What is your favorite OOP model rocket kit?

I'm still not sure which is my favourite but I found one that is still available for sale that might be of interest to someone here. It is a bit too $$ for me.

Estes Super Vega $80.00

https://www.discountrocketry.com/prod.itml/icOid/1035

The NCR Bomarc is the first to come to mind as my favourite. I have two and really must build one of them soon. It will have a motor mount that takes me out of the "low power" category though. For true low power stuff, the Citation Bomarc would be a great choice.

Len Bryan

So many to choose...so many to pine over:

Centuri Super Kit series,
Mars Lander,
Estes Saturns 1b & V,
Bomarc,
Pro Series Jayhawk,
Citation Patriot,
Skydart,

But I jus' gotta say: Interceptor

Jack

I would have to say the Orbital Transporter is a favorite one.

I got one as soon as Estes started advertising it. I still have it but it hasn't flown in years. I'll probably clone another one when I feel up to cutting out the parts.

Maybe I'll even dare to fly it.

I always wanted the 1/70 Saturn 1b but never got it. Same with the Mars Lander.

I also like the Estes Little Joe II

Unfortunately, I don't have one and all the ones I've seen on ROL usually go out of my price range fairly quickly and they almost always have rather high reserve prices too.

I believe the last one I saw went for like $50-$55 bucks

I'd love to see Estes reissue this kit. Wether or wether not they decide to bring it back is a big unknown.

Cherokee D and Black Brandt II

I like the Estes Maxi Honest John. Big, cool, and D-powered!

I don't know why I left out the Mars Lander in my original post. Add it to my top five list.

Throw in the Cherokee-D, Red Max, and Goblin in that order for my favorite sport kits.

Originally posted by eugenefl
Estes Optima! I just recall how BIG it was! I finally got a hold of one on eBay last year. I remember going to a local launch where composite motors were being flown. I quickly realized how *little* the Optima was. The more I think of it though, for a BP single engined rocket, it *is* big! Maybe one day I'll put it together. I just can't decide on a motor mount.

Click to expand...

Optima, huh?

I told a friend in the local club that I was going to certify CAR L2 (I impulse) on an upscale Solar Probe or Optima. I'd previously had my heart set on the Solar Probe -- I dunno, I just like the shape -- but I don't have to turn transitions for the Optima. So he digs around in his rocketry boxes and pulls out an Optima, new in box, and hands it to me, mine as long as I actually build and fly it.

I laid it out on the floor, and the stock Optima is longer than the scratchbuilt rocket I did for Level 1. I can not believe a rocket like this ever flew on a single 24mm motor, much less that it did so from a wimpy little launch rod. But the sim data backs it up, it'll even fly on a single E9 if you've got six feet of launch rod. Still, I've decided it'll get a motor mount for 4x 24mm (I can always plug two holes for a cheaper flight), and it'll be rail-launched.

Optima w/4x24mm MMTs
""""""""""""""""""""
4x E9-8: 2200'
2x E9-6: 1300'
4x D12-7: 1200'
2x D12-5: 600'

The upscale will be 158% size, using LOC 3.90 airframe, include a 54mm motor mount (you can adapt down, but not up), and it will stand taller than I do.

Hello,
I would have to give an honorable mention to the Shadow (just like the Optima). I like the look of this rocket and it is huge. Only regret is that I built it 5 years ago and I didn't know about cluster engine mounts back then.

Best Regards,
Brian

Along with the Omega, I love the 2-stage Delta Clipper. Same kind of design as the Omega but with smaller diameter body tube. This bird rocks on two D's.

I'm in the process of building a 3X upscale of the Delta Clipper for high power. Next upscale will of course be the Omega.

Like jflis said, there's just something about those trapezoidal fins!

Here's a picture of my favorite OOP kit!

Any rocket from this Estes series: uses some common to all three componets could be in my list....PYTHON....TERRIER-SANDHAWK....SM-3 SEAHAWK!!!

SM-3 SEAHAWK:

OK...I'll add my 2 cents.

I was always partial to the Starlab. Came out in '77 on the front cover of Estes catalog.

- Orbital Transport
- S.S. Casseopeia
- Andromeda
- Centuri X-24 "Bug"

Not necessarily in this order:

Starship Nova, Nova Scout Ship, Manta Bomber, Attack Craft Orion



The Nova Scout Ship was one of my best flyers as a kid.

The Estes Astron Sprint certainly deserves to be mentioned. I'll bet that, as kids, there are more than a few of us that waved good-bye to their Sprints after stuffing a C-powered engine into it just to see what it could do.

Yup, a great kit. I cloned one last year and will be flying it soon....without a C.....not yet, anyway.

Here is my Astron Sprint (built in 1973) on it's 401st flight at NARAM last year, launched by Vern himself

https://fliskits.com/photo_album/naram-45/images02/sprint00.jpg

Here we are after the flight: https://fliskits.com/photo_album/naram-45/images02/sprint01.jpg

that was *so* kewl

The Estes Solar Sailer II... I don't know. For some reason it's just different and kind of cool. About 10 years ago I became a BAR and built one. Before I could even lanuch it the kids put a nice crease in the upper tube :-(. We were getting into it again this past summer( does that make me a BAR^2?) anyway even with a creased tube it flew great... straight and true on the C6-7. So I found another one on e-bay and will built that. Then I would have to say.... Der Red Max(doing the 'D' engine clone) and the Goblin.

Originally posted by swstanton
The Estes Solar Sailer II... I don't know. For some reason it's just different and kind of cool. About 10 years ago I became a BAR and built one. Before I could even lanuch it the kids put a nice crease in the upper tube :-(. We were getting into it again this past summer( does that make me a BAR^2?) anyway even with a creased tube it flew great... straight and true on the C6-7. So I found another one on e-bay and will built that. Then I would have to say.... Der Red Max(doing the 'D' engine clone) and the Goblin.

Click to expand...

You should try an upscale Solar Sailer II built with BT60 tubes (I used a BT52 for the central tube). A spectacular flyer on an E9-6.

Originally posted by jflis
Here is my Astron Sprint (built in 1973) on it's 401st flight at NARAM last year, launched by Vern himself

Click to expand...

401 flights?!? Holy cow. That is *truly* impressive. How much refurbishing have you had to do to her over the years?

I've replaced the shock cord and streamer a number of times. Other than that, she is completely stock (even the flaking decals )

I've never repainted her (not wanting to hide the decals and besides I like the aged look it has). I have reattached a fin or two, have filled a ding or two in the fins. I've soaked the shroud in CA as it was getting *real* weak with age. I have also had to soak the top inch or so of the body tube as she was showing signs of wear.

She is up to 415 now and I hope to have it there for Vern to fly it on 416 (next year I will hopefully have it ready for flight #500 for him.) With this many flights, this age (31 years and going) and with Vern and Gleda's signature, she is a collectable to be sure, but one that I will never part with.

jim

well, now that i know that its oop i guess it would be my python (labled "funky" in my sig)

billEblurzz, i NEED to get the rs files of the other two if they make them... i gotta clone them...

Not nearly as many flights, but almost as old,
I have my original '74 Estes Interceptor.
Still looks fast sittin' still.

Well I gotta chime in here because no one has said anything on behalf of one of MY favorite rockets... The Scrambler!!! I just though that thing was so big powerful and cool I built three of them. Now looking back 20 years I wish I had kept them in kit form and cloned them!!!

HaHa!
We all wish we never opened those kits! Nobody ever heard of cloning back then....you could buy another one at the hobby shop.

I remember throwing together my Astron Farside(saw one go for $300 on Ebay recently) and launching it C-C-C before even painting it. I lost everything but the first booster and managed to set the field on fire

The Farside is in my top 10 along with the Goblin, Vigilante, Blue Bird Zero, Omega, Cobra 1500, Colossus, Maxi Alpha(Not the plastic fin Maxi Alpha III)....
I'm sure I'm forgeting many more....

Any of the historic space rockets: MERCURY ATLAS

Or the futuristic-exotics that I never got to build: MARS SUPER SNOOPER