Vintage Estes Pro-Series Patriot Missile

[Darren Nolan]

Someone gave me a vintage Estes Pro Series Patriot rocket last weekend. She takes 4 x D-engines. Paint just dried...turned out pretty good!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Z9oSkDn274ZkMsSN7

https://photos.app.goo.gl/c366f2HfUah39dY57

 

[dpower]

It's great to see old kits brought to life. Nice work, report back on it's maiden launch!

 

[samb]

Wow ! “Someone” really really likes you. Thanks for sharing.

 

[samb]

Wow ! “Someone” really really likes you. Thanks for sharing that beauty.

 

[Nytrunner]

Nice! Does it have the longer tubes and hooks for loading E's?

Mine is developing a case of the Red Plague and will need serious debriding soon.

 

[Darren Nolan]

Nice! Does it have the longer tubes and hooks for loading E's?

Mine is developing a case of the Red Plague and will need serious debriding soon. View attachment 406750

What’s funny about this question is that the second I built up the motor mounts and placed the stabilizer rings around the tubes with the engine hooks I realized they were only for D size and now it was too late to do E size because at least you can got from E to D but not D to E. So I’m stuck/committed to D’s unfortunately.

 

[Darren Nolan]

Wow ! “Someone” really really likes you. Thanks for sharing that beauty.

I posted a pictures of my Saturn V launch recently that went disastrously. I had posted the launch date/time on Facebook and to my surprise about 12-15 people showed up to watch the launch. One of the guys who came was my dads old friend from a computer engineering company years and years ago. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 1992-1995 my dad bought this guy the Estes Patriot for his birthday. It sat in his attic all those years and he saw on FB all the rockets I build so he gave it to me. I didn’t realize these rockets go for hundreds of dollars on eBay!

 

[Darren Nolan]

It's great to see old kits brought to life. Nice work, report back on it's maiden launch!

I sure will!

 

[Nytrunner]

I posted a pictures of my Saturn V launch recently that went disastrously. I had posted the launch date/time on Facebook and to my surprise about 12-15 people showed up to watch the launch. One of the guys who came was my dads old friend from a computer engineering company years and years ago. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 1992-1995 my dad bought this guy the Estes Patriot for his birthday. It sat in his attic all those years and he saw on FB all the rockets I build so he gave it to me. I didn’t realize these rockets go for hundreds of dollars on eBay!

Sounds about right timeframe. I bought mine on the Yard Sale section of the forum a couple years ago, and it has "Package Sample w/ E conversion kit 12/8/92" sharpie'd on the box.
Take care of that rocket! It's a classic. If you haven't launched a cluster motor rocket before, may want to practice on the Estes SideKick or a simpler rocket so nothing unfortunate befalls your Patriot.

For the heck of it, I made a solid model of it last year for posterity

 

[samb]

I posted a pictures of my Saturn V launch recently that went disastrously. I had posted the launch date/time on Facebook and to my surprise about 12-15 people showed up to watch the launch. One of the guys who came was my dads old friend from a computer engineering company years and years ago. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 1992-1995 my dad bought this guy the Estes Patriot for his birthday. It sat in his attic all those years and he saw on FB all the rockets I build so he gave it to me. I didn’t realize these rockets go for hundreds of dollars on eBay!

That is some amazing karma ! You’re dad’s generosity comes around to you. So now you need to think about the amps required to light 4 motors at the same time. At least 2 amps per is number and the controller wiring needs to be robust enough to deliver it in a timely manner. You might consider seeking out a local club who probably has exactly what you need.


https://estesrockets.com/wp-content/uploads/Educator/2811_Estes_Model_Rocket_Launch_Systems.pdf

 

[John Taylor]

If you want to spend a little extra money on the motors fly the single use E30's. They are Blue Thunder and light easely. That'll give it a real boost!!!

 

[John Taylor]

Personally I built mine with a single 29mm motor mount.
Have flown it on F40's and G motors many times. Even a H128 a time or two. Much more reliable and performance.

 

[rharshberger]

Sounds about right timeframe. I bought mine on the Yard Sale section of the forum a couple years ago, and it has "Package Sample w/ E conversion kit 12/8/92" sharpie'd on the box.
Take care of that rocket! It's a classic. If you haven't launched a cluster motor rocket before, may want to practice on the Estes SideKick or a simpler rocket so nothing unfortunate befalls your Patriot.

For the heck of it, I made a solid model of it last year for posterity

Nice work on the 3d version, two questions would you be willing to share that 3d model, and do you have a .rkt or .ork that you could share? Since you built yours stock the one I was gifted built should be pretty close, and good OR or RS file would be appreciated.

 

[Nytrunner]

Nice work on the 3d version, two questions would you be willing to share that 3d model, and do you have a .rkt or .ork that you could share? Since you built yours stock the one I was gifted built should be pretty close, and good OR or RS file would be appreciated.

Absolutely! I'll update my sim with closer to final weight. Now, do you just want the solid model, or do you want the PDF I created with all the part dimensions?

I'll post them to the Patriot Gallery so so as not to further derail Darren's thread (unless he wants them too)

 

[BMcD]

I have one of these partially built - the cluster motor mount is built, and it is built with D sized engine hooks. If I want to change directions and build it with a 29mm mount, how much of a pain will that be? What is involved in connecting the fins to the motor mount?

 

[Nytrunner]

I have one of these partially built - the cluster motor mount is built, and it is built with D sized engine hooks. If I want to change directions and build it with a 29mm mount, how much of a pain will that be? What is involved in connecting the fins to the motor mount?

The fins are glued in between those ribs connecting the forward centering rings (you can just about make them out in my exploded view).

That makes the fin mount Very strong, but not removable. Unless you glued the fins to the body, and then glued the ribs onto the tabs inside rhe body (tricky), and made used the slots in the centering rings of the 4x24 and made matching slots in the 1x29 mount. You could even use the slots as a sort of locking mechanism if you can slide the front ring over the tab/ribs, and then turn it so they keep the mount in place. Would take creativity, but i bet you could come up with something.

 

[John Taylor]

I have one of these partially built - the cluster motor mount is built, and it is built with D sized engine hooks. If I want to change directions and build it with a 29mm mount, how much of a pain will that be? What is involved in connecting the fins to the motor mount?

Have you installed the motor mount into the airframe?
If you have not, purchase a 29mm motor mount to fit the airframe. This is what I did.

 

[samb]

If anyone is considering ditching the Pro Patriot 4-barrel motor mount please PM me to see if we can work a deal. I like clusters. And I really like that particular kit.

 

[billeblurzz]

That is a very fun flying rocket on 4 d12-5 motors. One of my favorites and really well built! Do not fly it on d12-3s. The delay was way too early resulting in a big zipper on my first flight...but I repaired it and have flown many times over the years! The d12s are all you need!

 

[rocketron1948]

The kit came with a 4 engine cluster motor mount that would take the old Estes E15 motors which were shorter than the D12's. If you want to keep the 4 engine cluster mount you would want to modify it to take the longer E12's. I flew mine once on 4 D12-7's. It was a perfect flight.

 

[rocketron1948]

This was a great kit. Here's mine it has flown once!

https://www.angelfire.com/space/r_watkins/EstesPatriotScale.html#patriotscale

 

[Initiator001]

For an 'amusing' look at the history of the original Estes Pro Series kits, check out this thread over on YORF:

https://forums.rocketshoppe.com/showthread.php?t=8736

 

[Nytrunner]

I wonder if the plans for the Maxi-force and Impulse are still around somewhere. I'm really looking forward to attempting cluster launches with the patriot

 

[kuririn]

https://plans.rocketshoppe.com/estes/est2065/est2065.htm

 

[kuririn]

My nekkid cloner:



Haven't seen plans for the Impulse.
(Or I would have cloned it already).

 

[Nytrunner]

Oop, found some

https://www.rocketryforum.com/threads/scans-of-the-estes-pro-series-impulse-2064.126601/

 

[billeblurzz]

Initiator...I thoroughly enjoyed the link to the history of the pro series kits! That was the time of my entry to the model rocketry hobby. I have those kits and have enjoyed them over the years. The pro series launch controller and pad are still used to this day!