Estes RTF 1/200 Space Shuttle advertisement arrives!

[turbofireball]

Estes has begun advertising the RTF 1/200 Space Shuttle. Image of the ad is attached.

The ad appeared in Hobby Merchandiser, an industry magazine. Estes advertises in it every month. More info will appear in the 2024 Estes catalog.
No delivery date or pricing has been announced. Assume Estes will make their own announcement on social media and by email when closer to the availability date.

For those of you who wanted a rerelease of the #1284 Space Shuttle, I heard many years ago that the tooling for that is long gone. Estes made that kit from 1976 to 1998 (or 1999). 23 years is a long time for the tooling for vacuform parts to survive.

 

[kuririn]

Do you know if the orbiter is plastic or foam?

 

[mh9162013]

Definitely not impressed, but I'm glad Estes is producing this as I imagine it'll make them some good money.

I'm curious about the fuel tank nose cone, though. Would that nose cone fit a BT-60 main body tube?

 

[turbofireball]

Do you know if the orbiter is plastic or foam?

Just an assumption, but looking at the picture, the paint detailing suggests it is plastic. Maybe similar to the blow molded technology of the DARC-1 kit that Estes made.

 

[Rschub]

DARC-1 is not glider recovery from what I can see. They are saying the shuttle glides back.

 

[BEC]

I don't know. The 1/200 Saturn V works reasonably well (especially on a Q-Jet C12-4) for what it is. I passed on the SLS and the New Shepard, but I will at least take a look at this (once it gets to AC Supply — if it does). I hope it's lighter than the Saturn because the Estes C5-3 is really the only viable Estes motor for that one unless it is quite calm. And the C6-3 and C5-3 are called out for this shuttle.

DARC-1 does not glide.

 

[WillMarchant]

I love anything Shuttle! The RTF Saturn V is good for small field demo flights and looks good on a display table. So I’ll buy a couple of RTF Shuttle stacks.

 

[MALBAR 70]

Nothing compares to the Dr.Zooch Shuttle

 

[Scott_650]

Nothing compares to the Dr.Zooch Shuttle

View attachment 607180

That’s one of many I’d like to see eRockets put back in production!

 

[MALBAR 70]

That’s one of many I’d like to see eRockets put back in production!

Me too, they went OOP before I could do a Moonraker Orbiter.

 

[Vitruvius]

Me too, they went OOP before I could do a Moonraker Orbiter.

Amen!!!!!!!

 

[WillMarchant]

The Nov/Dec Sport Rocketry is out and has what looks like the same advertisement. Glide recovery for Orbiter but no details that I saw.

 

[BABAR]

I don't know. The 1/200 Saturn V works reasonably well (especially on a Q-Jet C12-4) for what it is. I passed on the SLS and the New Shepard, but I will at least take a look at this (once it gets to AC Supply — if it does). I hope it's lighter than the Saturn because the Estes C5-3 is really the only viable Estes motor for that one unless it is quite calm. And the C6-3 and C5-3 are called out for this shuttle.

DARC-1 does not glide.

When is Estes gonna learn to put 24 mm motor mounts in really draggy rockets like this?

 

[mh9162013]

When is Estes gonna learn to put 24 mm motor mounts in really draggy rockets like this?

They probably want to avoid scaring away novice rocketeers who might balk at the idea of using anything other than C impulse engines and 1/8" rod launch pads.

 

[WillMarchant]

When is Estes gonna learn to put 24 mm motor mounts in really draggy rockets like this

The Quest Q-Jet D16-4 is great for the RTF Saturn V. I'll probably give that a go for the RTF Shuttle.

 

[GlenP]

As a freshman in high school, I got to see one launch in person, STS-7, the flight with Sally Ride. That was an amazing show even from across the river in Titusville. You see the cloud, then the rocket getting lifted on the bright plumes and column of smoke climbing into the sky. Then you feel the rising rumble emanating from the epicenter as it makes it way and gets louder, and LOUDER, and you wonder how loud is the sound going to get? I was just starting to play guitar and had Saturn V and Space Shuttle posters on the wall in my room.



A great historical perspective in two Volumes on the program and the development for those who were not around to remember or those who were and might have forgotten:
https://www.amazon.com/Space-Shuttle-Decision-1965-1972-History/dp/1588340147https://www.amazon.com/History-Space-Shuttle-Two-Development/dp/1588342859
About 20 years later, I got to go on a work trip to see STS-114 Discovery on the pad in preparation for the first Return to Flight launch. I was not there for the actual launch. I think it got scrubbed and they may have even returned to the VAB once before the flight after this trip.

 

[train42]

Any guesses as to when the release date will be announced? I don't know how far in advance Estes typically advertises their products.

 

[Farship]

It might be very soon, I found this when googling the model.
https://www.activepowersports.com/estes-rockets-space-shuttle-9991/

 

[Back_at_it]

It might be very soon, I found this when googling the model.
https://www.activepowersports.com/estes-rockets-space-shuttle-9991/

Unfortunately I wouldn't put any faith in something that Active Powersports lists. They have a long history of scamming buyers. They list items as in stock when they don't have them and they don't have dates for when the next shipment will arrive. Being in the RC world, I've had a run in with them where they advertised a newly released item at a really reasonable price. I ordered it and waited, waited, waited. Ended up letting the credit card company go after them as they refused a refund after 4 months of fighting with them. It was always the same story, the item will be here Friday.

 

[GlenP]

It’s coming in about two weeks…

 

[kuririn]

The slow boat from China must have sprung a leak.

 

[Saluki]

I don't think it's going to make it by Christmas. Maybe next year.

 

[Benjy]

I'm hearing rumors of a tentative February release now but who knows?

 

[WillMarchant]

It's up on the Estes site for pre-order with an estimated March 20 shipping date. Note that the pre-order process won't let you select the shipping insurance. I've asked Estes to fix that.

 

[dpower]

It's up on the Estes site for pre-order with an estimated March 20 shipping date. Note that the pre-order process won't let you select the shipping insurance. I've asked Estes to fix that.

And we can't get free shipping by adding $20 worth of other stuff, since they won't let a pre-order be combined with items in stock. I've sent a query, I'll post here if I get a response.

 

[cfoster3448]

It’s coming in about two weeks…

Great movie BTW!!!

 

[kuririn]

Available now on the Estes website.

 

[WillMarchant]

Mine is supposed to arrive tomorrow so they appear to be in transit in the wild.

 

[That Rocket Man]

Nothing compares to the Dr.Zooch Shuttle

View attachment 607180

How well did the shuttle glide?

 

[MALBAR 70]

How well did the shuttle glide?

I got lucky, the Shuttle glides awesome. It's one of my top ten favorite fliers.