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A look back when jet-powered co2 cars were new.

Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2012 11:58 am
by whodathunkit
I thought this might be a fun topic to share with you all on DT.

Co2 Dragracing dates back as far as 1947.
When Douglas Aircraft engineers enliven noon hours by racing tiny jet-driven cars by co2 power.

POPULAR SCIENCE monthly (Feb,1947) tells the history of Wizzing on Fizz.
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Some web sites shareing a little CO2 Dragracing history as well.
http://how-to-x.info/2159301-history-of ... gsters.htm" target="_blank
http://www.ehow.com/info_12203196_histo ... sters.html" target="_blank

For this next site it shows the Wizzing on Fizz pouplar scince pages as well
( just do a little scrolling down to see the pages as well.)
http://blog.modernmechanix.com/category/diy/page/34/" target="_blank

Popular Science june 1947 also shows a photo of shell car and plans.
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Goggle Books:
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=8yUD ... &q&f=false" target="_blank

Heres what I thought might be fun to take a closer look at.
(what were some of the first CO2 car kits made by Model makers?)
Heres a web site that shares the story of Mongram models.
http://www.zeteo.com/mar/news-oct06.ihtml" target="_blank

MONOGRAM MODELS..first started makeing jet-racers in 1947/48 as well.
Let's take a look at a some vintage Mongram models Co2 car kits.
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The First Co2 kit in the Mongram models line up was the HOT SHOT R-1 kit.. sold for 60 cents.
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(note the car used plastic wheels and axel slots in the construction.)

Heres a web site that shares a photo of this car along with a little history as well.
http://smm.solidmodelmemories.net/Galle ... p?pid=2533" target="_blank

And a site shareing a photo of the kit box for the Hot Shot R-1 kit.
http://www.oldmodelkits.com/index.php?d ... u=Monogram" target="_blank

Lets take a look at the 2nd car in the line up.. the TERRA-JET R-2 kit.
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(note this car is useing steel axels and rubber wheels?)

Here is a look at vintage car that was the 3rd car in the line up as well. The MONO JET R-3 kit.
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The 4th car in the lineup was the MID-JET R-4 Kit.

Edit:
This one was sent to me by a friend as a gift.
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Today these vintage kits are very hard to find to share with kids the history.
However a few of these kits do pop up on web sites being sold for big bucks $$$$.(for the collectors!)
Here is a site with the TERRA-JET R-2 kit.

Randy.. I hope it's ok to share this..
http://www.vendio.com/stores/wasp317/it ... lid=832790" target="_blank

As you all can see the cost to share these vintage kits keeps going up in price.
Well I've found a vintage Mono Jet R-3 kit that i'm hopeing to share with you all
when it comes in by mail to me.. So we all can take a look at whats inside the box.

Here is another web site showing a different type of jet racing kit also from 1948.
http://www.jetex.org/models/kits/kits-cars_boats.html" target="_blank

Hope you'll all enjoy seeing it soon.
Whoda.

Re: A look back when jet-powered co2 cars were new.

Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2012 4:48 am
by Speedster
Thank you, Whoda. You took me back in time. I had one of those. I ran it down my parents driveway. Luckily I never hit anybody with it.

Re: A look back when jet-powered co2 cars were new.

Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2012 6:41 pm
by whodathunkit
Your Welcome Speedster,

Maybe this will really take you back in time.
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Kit came in today.

Re: A look back when jet-powered co2 cars were new.

Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2012 7:44 pm
by whodathunkit
Let's take a look at the MONO-JET kit.

I'll start with this: kit contents.
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This kit uses #36 .106 steel axel rods that are 3-11/16'' long that pass threw the car body.
The rubber wheels are 1-1/2" in diameter.
Copper bushings are used in the wheels along with brass spacers between the car body,
& wheels along with brass reainers that are solderd on the ends of the axels.

(The line guides for the car are seen in silver next to bushings & spacers.)
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Plastic steering wheel & windshild, 1/8 wooden dowel rod to make the exhaust pipes, headrest block.
Pre-cut car block & one sheet of fine I E51 sand paper, decal sticker sheet and the models ad sheet.
There is no Dashboard decal sticker.. the one shown in the plans is to be cut out and glued on for the dashboard details.

Kit plans:
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Kit Body:
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Car body is 7-3/4" long by 2" wide.

Plans read: thin music wire (100 ft or longer) threw guides for the race line. :scratching:
Music wire.

Anyhow hope you have enjoyed looking at the vintage,
copyrighted 1947 Monogram models co2 Mono-Jet R-3 car kit.
Mark.

Re: A look back when jet-powered co2 cars were new.

Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2012 8:07 pm
by FatSebastian
whodathunkit wrote: :scratching: Music wire
Music wire is a synonym for piano wire.

Re: A look back when jet-powered co2 cars were new.

Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2012 8:23 pm
by whodathunkit
FatSebastian wrote:
whodathunkit wrote: :scratching: Music wire
Music wire is a synonym for piano wire.
FatSebastian,

There is no way.. that I'd even think about pulling the music wire out of my wife's Piano..
For the racing line. (She would have my hide... Faster then a Richard Petty Pit Stop.)

But it's a good thing she let's me have my fun with these CO2 cars also. ;)

Re: A look back when jet-powered co2 cars were new.

Posted: Sat May 10, 2014 9:10 am
by whodathunkit
Ok FS, Thank's for picking on me.. ;)

I thought I'd finsh this topic off.. by finshing the build of vintage Monogram Mono -Jet.
And try to post the right size of pic's this time around.

The Monogram kits used balsa for the car bodys.
Heres the same car body style.. useing a Blast car Pinewood block for the body.
Thought it might be fun to try and do remake..( if you wheel :mrgreen: .)
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Whoda.