roger Simmonds’ Smoke Trails takes us from the beginnings of Jetex power, with a first-hand account of its development by Dr Alex Hutchison, to the latest and greatest UK outing of Jetex and Rapier models at Old Warden this May.

	21 Jul 2006	We’ve updated our coverage of the wee Atom 35, thanks to recent contributions from Andy Blackwell and David Ranford – new photos, new information.

	28 Jun 2006	Duration models again find favour in Roger Simmonds’ Smoke Trails for June – with famed Dick Twomey’s latest (left), Laurence Marks’ Phoenix and a vintage French Planojet. And there’s more on deltas and Hollows.

	19 May 2006	Pierre Claudy has sent us the full original building and flying instructions for the Super Mystère for Jetex 50 and Aquilon for Jetex 100. We’ve translated them, to help you in recreating these unique models.

	5 June 2006	Dr Lippisch, doyen of deltas, gives evidence in Roger Simmonds’ Jet(X) Files for June 2003 on the suitability of this planform for micro rocket power. Roger presents further evidence with modern exhibits. We've waited three years for this issue to make its appearance in our archives, but the wait has been well worth it!


	28 May 2006	French and Fairey deltas figure in Roger Simmonds’ Smoke Trails for May, while WW II blows smoke from Britain and divine wind from Japan through Roger’s column.
	1 May 2006	Pierre Claudy has unearthed two classic French plans in a special ‘Jets’ issue of Modèle Magazine, June 1955, for contemporary mainstays of the Armée de l’Air: a Super Mystère for Jetex 50 and an Aquilon (a Sea Venom made by Sud-Est under licence from De Havilland) for Jetex 100.

	24 Apr 2006	Fleets of flying saucers feature in Roger Simmonds’ Smoke Trails for April – Gort from Keil Kraft and others from Dean, Malmström and Jetco. French fighters figure, too, newly resurrected. Finally, Roger finds the festivities for the famous Fairey F.D.2 flight of ’56 form an inspiration for aeromodellers.

	28 Mar 2006	Laurence Marks’ P.111A preens itself in Roger Simmonds’ second Smoke Trails, for March, in company with D P Golding’s original P.111A. Other birds to display their plumage are the IMA Swallow and an Ozzie Vampire.

	21 Mar 2006	We’ve put together a list of the most common inquiries we regularly get and provided brief answers all on a single page. We also hope that this may lead more to join our Forum. Carlo Godel used to say that the only stupid question is the one that didn’t get asked!

	16 Mar 2006	F W Thomas launches his rocket-propelled leviathan to introduce Roger Simmonds’ (Jet)X Files for May 2003, which we've now added to our archive. Roger offers his insights on other models with ‘extreme’ features and investigates their viability.

	7 Mar 2006	We've enhanced our Spacecraft kits page with illustrations of the box art of the Jetex Space Ship and the Jetex Zyra, superbly restored by Christian Bryan of The Boxart Den.

	28 Feb 2006	Roger Simmonds’ Leduc 021, trailing clouds of addictive smoke, introduces his new column, Smoke Trails. The first issue fascinates with French Mirages and saucers, and investigates improvements to classic Sabres and Swifts.

	3 Feb 2006	As we fill in the gap in Roger Simmonds’ 2003 (Jet)X Files, April 2003 has now been added to our archive. Roger probes the quirks of twin-jet models, and has sound advice on Rapier conversions.

	30 Jan 2006	For 2006, we’ve brought a new look to our homepage, with a random selection of illustrations. According to our throw of the dice, you may see: A Sukhoi soaring in the sunset A tribute to Wilmot and Mansour The 1953 range of Jetex models The very first Jetex scale aircraft To get us to throw the dice again and give you a chance of seeing a different illustration, all you need to do is to refresh our homepage.

	23 Jan 2006	Roger Simmonds’ definitive History of Jetex Tailored Models has been especially expanded and updated for our online edition. Now copiously illustrated, it gives a fascinating account of models which are indisputably the paragon of Jetex scale aircraft.

	10 Jan 2006	In our Models section, to make it easier for you to locate free downloadable plans in a wide range of categories, we've installed an entirely new menu system. Try it out!

	4 Jan 2006	We have the plan for Bill Dean’s Hunter, all sheet and needing just a single evening to build, but “capable of long duration flights of up to a quarter of a mile”.

	23 Dec 2005	A puffed-out Rocky Rapier rings down the curtain on Roger Simmonds’ Smoky Addiction in his December edition. He salutes such revivals of past Jetex glories as Bill Dean’s Hunter, sharing John Park’s thrilling account of his Rapier conversion, and the Jetex Wren, sharing Howard Metcalfe’s fresh drawing of the fully-decorated plan.

	30 Nov 2005	‘French Follies’, ‘Late Swallows’ and ‘Rapier Reports’ are among Roger Simmonds’ topics in his November Smoky Addiction. Talk of baguettes and méchoui spice Roger’s account of Gallic exploits with rocket and Jetex power. Swallows from Singapore to Scotland star in his tales of this much-modelled tailless bird.


	22 Nov 2005	We have the plan for Bill Dean’s Midge, featuring a cambered wing and a catapult launching method, which enables altitude to be gained while the thrust is building up.


	12 Nov 2005	The very simple and sturdy construction of Claude de Vries’ Ukkie (Dutch for “infant” or “little one”) makes it a good introduction to Jetex (or Rapier!) flying. We have a large dimensioned plan and full construction notes available for free download.

	28 Oct 2005	Bob Pickernell’s Vickers V.559 canard figures in Roger Simmonds’ revelation of the long history of rocket-powered canards, in his Smoky Addiction for October. Another theme is the reincarnation of classic all-sheet Jetex duration designs as lighter models for Rapiers.

	18 Oct 2005	For the youngster without the patience to construct and trim a Jetex-powered model aircraft, Popular Science offered this simple ‘Daylight Skyrocket’: “It makes use of a harmless model-airplane jet motor, which can be refueled and shot again and again.”

	28 Sep 2005	The rocket power experiments by Georges Bougueret, doyen of mid-20th century French aeromodellers, feature in the finale of Roger Simmonds’ Smoky Addiction for September. Roger also chronicles contemporary projects by English aeromodellers who rose to fame in the mid-20th century.


	10 Sep 2005	Two rare Jetex models have been added to our Kits section – the Jetex Record Breaking Jet Car and the Jetex Jet Hydroplane. These were the last kits produced by Sebel, in 1965, before all Jetex manufacture ceased.

	28 Aug 2005	Jan Zigmund and a kaleidoscope of models at the Prague Rapier fly-in, plans of Steve Bage’s recreation of D P Golding’s 1952 D.H. 108, Bob Pickernell’s unusual Vickers V.559 canard, the uses of Blu-Tack – all these and more in Roger Simmond’s August Smoky Addiction.

	11 Aug 2005	We've boosted our coverage of the Tiger Rockety motor range of high quality Japanese imitators of Jetex motors. Check out more information and photos covering the Tiger Rockety Type B, a Jetex 100 imitator.

	7 Aug 2005	Vindskreenviper, famed contest winner from the Jetex heyday, is about to take to the skies again. Over 50 years on, its designer, Bill Henderson, has rebuilt it. We publish his fascinating illustrated project chronicle.

	3 Aug 2005	We've just finished a mammoth update and reorganisation of our Plans Inventory – now the world’s most complete listing of plans for micro rocket-powered craft that have been published in commercial periodicals.

	1 Aug 2005	We've moved a number of plans contributed by the late Carlo Godel out of the Back Room into the main Plans pages. Among them is Jet Joe, another ground-hugging rocket car for the risk-averse modeller.

	25 July 2005	Doyen of Jetex designers, Bert Judge features in Roger Simmonds’ illustrated account of the recent Wilmot Mansour commemoration, in his July Smoky Addiction. Roger also informs and amuses with talk of cartoons, contests, flying wings, Rapier-powered replicas and the trials of learning to fly free flight jets.

	25 July 2005	We've brought Topsy in from the Back Room. From the fertile imagination and drawing board of Ray Malmström, she’s a nifty little 60s bubble car, turbo-powered by a Jetex 50.

	19 July 2005	Not sure how best to look after your precious vintage Jetex motor? Want to know how to get maximum power from your precious pellets? Read definitive answers in Jetex Units, now in our Archive of the best of writings about micro rocket motors and models.

	15 July 2005	We've expanded our records of pre-Jetex rocket-powered aircraft. In particular, we've added to ‘Sparey’s Rocket Exploits’ an entertaining account by Doug McHard (left) of his youthful attempts to emulate Sparey, and to ‘Boy’s Flaming Ptero’ McHard’s account of experimenting with Boy’s ‘propulsion units’.

	11 July 2005	We've updated our Site Map, adding links to many more principal content pages, which had been previously unindexed. This should make it much easier to find your way around the ever-increasing riches of our website.

	28 June 2005	The last and most futuristic of the Jetex RTP cars features among Roger Simmonds’ topics in his June Smoky Addiction. Roger also throws light on methods of precisely measuring the thrust of micro rockets.

	18 June 2005	We're filling in the gaps in Roger Simmonds’ earlier (Jet)X Files. March 2003 has now been added to our archive. Roger muses on the inspirational variety of scale models which have appeared over the past 50 or so years, pitting earliest against latest, like Richard Crossley's Canberra (left).

	9 June 2005	Jetex Jim introduces our revamped homepage. It features the Wilmot Mansour advertisement from the back of the 1953 Aeromodeller Annual dust jacket. This shows the richly varied range of Jetex kits available by then, from the Wren all-sheet quickie to the elaborate ‘Tailored’ Swift and Hunter.

	28 May 2005	Steve Bage’s MiG-21 graces Roger Simmonds’ May Smoky Addiction. Roger investigates problems with Rapier motors, in particular that of asymmetric thrust, and, as always, offers sage advice. He also looks at two classic duration designs – Twomey’s Twizzler and Dowsett’s Hot Dog.

	19 May 2005	We round out our contributions to this month’s Jetex, FROG and Penguin commemoration with the final chapter in our history of Jetex – ‘From Heyday to Hard Times’ telling how Wilmot Mansour passed the torch to Sebel, who kept it well alight – for a time, till factors conspired to dim and douse it.

	15 May 2005	Second of our contributions to this month’s Jetex, FROG and Penguin commemoration is the next chapter in our history of Jetex – the heyday of Jetex from 1948 to 1956 during the Wilmot Mansour régime. Aeromodeller’s cover illustration of the twin-100 powered Meteor ushered in the new era.

	11 May 2005	As a contribution to this month’s Jetex, FROG and Penguin commemoration, we’re publishing a newly compiled history of Jetex. First up is the story of the Wilmots and Joe Mansour from 1910 to 1948 and the release of the first Jetex motors. One of their smart moves was to employ Wakefield winner Bert Judge (left).


	5 May 2005	We have the very first Jetex plan published in the US – Swish, from Bill Winter, in print just five months after its motor, the Jetex 100, was released onto the market.

	28 Apr. 2005	Multi-engined craft feature among Roger Simmonds’ topics in his April Smoky Addiction. Roger also shares Bert Judge’s memories of the last years of Jetex production, and offers plans for a curious 1910 rocket-powered Blériot and a twin-engined Ski-Dart delta.

	10 Apr. 2005	Now our Jetex patent series is complete, we've wrapped it up with a complete listing and illustrated overview of each patent, linked to its full text and associated diagrams, making available online for the first time the documentation of Jetex invention.

	4 Apr. 2005	Tenth and last in our Jetex patent series is Sebel’s fuel mixture, which they compounded when the price of the ICI fuel became prohibitive. It was still based on guanidine nitrate but in other components was substantially different from any of the formulæ in ICI’s patent.

	30 Mar. 2005	Roger Simmonds discusses a variety of micro-rocket powered versions of the Douglas D-5588-2 Skyrocket in his March Smoky Addiction (there’s even a 1950s plan). Amongst other topics is “Rocket-plane Pre-History” (with another plan – from 1913!).

	18 Mar. 2005	Two of Roger Simmonds’ earlier (Jet)X Files have been added to our archive: August 2003 and September 2003. August takes us from the earliest rocket planes to the first of the Jetex scale fighters. In September, inter alia, Roger takes the example of his own DH.108 Swallow (left) to illustrate thrust calculations.

	10 Mar. 2005	Our homepage has been updated to graphically feature the Jetex commemoration and exhibition being held in the UK at the Solent Sky Museum in a couple of months’ time. We've concocted a collage of the two pioneers surrounded by some of their most memorable Jetex creations.

	28 Feb. 2005	Roger Simmonds discusses Jetex semi-scale profile models, including the elusive M.7, in his February Smoky Addiction. Ducted fans (also a smoky addiction) are his other major topic.

	23 Feb. 2005	Ninth in our Jetex patent series is a particularly unusual one, in that only a German patent exists for this burstable nozzle, another pressure relief device. Unusual too was its origin with V-Max, rather than with Wilmot Mansour or Sebel.

	6 Feb. 2005	We've added an eighth Jetex patent to our collection, and the second from Sebel – a “frangible diaphragm”, of asbestos paper. It was an alternative means of safely relieving what was a persistent concern: “abnormal pressure”. However, for whatever reason, it never made it to production.

	28 Jan. 2005	Rocky Rapier makes a welcome further appearance in the first issue of Roger Simmonds’ Smoky Addiction, successor to his deservedly popular (Jet)X Files. We confidently predict an equal popularity for his new series. Deltas, X-Planes and Rapiers (of course) feature in this inaugural Addiction.

	22 Jan. 2005	Number seven in our Jetex patents series is the first from Sebel – a “protective flange”, which appeared in production on Sebel’s Jetex 50C as an ‘exhaust deflector ring’.

	15 Jan. 2005	Sixth in our project to put all the Jetex patents online is an intriguing set of mechanisms that promised reliable ignition, even for twin-outlet motors! Regrettably, they never made it to production.

	8 Jan. 2005	As the fifth item in our ongoing project to put all the Jetex patents online, we document an important development in Jetex motive power with Wilmot Manour's 1954 patent for the augmenter tube, which made possible realistic “scale models of jet fighters”.

	1 Jan. 2005	As the fourth item in our ongoing project to put all the Jetex patents online, we present Wilmot Manour's 1953 patent for superior pressure relief devices, involving steel balls and a frangible disc. These must have proved difficult to manufacture – understandably – since they never made it into production.

	25 Dec. 2004	Here indeed is a Christmas treat for readers! Roger Simmonds“ December Jet(X) Files presents not only Steve Wadkin’s SpaceShipOne for L2, but also the lovely Lamina Flo, as fresh and frisky now as on her first appearance in the 50s.

	22 Dec. 2004	Here's a really fascinating item from Terry Kidd's collection of Jetex patents – a micro rocket motor which can only be described as a Jetex Rapier! It's a cardboard cylinder “closed at one end […] with a compressed compact charge of shorter length”.

	12 Dec. 2004	We have the full text and drawings from the very first patent granted to Wilmot Mansour for “Improvements relating to Reaction Motors Suitable for the Jet Propulsion of Model Aircraft or the like” – the birth of Jetex.

	5 Dec. 2004	Howard Metcalfe has contributed a data sheet and full instructions for constructing Howard's Hot Rod, a surefire simple-to-make igniter for Jetex and Rapier motors.

	28 Nov. 2004	Roger Simmonds discusses items old and new in the November 2004 edition of his (Jet)X Files – illustrated by Howard Metcalfe's Rapier conversion of the classic KeilKraft Dolphin – while Bert Judge tells of the origins of Jetex.

	7 Nov. 2004	We step back a year to publish an online version of the October 2003 edition of his (Jet)X Files. He tells us more about the Jetex ‘Tailored’ series, including the “most elegant and desirable Sebel Lynx”.

	29 Oct. 2004	In the October 2004 edition of the (Jet)X Files, Roger Simmonds discusses the Skyleada Comet, flown in replica at the SAM Gala at Old Warden by Andy Blackwell. And what about Rutan’s SpaceShipOne for Rapier? asks Roger.

	24 Oct. 2004	Roswell Brown's Strato-Rocket graced the cover of the December 1948 issue of Popular Mechanics. Inside, readers learnt that the Chicago artist and experimenter's "aerodynamic problem was to design a model that would hold its course under extreme acceleration and still be a good glider".

	15 Oct. 2004	Dick Cole is photographed proudly holding his Rocket Plane for the January 1933 issue of Modern Mechanix and Inventions. This formidable 36 in. wingspan craft was powered by a “1-lb. rocket … obtained from any dealer in fireworks” and was claimed to have “won a prize recently in Los Angeles”.

	1 Oct. 2004	Roger Simmonds reports on the Old Warden contest for the Mr Beer Trophy for Scale Jet Planes in our online version of his September 2004 (Jet)X Files 21, from SAM 35 Speaks. Early model jet turbines feature too.

	19 Sep. 2004	"Duration matters", says Roger Simmonds in our online version of his November 2003 (Jet)X Files 11, from SAM 35 Speaks, and Bill Henderson's Vindskreenviper is a prime illustration. New 2003 models feature too.

	12 Sep. 2004	We have an item on Wilmot Mansour's 1951 kit of their model of the Zyra space ship from the film "When Worlds Collide", with box artwork glowingly restored by Christian Bryan.

	29 Aug. 2004	Leigh Richardson's Zephyr, from the first Jetex duration plan, is discussed by Roger Simmonds in our online version of his latest (Jet)X Files 20, from SAM 35 Speaks, August 2004, as well as other vintage and current models.

	23 Aug. 2004	Bert Judge launches a Jetex ‘Tailored’ Javelin that never was – Roger Simmonds backgrounds this and other ‘Tailored’ models and their creators in our online version of his (Jet)X Files 12, from SAM 35 Speaks, December 2003. Other topics: ‘Alternatives to Jetex’ and ‘Profile Models’

	14 Aug. 2004	We've given our About page a fresh new look, with photographs of three key people – the owner/manager, the developer/editor and the founder of Jetex.org.

	30 July 2004	A double-banger! Two new online versions of Roger Simmonds' (Jet)X Files: the very latest, Issue 19 for July 2004 and the first one for this year, Issue 13 for January 2004.

	20 July 2004	This beautiful Rapier-powered Swallow comes from the hands of Roger Simmonds and illustrates our online version of his (Jet)X Files 14, from SAM 35 Speaks, February 2004.

	16 July 2004	We bring you an online version of Roger Simmonds' (Jet)X Files 15, originally published in the UK in SAM 35 Speaks, March 2004. Amongst the highlights: the excitement of pulse jets and getting the best out of Rapiers.

	7 July 2004	Our 'Contact' page has long been graced by a photo of Ray Malmström's exotic 'Earth Satellite'. Now we can offer you a plan and construction notes for this Jetex 50-powered RTP orbiter.

	2 July 2004	We bring you an online version of Roger Simmonds' (Jet)X Files 18, just published in the UK in SAM 35 Speaks. Amongst the highlights: an illustrated discussion of contemporary replicas of classic scale kits and a look at vintage CO2 powered models.

	27 June 2004	We now have a plan for Coccinellida, one of the strangest Jetex craft ever to grace our pages. It's a coleopter or vertical rising annular wing aircraft, and is based on research conducted by German jet and guided missile technicians during World War II.

	20 June 2004	Phil Smith, designer of the earliest commercial scale Jetex models, joins the Jetex.org Hall of Fame. We pay Phil tribute in a page that recounts his contest successes and his efforts to achieve realistic Jetex scale flight.

	14 June 2004	As the next stage of our project to bring you online versions of Roger Simmonds' (Jet)X Files from SAM 35 Speaks, The (Jet)X Files for April 2004 are now available in our Archive.

	8 June 2004	You can now read Phil Smith's article on Jetex scale models, reprinted from the Aeromodeller Annual, 1951. Phil's insights on the problems and parameters of scale design still apply.

	31 May 2004	'The (Jet)X Files' for May 2004 are now online, with fascinating facts about Jetex helicopters and stimulating speculation about Rapier-powered whirlybirds.

	25 May 2004	We've begun to reprint 'The (Jet)X Files', an entertaining and informative series of columns by Dr Roger Simmonds, from the UK publication SAM 35 Speaks, covering many aspects of Jetex and Rapier models and motors. So far, we have revised and illustrated versions of the first three columns online. We'll be adding further reprints over coming months.

	19 May 2004