Is the Estes Pro Series ll “Majestic” a good buy?

The Rocketry Forum

Help Support The Rocketry Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Jacob

Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2018
Messages
24
Reaction score
1
I was browsing model rockets and I found this one, it looks really nice, and handles powerful motors. Is it a good first mid-power rocket?
 
Estes PSII E2X rockets are a great way to get started in MPR rocketry. They build out nicely, give you some experience using epoxy adhesives, and are easy to modify if you get the urge. Estes currently offers the Prowler launch set for under $40 on their website. Other than color and nose cone shape it’s pretty much the same thing as the Majestic.
 
Is there a lot of motor options that would work in it? Like, I can use engines from apogee or quest or some other company?
 
Plenty of motors will safely fly an Estes Majestic or Prowler. Estes “full-size” BP 24mm E and F motors with the 24/29 adapter and the Estes 29mm BP motors work great. Aerotech makes a variety of composite motors - both single use and reloadable - that should work too but you’ll need to leave out the engine block so the longer ones will fit. Just means using a masking tape thrust ring on the aft of the 29mm BP motors - the Estes 24/29 adapters already have one.
 
Some of those AeroTech motors aren’t really cylinders like the Estes ones, does that change anything?
 
The Majestic is a good intro to mid power. Especially if you have the Hobby Lobby app on your phone and use their 40% off coupon!
 
Some of those AeroTech motors aren’t really cylinders like the Estes ones, does that change anything?

Not if you leave out the engine block. That way longer motors and motors with different case geometry can fit in. Just remember to make a tape ring on the smooth cylinder BP motors (I do one wrap of 1/4" masking tape, with a wrap of 1/2" over it. works great)
 
Mrs Santa gave me a Majestic for Christmas as well... must have been quite popular at Hobby Lobby this season (?) I looked over the components last night, looks like it should build really easy as is. Right now the only mods I plan are replacing the waste-band shock cord with something not-so-boingy; and to leave out the motor block.
 
Mrs Santa gave me a Majestic for Christmas as well... must have been quite popular at Hobby Lobby this season (?) I looked over the components last night, looks like it should build really easy as is. Right now the only mods I plan are replacing the waste-band shock cord with something not-so-boingy; and to leave out the motor block.


I just got this a few days ago from HL (looking for something that can go together with no painting due to weather). What are you planning on replacing the shock cord with ? Also , has anybody modified the body tube to allow usage of a payload bay? I would like to use an altimeter with this to check actual height against what Rocksim estimates. (By the way, congratulation to DRAGON 64 on your weight loss, are you on a plan of some kind? )
 
s. Right now the only mods I plan are replacing the waste-band shock cord with something not-so-boingy

Give it to me, I like them!

Also , has anybody modified the body tube to allow usage of a payload bay? I would like to use an altimeter with this to check actual height against what Rocksim estimates. (By the way, congratulation to DRAGON 64 on your weight loss, are you on a plan of some kind? )

I've seen an Ascender modified with an ebay, but that will increase the weight to the point where Estes BPs won't be good for it anymore. Easiest option is to hang an estes or Jolly Logic Altimeter 1/2/3 from the nose loop
 
I just got this a few days ago from HL (looking for something that can go together with no painting due to weather). What are you planning on replacing the shock cord with ? Also , has anybody modified the body tube to allow usage of a payload bay? I would like to use an altimeter with this to check actual height against what Rocksim estimates. (By the way, congratulation to DRAGON 64 on your weight loss, are you on a plan of some kind? )

I have some kevlar that is small enough for the build that should work well for shockcord replacement.

No plan, just life-style changes.
 
I have several majestics in my collection, it’s a fun rocket to experiment with different loads in, and goes together in a snap, after tearing a fin with a G77R at Bama Blastoff I do recommend a bit of tape over the leading edge of the fins if you’re really pushing it, the chromed fins are glued from the factory and do have some gaps between the halves that can lead to shredded fins if your pushing it hard, I haven’t seen this with my other PSII E2X line rockets that I glued the fin halves together myself and clamped so they were tight...

With the 40% off at hobby lobby or for 26.99 every day there’s a lot of fun to be had there for under 30 bucks and if you send it high with a G reload the chrome fins and nose make it easy to track
 
I was going to try and get some rockets off of my build pallet before I start another kit, but this could be completed in an evening. Since it already has a color wrap and chromed parts, I do not need to wait on painting etc. I plan to build this rocket this evening with no mods, just as is... including keeping the elastic shock cord.
 
I was going to try and get some rockets off of my build pallet before I start another kit, but this could be completed in an evening. Since it already has a color wrap and chromed parts, I do not need to wait on painting etc. I plan to build this rocket this evening with no mods, just as is... including keeping the elastic shock cord.

It’s definitely something you can put together in an evening all you need is some epoxy and some sandpaper to rough up the glue surfaces a bit. Only upgrades I did to mine were leaving the engine block out, a long Kevlar shock cord since I had some laying around, and conformal (glue on) rail guides. Those can always be added after the fact though. But they do look cool and are nice for club launches
 
It’s definitely something you can put together in an evening all you need is some epoxy and some sandpaper to rough up the glue surfaces a bit. Only upgrades I did to mine were leaving the engine block out, a long Kevlar shock cord since I had some laying around, and conformal (glue on) rail guides. Those can always be added after the fact though. But they do look cool and are nice for club launches
Any particular adhesive you’d recommend for the conformal guides? I bought some but haven’t used them yet - haven’t made it to a cub launch for a long time...
 
I used Bob Smith 15 minute for the guides on mine but I’ve used loctite 5 minute on other rockets with equal success just wash em really good with dish soap to get the mold release off and scuff up the contact area with rough sandpaper and should be good to go

I do recommend JB weld for the retainer though seems to hold up to heat better if using big reloads...

I fly the guides and lugs on mine so I can launch from just about wherever

View attachment 371616
 
Lastly if you want a fun motor without spending too much and getting your feet wet with composites I recommend the F67 from aerotech, it’s a single use motor, drops right in, and comes in a 2 pack for 28 bucks without hazmat fee... will clear almost 2000 ft on a single stage... between the tracking smoke and chrome fins keeps in within visual range pretty easily.
 
DankMemes, does the Jolly Logic Chute Release fit inside the Majestic easily? This might help motivate me to get one if I can fly it on slightly smaller fields using the JLCR.
 
DankMemes, does the Jolly Logic Chute Release fit inside the Majestic easily? This might help motivate me to get one if I can fly it on slightly smaller fields using the JLCR.

All the pro series II rockets, e2x anyway feature a 2 inch tube and the JLCR fits in there with plenty of room. I fly majestic ascender and Trajector all consistently with the chute release.

I do recommend mounting the shock cord mount a little further back towards the rear of the model than recommended in the instructions to give you a little extra room to play with, a few inches further back is all that is need and can make it way easier to pack

Side note, Unrelated I did have problems with the chutes inflating but after lengthy discussion with John Beans the manufacturer of the release on this forum we were able to diagnose the issue as the chutes being packed too fluffy... after in folded and rolled them into a tight hard pack and then attached the chute release haven’t had any issues since... the Estes chutes are a thick vinyl and the release bands can dig in and grab so you need to pack em tight
 
I will either 3D print some rail guides for this build, or use some 3-piece guides that I picked up many years ago. The 3-piece guides are purple (lavender) in color and may go well with the color scheme of the kit. So yeah, probably another mod I will do then... but it is a minor mod.
 
Back
Top