The components of the Flight Systems Inc. RX-1 Thruster System booster, intended to be used with the same company's Dart model rocket. Flight Systems' 1979 catalogue featured the combination of Dart rocket and Thruster System booster under the title "The Mach 1 System" and noted that this model rocket system had "the ability to break the sound barrier". Moreover, the Dart's instructions boldly announced "supersonic potential". Whether attaining transonic or even supersonic speeds was actually possible with the design and motors in question is debatable. At any rate, such claims certainly captured our attention at the time.
The Thruster System consisted of a slightly modified Flight Systems F100-0 motor (far right in the photo) to power the booster, and a Flight Systems D20-12 motor (second from right) for the Dart upper stage. It also contained launch lugs and plywood fins which were to be permanently attached to the F100-0 motor with epoxy, making the booster a single-use item. An electric match igniter (contained in the folded instructions, top centre) completed the package.
In 1979, Flight Systems sold the Dart upper stage for $ 3.25 and RX-1 Thruster System for $ 7.95.
I picked up an original FSI Dart in an eBay auction several years back. It still had an FSI A4-4 motor in it that had been glued to a wooden display stand. It just needed a bit of cleaning up of the wood particles, and it is now a display of its own. The Dart still has yet to fly, mostly because of the issues involved in finding a motor that fits.
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