2015 Estes Catalog Online

[ktchem]

Estes put up an electronic version of the 2015 catalog....I was excited

https://www.estesrockets.com/media//catalogs/Estes_2015_Catalog.pdf

 

[jazzviper1]

I know I will get flamed for this, but.
I was disappointed.
Only a few new kits, and none of them are must haves.
No new mid power kits.
I miss Semroc.

 

[ktchem]

Nope, I agree...once in was a bit disappointed. But this is only my 2nd catalog after coming back, so everything was "new" to me last 2014 catalog. The only "new" 2015 rocket I am interested in is the Mercury Redstone. I'm hoping the kids are still excited when the paper edition arrives. The 2014 one got lots of love (and it shows)

 

[TopRamen]

I'm not excited in the least either.
Booo!!!
Just a bunch of Plastic Crap. Same old stuff plus like 3 new things.

 

[mjennings]

I agree there are a few cool ones but not much. The scorpion and lynx are cool especially since they are 13mm I might pick those up to fly in small areas, but most of the rest likely not.

 

[RKeller]

I now they aren't for everyone, but my 7yr old son is excited for the mix n match kits. they may be "plastic crap" but they are perfect for kids to make what they want with no adult assistance or influence.

 

[IcyMind]

Well even if some of the stuff is the same, once thing that amazed me in this hobby is the customization. I would say take a kit and use a different technique, or bash it. There is a lot of potential.

 

[shrox]

The cover is not exciting. I would have made it exciting.

 

[ThirstyBarbarian]

Not a lot here that is grabbing me. I've got all the PSII builder kits already. Most of the LPR is not very inspiring. I probably will get a Mercury Redstone, but that might be it.

 

[foamy]

How many garishly decorated RTF, 2EX and Crayon rockets does the line need? Whatever happened to the yellow pages that gave you all you needed to know about building and flying model rockets?

I feel like three quarters of the product offerings are disposable toys. No background to pique a youngster's curiosity, no copy to fire an imagination, no instruction to educate and keep someone interested in the hobby.

 

[Charles_McG]

Still waiting for the crayon box launcher.

 

[samb]

The company has survived in a niche market since 1959. It's been long established that the .1 percenters on TRF are not their main market, yet we still get a more or less direct pipeline to the director of R&D here (jumpjet). I will always love the 1969 catalog (https://www.ninfinger.org/rockets/nostalgia/69estcat.html) because it represents my bright and shining youth (and the year Estes sold his company to Damon) but last I saw the calendar read 20 and 15 Anno Domini. Go Estes ! Save me a Mercury Redstone.

 

[shreadvector]

The yellow pages left the expensive printed catalog in the 1970's. They became white and available in a separate document.

They have been available FREE for many, many years, along with all the other technical reports that you used to have to pay for.

https://www2.estesrockets.com/pdf/2819_Estes_Model_Rocketry_Technical_Manual.pdf
last updated in 2012.

https://www2.estesrockets.com/cgi-bin/wedu001P.pgm?p=publicat

How many garishly decorated RTF, 2EX and Crayon rockets does the line need? Whatever happened to the yellow pages that gave you all you needed to know about building and flying model rockets?

I feel like three quarters of the product offerings are disposable toys. No background to pique a youngster's curiosity, no copy to fire an imagination, no instruction to educate and keep someone interested in the hobby.

 

[JumpJet]

Yay Estes !

Not sure if I've ever met Samb in person, but I like him already.

Estes Catalogs only show new stuff that didn't make it into the previous years catalog or new stuff that will be available early the following year. This leaves a whole lot of time during the rest of the year for other new stuff to come out. Of course most of you will find this other new stuff boring and of little interest, it wont grab your attention, has boring Deco's and with some being disposable toys. All I kind say is, thank goodness we sale a lot of boring looking disposable toys to the masses out there so the other stuff of little interest that doesn't grab your attention can still be produced. :wink:

John Boren

Maybe someone can start a positive thread on what people believe Estes should produce, and no, the B14 motor isn't going to happen. Lets see if you can get 20 people to agree on the exact same thing, and I'm not talking about 20 people wanting the same discontinued kit being brought back. Think new and exciting stuff that more than .1 percent of the fliers out there might be interested in. I'll read the thread and maybe I'll "Learn Something" as stated on the NCIS New Orleans TV show.

 

[ThirstyBarbarian]

I'm sure Estes knows its market really well and does a successful business. My local Hobby Lobby usually is fully stocked with several dozens of kits hanging up on the wall, maybe another dozen starter sets, and good selection of motors. I went in after Christmas, and it was almost completely sold out! Seriously, there were maybe 5 kits left and a few motors. So the company seems to be doing something right.

We on TRF are not the typical mass-market audience, and that's why it may be that the bulk of the catalog does not inspire us. But I think there are some holes in the lineup that would appeal to me if they were filled.

How about some builder kits for the E16 and F15 motors? The PSII builder kits are too big, and the E2X kits don't inspire builders. I also like BT80 kits or heavy walled 2" airframe for 24mm motors. How about more in that space? Maybe more upscales of classic LPR for larger motors?

My thought about E2X and RTF is that if you are going to make rockets out of molded plastic, then go all in and do some interesting plastic models that would be really hard to build otherwise, not 3FNC out of molded plastic. How about RTF Sci-Fi ships or military jets? I like the Trajector --- interesting molded NC and fin pods that would be hard to build without molded plastic. Speaking of plastic, more nosecones, please!

I also don't see why there aren't more cool electronics. People are taping keychain cameras to their rockets! Why not an easy to use camera module for HD video? Why not a more sophisticated altimeter? Why not beepers? How about a "science payload" with all of these things built in?

 

[les]

Lets see if you can get 20 people to agree on the exact same thing

Right.....
Based on previous threads on CATO, Over-building, wet sanding primer, etc. I'm not sure we can get 20 people to agree on anything :wink:

While I may not be interested in 3FNC rockets, or most things skill level 1 or lower, I understand the need for these kits as entry level.
Also given the typical need for "instant gratification", the ability to buy a launch set from x mart and hit the school yard on the way home is satisfied.
I have no issues with Estes, or any company offering these products and can make no complaints about them.


Meanwhile, I rejoice at the various kits that have come out the are interesting and unique - Black Star Voyager, Asteroid Hunter, Cobra, Xarconian Cruiser, to name a few. These have had some new build techniques and designs that I really appreciate. Add in the re-releases of such favorites as the Satellite Interceptor, Interceptor (and it's big E upscale brother) and I am extremely happy.

The Estes line over the decades accounts for half of my fleet of built and "yet to be built" rockets (which is a significant number!).
It was an Estes rocket that got me started way too many years ago.

So while there may be some whining about things people may wish existed, I would like to instead thank Estes for their efforts and the long support of our rocketry family.

Please keep selling the starter stuff to get new people interested and involved. And then please keep coming up with gems for us 0.1%!
Thanks
Les

 

[K'Tesh]

John Boren

Maybe someone can start a positive thread on what people believe Estes should produce...

Already done

 

[JumpJet]

Post #15


I agree with most everything you mentioned and you just might see some of it this year or the next.


John Boren

 

[ThirstyBarbarian]

Post #15


I agree with most everything you mentioned and you just might see some of it this year or the next.


John Boren

Cool! Any of these things would get my attention.

 

[hcmbanjo]

How about some builder kits for the E16 and F15 motors? The PSII builder kits are too big, and the E2X kits don't inspire builders. Maybe more upscales of classic LPR for larger motors?
Why not a more sophisticated altimeter?

Ditto on the Thirsty Barbarian's post. (I left in the stuff I was most interested in!)

 

[JRThro]

Not sure if I've ever met Samb in person, but I like him already.

Estes Catalogs only show new stuff that didn't make it into the previous years catalog or new stuff that will be available early the following year. This leaves a whole lot of time during the rest of the year for other new stuff to come out. Of course most of you will find this other new stuff boring and of little interest, it wont grab your attention, has boring Deco's and with some being disposable toys. All I kind say is, thank goodness we sale a lot of boring looking disposable toys to the masses out there so the other stuff of little interest that doesn't grab your attention can still be produced. :wink:

John Boren

Maybe someone can start a positive thread on what people believe Estes should produce, and no, the B14 motor isn't going to happen. Lets see if you can get 20 people to agree on the exact same thing, and I'm not talking about 20 people wanting the same discontinued kit being brought back. Think new and exciting stuff that more than .1 percent of the fliers out there might be interested in. I'll read the thread and maybe I'll "Learn Something" as stated on the NCIS New Orleans TV show.

John, keep doing what you're doing!
We understand that Estes is in business to stay in business, so I definitely understand that Estes produces and sells a lot of kits that many TRF'ers aren't interested in.
(BTW, I met you in 2010 at SHACJam in Texas, for the world record model rocket launch.)

 

[samb]

Not sure if I've ever met Samb in person, but I like him already.

...

Nice of you to say. I'm sure we haven't met but if I make it to NARAM this year I'll be sure to look you up.

 

[TopRamen]

I think what happened is that most of us had our first rocketry experiences with Estes Products, and as we grew older and our Tastes changed, we just wanted our Estes Rockets to evolve with us.
I'll always love Estes as a brand.
Hopefully they are to youngsters of today what they were to me when I was a youngster.

 

[Steven]

I now they aren't for everyone, but my 7yr old son is excited for the mix n match kits. they may be "plastic crap" but they are perfect for kids to make what they want with no adult assistance or influence.

Tell your seven year old a fifty five year old is excited too!

 

[SCIGS30]

Good job a Estes keep up the good work.

 

[ThirstyBarbarian]

I think what happened is that most of us had our first rocketry experiences with Estes Products, and as we grew older and our Tastes changed, we just wanted our Estes Rockets to evolve with us.
I'll always love Estes as a brand.
Hopefully they are to youngsters of today what they were to me when I was a youngster.

That is exactly right on. I have so many great memories of building and flying Estes rockets, and I have a pretty good stack of them yet to build and fly. But for the time being, I'm really enjoying MPR and HPR --- not Estes strong area.

And I don't really expect them to move into that area either. Big rockets that need high thrust do not do anything to move their bread and butter black powder motor sales. From a business point of view, I can see them sticking with rockets built around their BP motors. What would satisfy my interest in MPR/HPR, while keeping to BP motors would be builder kits for E16 and F15, and some cluster rockets for 24mm and 29mm.

 

[ktchem]

From what I could telling going through the price lists from the 2014 vs 2015 catalogs, below is what has been discontinued. The ones I hate to see go are D-Region, Mega Mosquito, and Super and Maxi Alpha.

802 Quark
886 Gnome (though available in bulk pack)
1896 Puma
2470 Scrappy
2471 Slinger
1906 Rascal (though available in a launch set)
2117 Screaming Eagle
2401 Solar Flare
2430 Goldstrike
2456 Loadstar
3016 Long Tom
3022 Payloader II
3025 Photon Disruptor
3208 Ricochet
3209 Space Eagle
3211 Plasma Probe
3216 Super Alpha
7219 Dark Energy
1300 Blue Ninja
1302 CC Express
1335 Mega Mosquito
1903 Maxi Alpha III (though available in a launch set)
1950 Eliminator
3037 D-Region Tomahawk

 

[K'Tesh]

From what I could telling going through the price lists from the 2014 vs 2015 catalogs, below is what has been discontinued. The ones I hate to see go are D-Region, Mega Mosquito, and Super and Maxi Alpha.

Nice analysis! Now would be a good time to pick up the ones you want before they're gone.

 

[ThirstyBarbarian]

From what I could telling going through the price lists from the 2014 vs 2015 catalogs, below is what has been discontinued. The ones I hate to see go are D-Region, Mega Mosquito, and Super and Maxi Alpha.

802 Quark
886 Gnome (though available in bulk pack)
1896 Puma
2470 Scrappy
2471 Slinger
1906 Rascal (though available in a launch set)
2117 Screaming Eagle
2401 Solar Flare
2430 Goldstrike
2456 Loadstar
3016 Long Tom
3022 Payloader II
3025 Photon Disruptor
3208 Ricochet
3209 Space Eagle
3211 Plasma Probe
3216 Super Alpha
7219 Dark Energy
1300 Blue Ninja
1302 CC Express
1335 Mega Mosquito
1903 Maxi Alpha III (though available in a launch set)
1950 Eliminator
3037 D-Region Tomahawk

Dang! MA3 and Mega Mosquito! There goes two of the few remaining BT80 kits. Are there any left? V2 maybe? The MA3 was one of my favorites to make as a gift for someone because it was cheap, easy to build in a day, big, fun to decorate, and a good flyer. Ive got several unbuilt in my pile, so I'll be fixed for gifts for awhile. But still, you'd think they'd consult me first...

Some of those on the list I think were re-issues of past OOP kits, so I'm not surprised they are going away.

I kind of regret selling my D Region Tomahawk. I sold because I thought I would never build it. But that was a cool kit. Maybe I should have held onto it. Oh, well...

 

[ktchem]

I have D-Region, Mega Mosquito, and Super and Maxi Alpha....have built the Mosquito and Maxi and have an extra Mosquito...thinking about getting another Maxi.

The V2 is still there and I believe it is a BT80.