Is this an Old Estes Alpha?

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smugglervt

smugglervt

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Hi folks,
I'm new to this forum and just getting back into rockets to entertain the wee ones. I built several Estes model rockets in my younger days when my 3 boys were growing up. Getting back into the hobby again for the grandkids. I have this one Estes rocket from the old days that I started but never finished. I no longer have any of the documentation or box that it came in but it has survived probably close to twenty years stored in various basements over the years. Can anyone identify it for me? I'm thinking it may be an old Alpha model but I can't seem to find anything online similar to it with the 2 motor cluster. Can anyone point me in the right direction. I'd like to finish it and give it shot but I need to know what the recommended motor size should be. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks - Jim


Possible Alpha 3.jpgPossible Alpha 2.jpgPossible Alpha 1.jpg
 
I don't recognize it, but it definitely is not an Alpha. The Alpha uses a single motor, has only 3 fins, and is only 1" in diameter.

I have never seen an Estes kit with a shock cord anchor like that, so I suspect this rocket was not an Estes kit.
 
I think it's an Impulse - one of Estes' original Pro Series offerings. It did have that funky shock cord mount, but I built mine with a LOC style mount instead. Sadly, I lost it many years ago.
 
Last edited:
Like jbuscaglia said, that is an Estes shockcord mount. I was just doing some research on the Estes Pro Series Patriot, and that's a match. The fins and the rest of it, I dunno... I've never researched the Impulse.

Ok... Just researched the Impulse... it's a match.

5003-1.jpg
est_impulse-2.jpg


I can't turn up any plans for it... However here's a link to the Pro Series Patriot's plans.
 
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I agree, it's a Pro-Series Impulse. Should take two 24mm motors. The original version just took D12-5's or the old Cobra E15's. The current E9 and E12 motors will be a 1/4" too long for the engine hooks, but if you use old school masking tape wraps to friction fit them, they should work fine with 4 or 6 second delays. It probably would work with C11-3's in a schoolyard.
 
I need to finish the Impulse kit I started building 20+ years ago. :eyeroll:

I never cared for the factory paint scheme.

An attempt by Estes to match the AeroTech kits.

Fail.
 
That's the one. I remember that box. I knew you folks would be a wealth of information. I really appreciate the effort taken to identify my rocket. We're heading off to our first meet with the local rocket club this morning. Hopefully by next months launch meeting I'll have this one ready for its maiden flight after more than 20 years.

Thanks again to all - Jim



K'Tesh said:
Like jbuscaglia said, that is an Estes shockcord mount. I was just doing some research on the Estes Pro Series Patriot, and that's a match. The fins and the rest of it, I dunno... I've never researched the Impulse.

Ok... Just researched the Impulse... it's a match.

5003-1.jpg
est_impulse-2.jpg


I can't turn up any plans for it... However here's a link to the Pro Series Patriot's plans.
Click to expand...
 
Welcome to the Forum.
I think it's safe to say I can guess you location.:wink:
 
Initiator001 said:
I need to finish the Impulse kit I started building 20+ years ago. :eyeroll:

I never cared for the factory paint scheme.

An attempt by Estes to match the AeroTech kits.

Fail.
Click to expand...

That was during Estes' "copy the RC car craze aesthetic" phase.
 
RoyAtl said:
That was during Estes' "copy the RC car craze aesthetic" phase.
Click to expand...

I found the Pro Series Maxi-Force kit to 'copy' many of the styling details of LOC/Presision kits at that time.

Prism wraps anyone? :wink:
 
smugglervt said:
Hi folks,
I'm new to this forum and just getting back into rockets to entertain the wee ones. I built several Estes model rockets in my younger days when my 3 boys were growing up. Getting back into the hobby again for the grandkids. I have this one Estes rocket from the old days that I started but never finished. I no longer have any of the documentation or box that it came in but it has survived probably close to twenty years stored in various basements over the years. Can anyone identify it for me? I'm thinking it may be an old Alpha model but I can't seem to find anything online similar to it with the 2 motor cluster. Can anyone point me in the right direction. I'd like to finish it and give it shot but I need to know what the recommended motor size should be. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks - Jim


View attachment 265877View attachment 265880View attachment 265881
Click to expand...

Nice model railroad layout, BTW.
 
No responses over in the Yard Sale / Wanted forum so I'll repost here:

K'Tesh said:
The Estes Pro Series Impulse (2064) is not your average Estes 4FNC rocket. It featured an unusual shock cord mounting system (which it also shared with the Pro Series Patriot (2066)), and a dual cluster motor arrangement that isn't very common for them.

I've looked, and JimZ's got nothing on it, nor does YORP. It's time to fix that.

I'm looking for scans of the instructions as well as the fins (w/ruler please). It wouldn't hurt to get some of those centering rings either.

Thanks!
Jim
Click to expand...
 

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