Sourcing Estes PNC-60RL Nosecones (p/n 072305)

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K'Tesh

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Someone at the last meeting of OROC noticed that my Darkstar downscale used a PNC-60RL (p/n 072305) nosecone, and we began to talk about how hard it is to find them. In looking over the current Estes catalog, I remembered that I've been getting them with the STM 012, Hi-Flier XL, and the Vagabond kits. The QCC Explorer, Conquest, and Solar Warrior don't use the PNC-60RL nosecones. However, their nosecones look to be shortened (and slightly blunter) versions of the same basic shape.


The PNC-60RL allows people to clone models of the Estes Sentinel, the Magnum (2 stage payload rocket from the 90's), and the National Space Plane. A damaged one was used to make the tail cone of my Velociraptor Downscale.


There are a few almost ready to fly kits (Flying Colors (2486) and Firestorm (2488) that have something that looks similar to the PNC-60RL, but have different part numbers (p/n 072308), or the instructions drawings make me think that they aren't. I'm wondering if they are the RL's shape, but have different part numbers simply due to their pre-finished nature.
 
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I can answer this one for you. The image below shows the Blow molded Estes 60 RL cone on the left and the injection molded 60 size cone used in some of the ARF models. As you can see there is a difference in their over all length.


John Boren

Estes 60 Cones.jpg
 
Try Jonrockets.com they carry a 6.75" long Bt-60 cone, also try Ncphobbies.com they don't say cone length but the pic they show is a long cone.
 
I can answer this one for you. The image below shows the Blow molded Estes 60 RL cone on the left and the injection molded 60 size cone used in some of the ARF models. As you can see there is a difference in their over all length.


John Boren

Thanks for that info John.

The Super Neon XL uses a balsa nosecone that seems to be similarly shaped. Is that an optical illusion due to angles of the photographs, or is it a true balsa version of the RL?

It appears that the Black Star Voyager's nose cone is a special shape from the drawings of it in the instructions, but I've never looked at one up close to verify that.

The E2X Top Shot uses the blow molded 072308 nose cone, how does that compare to the RL?

Pointy Side Up!
Jim
 
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The original Super Neon XL model I made years ago for Estes did in fact use the 60RL but the kit has always come with a much shorter cone. I even believe it may have been produce at first with a short balsa cone and later a plastic cone.

The Black Star Voyager uses a new BT55 9 sided cone.

The E2X Top Shot uses a Black Colored Blow Molded 60RL cone.

John Boren
 
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