This blog is different from the usual in that this is Terry Kidd writing. Roger has kindly (and bravely) trusted me with the keys to Jetex.org . So I’m hoping to get this written and uploaded without scratching the paint work! I anticipate a little hesitation as I get accustomed to the controls, please be patient if things are not as polished as with Roger.
As some of you may recall I was, before Roger’s time, the Jetex correspondent for SAM 35. At the time my interest in Jetex was re-ignited (sorry) by the then availability of Jet-X. While Jet-X fuel left much to be desired the unique thrill of reaction powered flight was certainly there.
Well, a lot of water has gone under the bridge since then and in the interim we’ve had the end of Jet-X, the launch and demise of Rapier and now the introduction of Tendera. I took up a 6 month employment contract in Bavaria in Germany and after 16 years I’m still here. I’ve met Dr Zigmund on a couple of occasions -- the last of these last year when he produced the final Rapier batch. And I’ve had the pleasure to meet Piotr Tendera, who manufactures the Tendera motors and we have had some interesting conversations.
But now the big news is that the Piotr’s range of sustained thrust solid fuel motors (as I’m inclined to define the Jetex type) has achieved CE approval. With this CE marking there is now the possibility of model shop over-the-counter sales of these unique motors. Of course, many of the readers will have already had the opportunity to try the initial Tendera products that we’ve seen in the last 18months and that Roger has sold at Old Warden and other UK events.
The new CE marked Tendera range will comprise the following variants:
| Type | Thrust mN | Duration Seconds |
| L1 | 100 | 11 |
| L2 | 170 | 17 |
| L2HP | 250 | 15 |
| L3 | 500 | 17 |
| L4 | 1000 | 19 |
Distribution in Western Europe Scandinavia and the Benelux countries will be handled by the Klima Raketenmodellbau, Klima have for a number of years been manufacturing a range of short duration solid motors for ballistic rockets. They are not too far from me here in Bavaria in Emersacker and I've visited them a couple of times. For the UK The Vintage Model Company, who of course do a large range of classic kits, will handle distribution.
Now I know from comments placed on my You Tube channel that a substitute for classic Jetex has long been sought in the USA. And some progress has been made here too. Piotr has some contacts over there with one of the free flight/vintage product distributors and he is investigating what additional permits might be needed to import the Tendera product to the USA.
So this is all quite an achievement. I know Piotr has put a lot of effort and investment into this and I’m sure we all wish him well.
With world-wide distribution of these motors we now have the possibility to see some real innovation in reaction powered, aerodynamically lifted free flying model aircraft. The Jetex of the Wilmot Mansour era was famous for innovation and novelty with, for example their Tailored kits and such as their pendulum stability systems. In the 70 years or so since W&M were around some huge technological changes have taken place. And now, perhaps, can we see some new technologies applied to the structure and stability of reaction powered models? More on this next time!