We recently acquired this beautiful Erector Rocket Launcher Set from 1958. While not quite complete, it is still tantalizing with its girders, nuts, bolts and motor. The printing on the metal box is beautiful.
The motor is labeled “Erector Electric Engine” and features a clever mechanical gear shifter.
While our set did not come with instructions, there are online resources for vintage building sets, and Girders & Gears has a thorough description and pictures of a more complete set. They also have instructions available for download, which include the following practical warning:
CAUTION: Be sure there is no one in front of the launcher when the rocket is fired.
Classic. Very nice set. There was a guy at the flea market early last year with a couple of sets you would have flipped over.
Have a scar on my finger from when I was a kid and got my finger stuck in one of those motors. :)
Looks like it came with the same plastic rocket used by the American Flyer Rocket Launcher car, which was also made by Gilbert. It’s always a crowd-pleaser at train shows!
Unfortunately, that is one of the pieces we’re missing!
Reproduction rockets are available. Search for “American Flyer Rocket Launcher Car.”
I immediately wondered if the force of launch was gentle enough to allow a dab of silver acetylide on the rocket tip. That compound was a gentle contact explosive my High School chem Prof made and demonstrated for us.