Jetex Motors

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16 May 2009 at 08:29 #20882
Dr John Booth
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@drjohnbooth43899
There is an excellent piece in the new issue of Model Boat Magazine by David Wiggins explaining the principals of the Jetex motor.

I given a Jetex motor for my 10^th birthday in 1970 and the fascination of the little pellets being able to push models along inspired my love of rocket motors and started me on a career in solid fuel propulsion systems.

I still have that little motor which is now mounted on a mahogany plinth and sits on my desk where it continues to motivate my designs.

I realise that in these days of safety awareness the use of rocket propelled model boats would be frowned upon, which is a great shame as the engineering is relatively simple but the resulting speed can be spectacular.

A big thanks to Mr. Wiggins for bringing back some very happy memories.

John

PS

A thought occurs to me as a little tongue in cheek solution to Paul engine problems with his barrel back.

He could utilise the two half inch exhausts as rocket motor nozzles and propel the massive model by rocket power….plenty of instant speed but no control.

Edited By Dr John Booth on 16/05/2009 08:39:16
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16 May 2009 at 08:29 #3357
Dr John Booth
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@drjohnbooth43899
22 May 2009 at 06:51 #21047
ashley needham
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@ashleyneedham69188
I used to have a Jetex motor as a smaller boy, and never got the thing to work. Cant for the life of me remember why (and it was probably just as well), and I cant remember that I had anything to put it in? I saw a jetex powered small plastic boat the other day oddly enough in an antique market ! . Do you suppose that a Jetex motor would be allowed on most ponds? after all the bylaws dont say ” no rocket motors” I`ll bet!

Ashley
31 July 2009 at 14:58 #22319
Kevin Flack 2
Participant
@kevinflack2
I had all but forgotten my jetex motor I had in my youth. Do remember two sizes though, could only afford the baby version.

I had it fitted to a basic ski type boat, it even ran under water when it flipped over suppose that was my first sub then?

Fitted with a thin stick it went off into air very easy mind.

It does seem a bit dangerous as a toy but in those days we probably did not know any better.

Why is it that such classic toys dont stay around forever?
31 July 2009 at 23:07 #22326
ashley needham
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@ashleyneedham69188
I simply cant imagine ever being able to sell such items now. You would probably get arrested as a terrorist or something if you turned up at the lake with one.

Hmm….would be the way to make a torpedo though…..

Ashley
1 August 2009 at 00:01 #22328
Peter Fitness
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@peterfitness34857
I had a Jetex 50 in the early 1950s, and used it in a SAAB jet aircraft model of the same era. It was only a profile model but it flew well enough. I think I still have the motor…..somewhere

Peter.
1 August 2009 at 06:49 #22329
Paul T
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@pault84577
John

Sorry I missed your posting about using rocket power to shove the barrel back along………I can just imagine the reams of H&S paperwork involved in trying to prove that such a system was safe to use on a public lake………its one way to get around the IC ban though.

Paul
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