TOPIC: Mystery motors..

Hi all,
new boy here.... A lifelong aeromodeller (with breaks) who had Jetex models as a nipper, and recently returned to the fold. I still have a pair of J50's from back then and was given some fuel pellets a while back, but as I was unable to locate my originals, managed to pick one up on Ebay - Roger very kindly sent me a steel casing for this, as it had the alloy casing.
I work at a small aviation museum in N.Wales (hello Howard!), where we recently received a donation from the widow of a modeller - and sorting through this, I found some very interesting goodies.


The top photo shows a pair of Jetex motors that were labelled '100' - but I think that they are the 150 PAA Loader type? Fuel and wick also... along with a very smart looking motor in a presentation box from Powermax, labelled 'Jet-x 100Z 50the Golden anniversary'.

But, here's the real mystery - there was a box labelled simply, 'Rockets', containing a dozen of the rather scary-looking motors to be seen in the photo lower left - penny for scale. These appear to be sealed units, with nozzles at each end, and seem to be intended for the collection of model rockets seen in the other photo - you can see one of the motors sitting in the rear of the model to hand. These models do not have any recovery system or launch rail, but I was told that the model in the background (black with red/white check) 'actually works'. I know somebody fairly high up in the UK model rocketry scene, but they are all mystified about these, and I wondered if anyone might be able to shed light on these motors.

cheers,

Dave

Hi Dave, good to see you posting, welcome to Jetex.org. I know nothing about the the vertical rocket stuff, however, I can advise that the gold Powermax Jet-X might work, once, before burning through the case top sealing lip! The Pmax fuel is usable in steel bodied Jetex 50 motors (50C) but hard to ignite, I found some success with my microflame torch adapted to heat up a 1 mm stainless steel wire in the nozzle.

Hi David,

good to have you aboard.

There is no mystery about the Jetex items, which look to be - as you so rightly say, PAA Loaders. There are folk out there who still fly with these motors, with varying results and the thrust/time graphs with old pellets is very variable, to say the least.

The Powermax Jet-X 100Z are very nice paper weights, and go well on ... er ... eBay. I would hesitate to put it in a model.

The other items are real puzzles. The motor:



looks to be a reloadable type, though not one I've seen, and one of the 'nozzles' may be a relief valve. How old would you say they are? Are they a product of the LSRSA? Have you disassembled them? - if they are aluminium alloy then a low temp propellant is predicated and a link with Jetex is likely.



Above: 'Jetex' liaised with the LSARA to develop some motors.

The 'Spaceplane is intriguing:



and more interesting than the ballistic type models which probably could have worked given a high thrust motor.

Do have dates for any of these models?

All the above is not much help I'm afraid - so I'll be interested if any of your contacts in the UK rocket scene can shed any light.

Thanks for the replies, and confirming my thought that the motors labelled as '100' are, in fact, PAA Loaders. As for the gold 50Z, I suspect that it will be found on Ebay in the not too distant future....
Regarding the bigger mystery motors, I will wait a while to see if my contacts in the model rocketry scene can shed any light - but yes, it would be really nice to see if I can get the 'space plane' into the air, and will have to see about an ignitor with a very long cable...(I can extend a regular Estes type launcher).

Roger adds,

a couple more photos of the 'spaceplane' would be good. I don't recognise the design from any model mag. Perhaps it was a prop from a film or an exhibition?

It should go up from a catapult launch (try these first )with enough oomph (an L-3?) ... and come down quickly!

That space plane is rather tasty. I agree with Roger, those rockets and the space plane would not look out of place on TV. Maybe Blake's 7 or some such.





Could the 'motor' be actually a smoke generator for thrust representation.

Thank you Roger or Howard.

It's just as well I didn't suggest Flash Gordon, hey?