When does the Estes 2007 catalog come out?

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Originally posted by rocketcrazy
When will we know what's on the menu for next year from Estes?

Rob
Click to expand...

Probably when you see new kits listed between October and December.

For some reason, Estes kits tend to get held up and released later than advertised.

I'm sure that usually those reasons are beyond their control, giving that the kits are "packaged in China".
 
Originally posted by rocketcrazy
When will we know what's on the menu for next year from Estes?

Rob
Click to expand...


Between the title and the message text, you're asking two different questions. The title question is easier. For the past dozen or so years, the catalog (if there is one) comes out in February or March. I remember it coming out the previous September back around 1970.

As to what they've got coming? They announce things throughout the year, usually timed to certain hobby shows, like one in Las Vegas. At these shows, however, some of what they introduce will never make it on the shelves. They are trial balloons. And some will show up on no fixed timetable. They also announce things through the trade magazines.

Of course, they used to announce some things at NARAM, but since the early 90's they don't even send a representative to NARAM.
 
Hmmm.. I didn't realize most of what you guys posted about show unveilings, but I was thinking that whatever ends up in the catalog should end up available to us. Thanks for the info-

Rob
 
Originally posted by rocketcrazy
Hmmm.. I didn't realize most of what you guys posted about show unveilings, but I was thinking that whatever ends up in the catalog should end up available to us. Thanks for the info-

Rob
Click to expand...

Well, there have been times that things that were *in* the catalog never got released. Most famous was back around 1980 when there was a licensing deal with Disney for the Black Hole movie. One rocket did get released (PDR sells a clone of it on Ebay), but there was one big featured rocket that never made it.

In '98 there was supposed to be a large Millenium Falcon as part of the StarWars re-release. The year before, IIRC, there was a model based on a ship from Buzz Aldrin's sci-fi book that never made it, though Buzz himself told me it would be out soon (probably didn't help that the book tanked).
 
There are a couple of different issues coming up here. Licensed merchandise, such as Star Wars, Black Hole, etc. are costly to the company. We have to pay a royalty for the rights to use the images on a per-item basis. The only way this works to our profit is to sell high volume.

Black Hole. I saw that movie. If the movie stinks (it certainly does), how can we expect to sell enough supporting product?

Such was the case with Star Wars ep. I. Stinker. So, we pull the plug, cut our losses, and get out of the deal before we go bankrupt. I personally think every company that produced and lost on Star Wars Phantom Menace merchandise should have legal recourse with ol' Geroge. His product was garbage!

The second issue is release dates. Yes, it DOES happen that a product will be expected, announced, and then pushed back for WHATEVER reasons. Since I've joined the company, we are fighting this trend. We don't announce a new rocket product until the design is done and we have (hopefully) a shipping date from China. I don't personally submit a quote request or engineering package unless my design is solid and ready to roll... er, fly?

The catalog? We get the layout done in December so it can be shipping in January or so. When your local hobby stores put it on their shelves, I cannot say.

What's coming for next year? I'm not telling you that! This goes back to we won't announce a new product until we HAVE a new product. Anyway, it'll ruin the surprise.
 
Originally posted by Roguepink
There are a couple of different issues coming up here. Licensed merchandise, such as Star Wars, Black Hole, etc. are costly to the company. We have to pay a royalty for the rights to use the images on a per-item basis. The only way this works to our profit is to sell high volume.

Black Hole. I saw that movie. If the movie stinks (it certainly does), how can we expect to sell enough supporting product?
Click to expand...

The clue I had with the Black Hole rocket was that it was so early that they used a painting in the catalog, instead of what they usually used, which was a heavily retouched photo of the prototype.

I *didn't* see the movie. I could already tell it was a stinker from early reports!

Such was the case with Star Wars ep. I. Stinker. So, we pull the plug, cut our losses, and get out of the deal before we go bankrupt. I personally think every company that produced and lost on Star Wars Phantom Menace merchandise should have legal recourse with ol' Geroge. His product was garbage!
Click to expand...

Ah, but so were the Estes' products... they were some of the most unsafe rockets we've ever allowed to launch (the masses of kids that came out with their little plastic X-Wings were an insurmountable tide. We just called "heads up" *and* "spread out" and let er rip.

Although, to be fair, at a recent launch, a teen girl jumped up and down for joy when she saw one of the Naboo fighters out on the pad.


The second issue is release dates. Yes, it DOES happen that a product will be expected, announced, and then pushed back for WHATEVER reasons. Since I've joined the company, we are fighting this trend. We don't announce a new rocket product until the design is done and we have (hopefully) a shipping date from China. I don't personally submit a quote request or engineering package unless my design is solid and ready to roll... er, fly?
Click to expand...

//cough\\ Satu--//cough\\ uh.. 1-b//cough\\
 
Originally posted by RoyGreen
Ah, but so were the Estes' products... they were some of the most unsafe rockets we've ever allowed to launch (the masses of kids that came out with their little plastic X-Wings were an insurmountable tide. We just called "heads up" *and* "spread out" and let er rip.
Click to expand...

I have 3 of those little plastic X-Wing fighters, and I flew one of them one time. It really was a cool flight and no one was hit or speared, but that's the one and only time I'll ever fly one of them. Now they're just toys for my kids to play with in the house.
 
Originally posted by Roguepink
Black Hole. I saw that movie. If the movie stinks (it certainly does), how can we expect to sell enough supporting product?
Click to expand...

It was Disney's attempt to jump on the Star Wars bandwagon. Yeah, it was a stinker, but that was pretty much par for anything coming out of the House of Mouse in that era.

And, at that time, the whole merchandising thing was just taking off. No one had predicted just how huge anything related to Star Wars was going to be, and, by 1978, an awful lot of people were convinced that anything that looked kind of like Star Wars (e.g., The Black Hole, Buck Rogers, Battlestar Galactica) would sell, too.

Originally posted by Roguepink
Such was the case with Star Wars ep. I. Stinker. So, we pull the plug, cut our losses, and get out of the deal before we go bankrupt. I personally think every company that produced and lost on Star Wars Phantom Menace merchandise should have legal recourse with ol' Geroge. His product was garbage!
Click to expand...

Yeah, at least Estes can take cold comfort in the fact that some of the biggest marketers in the world got taken to the cleaners on that one, too.
 
Originally posted by Ltvscout
I can't tell you when the catalog is coming out, but here are some new releases and a re-release coming from Estes.

https://forums.rocketshoppe.com/showthread.php?t=1049
Click to expand...

Liquidator #2121
The Liquidator includes a water-tight payload capsule that allows you to launch a payload of water, gelatin, soda, or whatever liquid you want! The water tight capsule recovers slowly on an 18 inch nylon parachute to bring down whatever you are carrying to a soft landing. The rocket recovers on its own 12 inch parachute.
Skill Level 1
Length: 27.0 in.
Diameter: 1.0 in.
Weight (Empty): 5.7 oz.
Recovery System: 12 in. Parachute & 18 in. Nylon Parachute
Max. Altitude (Empty): 626 ft.
Engines: D12-3, D12-5 (with or w/o payload)

Patriarch RTF #1895
The special clear fins allow the rocket to look like the real missile.
Skill Level: Ready-To-Fly
Length: 18.0 in.
Diameter: 1.35 in.
Weight: 2.7 oz.
Recovery System: 12 in. Parachute
Max. Altitude: 600 ft.
Recommended Engines: A8-3, B4-4, B6-4, C6-5

Mean Machine #1295
Now you can fly it on Estes E engines! Now it comes with laser cut fins, an adapter to fly on either D’s or E’s, and a new connector that allows you to quickly break down the rocket for easy transportation to and from the flying field. The Mean MachineTM includes great looking & easy to apply water transfer decals and a pre-assembled 24 in. parachute. New yellow decals too.
Skill Level 2
Length: 79.0 in.
Diameter: 1.64 in.
Weight: 5.8 oz.
Recovery System: 24 in. Parachute
Max. Altitude: 941 ft.
Recommended Engine: D12-3, D12-5, E9-4, E9-6
 
Originally posted by Ltvscout
I can't tell you when the catalog is coming out, but here are some new releases and a re-release coming from Estes.

https://forums.rocketshoppe.com/showthread.php?t=1049
Click to expand...
The Liquidator looks kind of cool, but I don't think I'd want to open the water-tight compartment after a launch if I'd put soda/pop/coke in there.

And the Mean Machine with laser-cut fins, a new mid-body break point, and the ability to fly on D's or E's looks very nice.
 
Liquidator, kit #2121, D or E engine, clear water-tight payload on top. Vinyl decals, blue plastic, black body tubes, bottle descends on it's own nylon 'chute.

Mean Machine redux is the exciting one for me. The mid-point break is two plastic sleeves inserting well into each body half, twist-lock to secure. Yellow lettering on waterslide decals, also very nice. Engine mount is now E sized with a spacer for D engine fit. Just painted up the new photo model. It's a joy to bring this beauty back.

With respect to other forums, THIS info is direct from source.
 
Hey, nice photo of the Liquidator! Hmm... looks familiar... I don't remember putting blue water in it, though.
 
Originally posted by Roguepink
Liquidator, kit #2121, D or E engine, clear water-tight payload on top. Vinyl decals, blue plastic, black body tubes, bottle descends on it's own nylon 'chute.
Click to expand...


So the Liquidator is a shorter version of the Oracle carrier rocket?

Mean Machine redux is the exciting one for me. The mid-point break is two plastic sleeves inserting well into each body half, twist-lock to secure. Yellow lettering on waterslide decals, also very nice. Engine mount is now E sized with a spacer for D engine fit. Just painted up the new photo model. It's a joy to bring this beauty back.

With respect to other forums, THIS info is direct from source.
Click to expand...

You just made a member of our club very happy. Not two weeks ago he sent a message over our Yahoo group entitled "Angry At Estes!" where he bemoaned the absence of the Mean Machine.
 

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