WTB Nova Payloader and Aries S.S.T.

These were the first two rockets I owned as a kid and would mean a lot to me if anyone has any of these kits lying around. I may also consider buying them built if I can't find the kits.

Orye74 said:

These were the first two rockets I owned as a kid and would mean a lot to me if anyone has any of these kits lying around. I may also consider buying them built if I can't find the kits.

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Been looking for the Aries SST myself for a long time, they rarely come up for auction and the few people that have them think they are made of gold, as for the Nova Payloader its easy enough to clone.

Damn. I think I lost my Aries SST after like the 2nd launch.

Orye74 said:

Damn. I think I lost my Aries SST after like the 2nd launch.

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I've built and lost about 5 over the last 25 years, too bad I can't find the original nose cones in my stuff anymore. However for cloning it I have all the plans, and templates, and Mark at Stickershock23 can make the decals in self adhesive vinyl (including upscales, since Mark did an awesome 6" diameter version). The PNC-50S nose cone is available in 3d printed nylon from Shapeways.

Nova Payloaders, usually from the second release batch, turn up on eBay from time to time. They are usually late 1990s versions. It would be easier to clone the initial version as it had a balsa nose block at the base of the payload section rather than the later plastic part that is really just the base of a two pice PNC-50YP nose cone plus a paper ring. That nose cone is used on lots of RTF Estes rockets that are currently available (though I can't think of one that uses a white one off the top of my head). PST-50 clear tubing can be had from eRockets or from the Estes clear payload tubing assortment (I think the latter PST-50s are long enough - it needs to be 4 inches long).

I'm trying to round up examples of all the versions of the Nova Payloader but have yet to find an example of that initial version with a balsa nose block and water slide decals. I may have a duplicate or two of a particular variant from that attempt to round up all of them - I can check tomorrow in the box where I have most of them.

I retired one after 75 flights and have 15 flights on its successor so far.

Details on the first version are here: https://www.oldrocketplans.com/estes/est1960/est1960.htm

There was a Super Nova Payloader that was a lot of plastic I picked up a couple and it could carry a 2 meter (144Mhz) tracker on the Ham band with a
vertical dipole too! Ran the lower limb of the antenna out of the base of the plastic transition. Was easy to do since it was hollow. The payload bay was
very long and could contain the upper limb which of course extended into the hollow plastic nosecone. I modified it to use BP E motors. I wouldn't push it too much without re-enforcing the plastic fins though. I had a Nova Payloader too. That one is easy to clone. I think I still have the plastic parts from mine
I could rebuild from. Made it look like the picture on the box. Kurt

Looks like I have a couple of them. What would consider a fair price?

Mikey

Mikey,

A couple of which? Aries SSTs, Nova Payloaders, both? If Nova Payloaders, from about what time period?

Nova payloaders. 1960 model number. They are on my inventory, but I'm not exactly sure where they are hiding

MikeyR.Saginaw said:

Nova payloaders. 1960 model number. They are on my inventory, but I'm not exactly sure where they are hiding

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How much do you want to sell one for?

I would also be interested, if they are the first incarnation. These will be easy to tell without opening the bag - if it has a balsa nose block for the base of the payload section rather than a plastic part.

Hmm, I was looking on Etsy about a week ago, there was one for I think $37 or so, I'm not sure if it's still available. BTW I'm talking about the Super Nova Payloader.
Thanks,

rockets said:

Hmm, I was looking on Etsy about a week ago, there was one for I think $37 or so, I'm not sure if it's still available. BTW I'm talking about the Super Nova Payloader.
Thanks,

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Super Nova payload rocket is a two stage and very different than the #1960 Nova Payloader, the SuperNova is still available from Estes for $20.99

I found one of the kits. It has the balsa plug for the payload section. Let me find the other one.

Mikey

Rich, and rockets: I think you two are talking about different models. There was something called the "Super Nova Payloader": https://plans.rocketshoppe.com/estes/est2155/est2155.htm. And there is another called Super Nova, a two stager that actually uses two sets of Alpha fins which was recently re-released by Estes: https://www.estesrockets.com/007248-super-novatm.

This latter actually has more in common with the Nova Payloader than the Super Nova Payloader does.

Mikey - I would most certainly be interested in that kit - what would you be wanting to ask for it?

Orye74 - notwithstanding what Mikey finds, I just checked my stash and I have at least one Nova Payloader with the copyright 2000 face card that I could let go for a nominal fee. The body tube is pretty well squished but I would include a replacement part with it since you're looking for a builder's kit not a collector's item.

Thanks for the clarification Bernard, I did not realize there was a third variety of Nova payload type rocket.