How Old is is the Oldest Rocket You Still Have?

[mbauer]

Estes Saturn V (mid 1980"s)

Mike

 

[nburns]

I still have a couple Estes rockets that my parents got me. They are from the mid 80's. Still fly them every now and then even though most of the flying I do is mid-high power.

Nate

 

[jd2cylman]

Seeing as how I'm a WHOLE YEAR :eyeroll: older than Troj, My original rockets are a little older (in other words, I have no idea what year I built them, or what year I started doing model rocketry) than his. I have a Big Bertha that was a hideous lifesavers pattern that I repainted a few years ago, and my favorite from olden days, a Centuri SST Shuttle that I flew exactly twice before storing it in my parents basement (otherwise known at the time as my build area). Both rockets have plastic nose cones, so they're not the first incarnation, but probably second(ish?). I'm guessing somewhere around the late '70's, maybe '77ish? I don't know how they survived down there all those years (however my dad is a pack rat; as am I). If I remember, I'll post pictures of them later. Must dash. Merry Christmas All!

Adrian

 

[mhanna]

Estes Thor Agena-B from the mid 60's. Still have it.

 

[BobH48]

Astron Sprite. 1967 or 68 can't remember which.

 

[CF-105]

Oldest is an SSV Scorpion. Sadly no longer flyable... but I refuse to part with it. One day I will clone/upscale it!

Second oldest is a UFO Flying Saucer - think "Estes Snitch", but silver/grey plastic, and not RTF. Has racked up as least a bazillion flights. Still flyable, but just barely.

 

[jazzviper1]

My 1970s era FSI Orbit.
Has been re finished, but still has original parts including the chute.
It still flies on 18mm motors,(I had installed an 18mm mount when I originally built it.).

 

[crossfire]

I have a Estes Honest John form about 1971. Tube is getting soft. Plus Grandson's are hard on it. But they always ask me when they come over where is the rocket? So I give in and let them play with it.

 

[Jimmy_B]

I have this Mercury Redstone that I started in '77 or so and never finished but managed to drag it with me for almost 40 years. It is surprisingly complete and undamaged. I started working on it again.

 

[NikeRam]

Still have both a Centuri IRIS and a Javelin. Both purchased and built in 1969. No photos now to attach; maybe later.

 

[jflis]

Oldest I HAD was my 1973 Estes Sprint. I gave it to Vern Estes after he pushed the button on its 500th flight . It was worth it just to see the look on his face

 

[Rocket86]

Another thread got me thinking about my old Estes Mark II that I built in 1971. It cost a whopping $1.00.

Here’s a link from Ninfinger of the 1971 Estes Fall Catalog.https://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/catalogs/estes712/712est56b.html

It’s not my first rocket, lost that one on it’s first flight. Dad didn’t think binoculars were necessary. Finally he said he’d get me a new one if we lost it. Had a new one the next day. Still have it too.

So let’s see those old rockets you old farts!

Here’s a picture of my 43 year old Mark II next to a beat up 2.6 inch upscale we call Mark 2.6. Of course it’s far too old and fragile to fly now.

Nice! Mine is also a Mark II from 1972. No idea how many flights it has made, but it goes up a few times every year. I have an Estes Echo and a Firecat from around 1975 I think, but they aren't currently flyable. The old Mark II just keeps going though.

 

[VonMises]

Oldest I HAD was my 1973 Estes Sprint. I gave it to Vern Estes after he pushed the button on its 500th flight . It was worth it just to see the look on his face

That’s an awesome story. You have some very interestingly peculiar designs, I don’t have any yet, but It’s only a matter of time. The ACME Spitfire is a must have. One of my 4-H kids built the L-13 in the 2011 season. It was a challenge for him, but it turned out great.

I have this Mercury Redstone that I started in '77 or so and never finished but managed to drag it with me for almost 40 years. It is surprisingly complete and undamaged. I started working on it again.

Just out of curiosity, how’s the shock cord?

Nice! Mine is also a Mark II from 1972. No idea how many flights it has made, but it goes up a few times every year. I have an Estes Echo and a Firecat from around 1975 I think, but they aren't currently flyable. The old Mark II just keeps going though.

Indeed the Mark II was one of those rockets that just always performed well. I’m sometimes tempted to put a new shock cord in it. As soon as I can get decent weather, I’ll post pictures of a 3 inch upscale I finished just before Midwest Power. I plan to launch it at Thunderstruck this April.

 

[Maxx Mayhem]

I have an Estes Screamer (mini brute) that last flew and placed in a streamer duration in 1972. It is missing one fin, and the recovery system looks as if it was found along side King Tut. I have a Wizard that is about 12 years or so old, not yet flown, and a Patriot which was an E2x, but I hated its appearance, so I polished the NC and blended the BT to the fin section. That thing is at least 10 years old. I have a few scratch builds dating to the same time.:cyclops:

 

[blueapplepaste]

I have a baby Bertha that's maybe 7-8 yrs old. I fly it every time I launch rockets. Prob has over 100 flights. She just won't die and continues to be one if my favorites.

 

[XrayLizard]

1980's LTV Scout, Built but worse for the storage.
Have a new aftermarket decal set to make scratch build, if I ever get the motivation.

 

[RayGNJ]

I have a Century Alpha 1 and a Javelin that I still fly.

 

[sd_one]

Estes Challenge Series "SR-71 Blackbird"... most of the earlier builds are long gone.

 

[RocketT.Coyote]

I have an Estes 1:35 scale Jupiter C which last flew about 5 years ago.