A positive thread on what people believe Estes should produce

RocketRob · Dec 11, 2015

Id like to see a cluster! I had a 2x 29mm Big Daddy and flew two F-15 it was amazing!

Cabernut · Dec 11, 2015

K'Tesh said:
Don't hold your breath for the SR-71. Lockheed and the USAF want a percentage of the profits, as they hold the licencing rights to it....

Is that why Apogee has the "SR-72 Darkbird"?

As for OOP bring-backs, even though they seem not interested in that, my list would be: Calypso #2006, Super Nova #2011, and of course the Magnum #2032.

Otherwise more BP motor options would be nice. 18mm C3, C11 and 24mm D9, D20, etc.

I'll add my +1 as well to the idea of more electronics, as in data loggers or like the old Astrocam but with 720p/1080p/4k video.

K'Tesh · Dec 11, 2015

Cabernut said:
Is that why Apogee has the "SR-72 Darkbird"?

The fact that there is no such real (or perhaps... admitted to) plane as the SR-72 Darkbird might explain that.

Also, there's no markings that I saw on Apogee's Darkbird from their website. The US military is now requiring Estes to pay for using the official markings (e.g. US NAVY, USAF, ARMY, and likely USMC). Of course the work around is simple...

venUS ARMY
VENUSAF

etc.

RocketT.Coyote · Dec 13, 2015

I seem to recall MPC offerng a B3 13mm motor back in the 1970s, but it was 70mm long.

Crumb fire · Dec 13, 2015

K'Tesh said:
Shipping kits to other countries (not motors, just kits) would probably be well received by a lot of people (e.g. Canadians).

Exact!

Lots of kits are interesting, but no shipping stop the deal. Had to do the trip to U.S border to get those rockets. I would buy much more rockets if shipping to Canada was possible.

hcmbanjo · Dec 13, 2015

RocketT.Coyote said:
I seem to recall MPC offerng a B3 13mm motor back in the 1970s, but it was 70mm long.

MPC did make 13mm B3 engines.

They are just under 2 1/4" long or 56 mm long.
These were dated 11 AUG 71.

Flyfalcons · Dec 13, 2015

Keep the scale coming. Sounding rockets, missiles, launch vehicles, manned spaceflight, it's all good.

sjh1 · Dec 13, 2015

+1 for me too

les · Dec 13, 2015

Sorry to the scale folks - I go for the SciFi & OddRoc - Asteroid Hunter, Black Star Voyager, Blenders, Odyssey, Lynx, etc.

More. More!

The_Lone_Beagle · Dec 13, 2015

I'm liking their bigger (BT-60-ish) mini-engine rockets (like the mini-Fatboy and Curvilinear). It would be nice if they offered a B engine in 13mm size, to push these birds up just a little higher.

dixontj93060 · Dec 13, 2015

les said:
Sorry to the scale folks - I go for the SciFi & OddRoc - Asteroid Hunter, Black Star Voyager, Blenders, Odyssey, Lynx, etc.

More. More!

+1.

Woody's Workshop · Dec 13, 2015

The_Lone_Beagle said:
I'm liking their bigger (BT-60-ish) mini-engine rockets (like the mini-Fatboy and Curvilinear). It would be nice if they offered a B engine in 13mm size, to push these birds up just a little higher.

Them there little 13mm's are packed pretty full as is.
Can always do what I do; order parts (Yes, we asked for them, and Estes now carries parts) and put a standard motor mount in them.
Or hit up Uncle Mike's Rocket Shack, Sunward or Erockets and get cluster 13mm mounts.
Why didn't I think of that before? Going shopping...Time to order up some cluster mounts

EDIT: at UMRS for Mini Fat Boy
Single 18mm for BT-60 $2.50
Double 13mm for BT-60 $3.75
Triple 13mm for BT-60 $3.25

Rokitman88 · Dec 14, 2015

I think that ignitors be included with pro-series motors.

Jackball74 · Dec 14, 2015

I'd like to see the classic red and black Alpha III brought back. I also think it would be cool to upsize it to a BT-55 as well, give beginners a bit more room with the parachute packing.

georgegassaway · Dec 14, 2015

Jackball74 said:
I'd like to see the classic red and black Alpha III brought back. I also think it would be cool to upsize it to a BT-55 as well, give beginners a bit more room with the parachute packing.

They did upsize it a few years ago, to BT-60. The Super Alpha. Apparently OOP, but you can still find it. AC Supply has it for $9.89

https://www.acsupplyco.com/estes/estes_super_alpha.htm

BTW - Awhile back, I made a simple 3FNC BT-55 rocket, with 17" of BT-55, and boy it is a sweet flying easy to prep rocket. So, I do agree that a BT-55 size would be easier for beginners to fly, without going as far as BT-60.

Heck, a 30mm diameter would also work nicely, but Estes does not have that. Many of my first model rockets were by MPC, 24mm and 30mm bodied kits. The 30mm tubes were easier to prep and pack for than the 24mm. Quest uses the same size tubes and for some of the same fins and fin units as the original MPC kits.

Jackball74 · Dec 14, 2015

georgegassaway said:
They did upsize it a few years ago, to BT-60. The Super Alpha. Apparently OOP, but you can still find it. AC Supply has it for $9.89

https://www.acsupplyco.com/estes/estes_super_alpha.htm

BTW - Awhile back, I made a simple 3FNC BT-55 rocket, with 17" of BT-55, and boy it is a sweet flying easy to prep rocket. So, I do agree that a BT-55 size would be easier for beginners to fly, without going as far as BT-60.

Heck, a 30mm diameter would also work nicely, but Estes does not have that. Many of my first model rockets were by MPC, 24mm and 30mm bodied kits. The 30mm tubes were easier to prep and pack for than the 24mm. Quest uses the same size tubes and for some of the same fins and fin units as the original MPC kits.

The Super Alpha had balsa fins, though, so it was technically an upsized Alpha. I'd suggest making a bigger Alpha III complete with fin can.

rharshberger · Dec 14, 2015

Jackball74 said:
The Super Alpha had balsa fins, though, so it was technically an upsized Alpha. I'd suggest making a bigger Alpha III complete with fin can.

That would be the Maxi-Alpha III with a plastic fin unit and its BT80 based, the fins are thin and fragile, now that I have the parts I am converting mine to papered basswood fins and a 29mm MMT.

Jackball74 · Dec 15, 2015

rharshberger said:
That would be the Maxi-Alpha III with a plastic fin unit and its BT80 based, the fins are thin and fragile, now that I have the parts I am converting mine to papered basswood fins and a 29mm MMT.

I'd like to see it kept to a BT-55 body and maybe also a BT-60. The Maxi just doesn't look right to me...it's just too big.

K'Tesh · Oct 21, 2016

BUMP!

@ Jumpjet

Here's an idea. Bring back the Omega in two versions. The K-52P, and the K-52 with Cineroc. The Cineroc version would have a new nosecone that is blow molded. It would need to be cut apart, and slid together. It could have the fairing as part of it, OR the fairing could be glued to it (perhaps from inside?). Then leave it to us to add whatever camera (808, pen, or whatever) we want to it (if we want to do that). And PLEASE include the decals to represent the 1974 catalog image of the Cineroc.

An alternative version of the blow molded nosecone and transition could made minus the camera body. The camera body would be made from a section of HBT-1800 to reduce the amount of plastic needed.

lcorinth · Oct 21, 2016

K'Tesh said:
BUMP!

@ Jumpjet

Here's an idea. Bring back the Omega in two versions. The K-52P, and the K-52 with Cineroc. The Cineroc version would have a new nosecone that is blow molded. It would need to be cut apart, and slid together. It could have the fairing as part of it, OR the fairing could be glued to it (perhaps from inside?). Then leave it to us to add whatever camera (808, pen, or whatever) we want to it (if we want to do that). And PLEASE include the decals to represent the 1974 catalog image of the Cineroc.

An alternative version of the blow molded nosecone and transition could made minus the camera body. The camera body would be made from a section of HBT-1800 to reduce the amount of plastic needed.

Yes, please!

Fred Garvin · Oct 21, 2016

K'Tesh said:
BUMP!

@ Jumpjet

Here's an idea. Bring back the Omega in two versions. The K-52P, and the K-52 with Cineroc.

I also suggested in the other thread a new Cameroc/Astrocam for the current technology. Learn from the past releases and fix the shortcomings of the Oracle (2187?). Not E2X, no 30 sec limits, no loss at poweroff, no requirement to download after every flight, much better than 320x320.....etc.....lightweight HD video and pictures is an easy reality now. Call it the DigiRoc, Surveyor, SkyEye.....something....heck, using the same tech lightweight cheap drones have, you could live stream the flights.....

Lowpuller · Oct 21, 2016

I agree do it, please!!!

Cabernut · Oct 21, 2016

Yes, just check YouTube. On-board cameras are a popular thing these days. There is a market.

cerving · Oct 23, 2016

K'Tesh said:
BUMP!

@ Jumpjet

Here's an idea. Bring back the Omega in two versions. The K-52P, and the K-52 with Cineroc. The Cineroc version would have a new nosecone that is blow molded. It would need to be cut apart, and slid together. It could have the fairing as part of it, OR the fairing could be glued to it (perhaps from inside?). Then leave it to us to add whatever camera (808, pen, or whatever) we want to it (if we want to do that). And PLEASE include the decals to represent the 1974 catalog image of the Cineroc.

An alternative version of the blow molded nosecone and transition could made minus the camera body. The camera body would be made from a section of HBT-1800 to reduce the amount of plastic needed.

+1. The Omega was one of the coolest rockets they ever made, just because of its simple elegance. Make the first stage 29mm so it could take a F15. They'd sell a LOT of digital Cinerocs... I can see TARC teams using them as nose cones.

K'Tesh · Dec 23, 2016

How about this? A two stage digital camera system based on he AstroCam 110. Below, you can see the sim I worked up for my concept.

A neat feature of my concept would allow you to invert the camera and get a look forward version (closer to the original), or remove the hood/mirror, and film horizontally (a clever person could probably design it to invert the hood and get the same kind of performance).

A positive thread on what people believe Estes should produce

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