Estes Payload Rocket Suggestions

So I have about $130 left currently in my money set aside for rockets. I'm looking for an Estes rocket with a payload that a beginner could example, I'd say Skill Level 1 and under.
I am trying to find a size that could be able to bring a Matchbox car up, but smaller is fine. Anyone have any suggestions?

Not sure about skill levels but you've got the Estes Omega, the Magnum, and any of the egg lofting rockets and the Loadstar would work for you.

Mind you, all of the rockets I listed are OOP. AC Supply will have the Loadstar, but you'd probably need to go to Ebay for any of the others.

My favorite the Estes Nova Payloader ACSupplyCo is showing they have it for $11.39.

rharshberger said:

My favorite the Estes Nova Payloader ACSupplyCo is showing they have it for $11.39.

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However the Nova is pretty small (.95" ID) so a toy car might not fit.

I'm struggling to think of any BT-55 payload rockets that are in production, the only thing that comes to mind in the Bandit but it's long out of production.

Mind you all of these rockets are easy to clone if you have the right parts.

Oh, another OOP payloader is the Maxi Icarus. That's a nice looking rocket too.

rharshberger said:

My favorite the Estes Nova Payloader ACSupplyCo is showing they have it for $11.39.

Click to expand...

I don't think a Hot Wheels or a Matchbox car will fit in a PST-50 (Too skinny). I think you would need a BT-55 or larger payload section to fit that type of payload. If you order one from Estes, a Phoenix Bird would work (BT-55). Estes has the Phoenix Bird on sale for $6.19 plus shipping.

How about the Reflector? https://www.estesrockets.com/002422-reflectortm

My LHS had two on sale...

These are not Estes, but they are options, I am a fan of Semroc and Flis

https://www.semroc.com/Store/scripts/RocketKits.asp?SKU=KV-34

Or this

https://www.semroc.com/Store/scripts/RocketKits.asp?SKU=KV-64
with this
https://www.semroc.com/Store/scripts/RocketKits.asp?SKU=KM-4

https://www.semroc.com/Store/scripts/RocketKits.asp?SKU=KV-39

https://www.fliskits.com/products/01prod_fs.htm

PS II kit with payload section , or E2X PSII ?

Kenny

The Estes SLV isn't out yet but will be soon - its upper section can easily be made into a functional payload section that would be more than big enough for a Matchbox-type car. If you get one PM me and I'll tell you the quick and simple mod for this.

The now OOP Nova Payloader (also one of my favorites) has also been mentioned but as also noted the payload section is too small for a Matchbox car. The same is true of the OOP (or soon to be OOP) Ready-To-Fly Estes Skytrax.

Other possibilities: Semroc Mini-Hustler ( https://www.erockets.biz/semroc-flying-model-rocket-kit-mini-hustler/ )
Quest Super Bird (though this, too, may be out of production)
Several of the Semroc models linked to above are available now again from eRockets.biz including the Egg Crate and Bandit

Others with a 1 inch diameter payload section (too small for the car) include the Semroc Mini Aero Dart and Semroc Lune-R1 (and the square version of this latter one, the New Way Spacemodels Lune-R4). Others include the Custom Models Skybird and Quest Payloader One. All of these are available from eRockets.biz.

The Quest Courier is set up to loft a medium egg. That might work for a Matchbox car.

Some more suggestions, anyway.

gna said:

How about the Reflector? https://www.estesrockets.com/002422-reflectortm

My LHS had two on sale...

Click to expand...

I think that may be my winner...
I was also looking at the X-Ray, but, seems too small to fit anything good in it.

rharshberger said:

My favorite the Estes Nova Payloader ACSupplyCo is showing they have it for $11.39.

Click to expand...

I'd possibly go for a Nova- my top 2 options are Nova and Reflector.

K'Tesh said:

However the Nova is pretty small (.95" ID) so a toy car might not fit.

I'm struggling to think of any BT-55 payload rockets that are in production, the only thing that comes to mind in the Bandit but it's long out of production.

Mind you all of these rockets are easy to clone if you have the right parts.

Oh, another OOP payloader is the Maxi Icarus. That's a nice looking rocket too.

Click to expand...

What about a single stage Savage?

Not familiar with that one...

Just looked it up... I realize why now. I'm not into EX2 or RTF type rockets. I love to build.

KenRico said:

PS II kit with payload section , or E2X PSII ?

Kenny

Click to expand...

I agree.

I think the Ventris or Ascender would work nice. Plenty of room to put an Estes altimeter and/or other things.



Greg

Or how about a scratch built? E-Rockets has lots of clear tubes as big as BT-65. Which will easily hold a Hotwheel car. Here is a link to my search for clear body tubes. If you have Open Rocket or RocSim, this should be pretty easy and fun.

https://www.erockets.biz/search.php?search_query=clear+plastic+body+tube

I notice erockets also has the Estes/Semroc Ranger and Scrambler up as well. What with the Egg Crate (a real nice build) and the other two mentioned, you'd have enough umph to lift the metal car.

GregGleason said:

I agree.

I think the Ventris or Ascender would work nice. Plenty of room to put an Estes altimeter and/or other things.

Greg

Click to expand...

The Ascender seems like too much money for me. I think I may go with a BT-55 Savage with a BT-55 payload tube.

Thank you for your suggestions everyone. I just ordered the final Reflector in stock off of Amazon and should be here in 2 weeks.

If you feel like another one, I'm kinda partial to the Estes Loadstar II. Probably gonna want a C6-0 for the booster due to the weight of the car, or you can launch it single stage. It's my first 2 stage rocket and I love it. If you like the whoosh pop, you'll love the whoosh whoosh pop.