Estes gives you the chance to bring one rocket back. What would it be?

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Once upon a time, my fantasy reissues were the 1/70 scale Saturn IB, Orbital Transport, and Mars Lander. Since then they've all had either re-issues or Semroc clones. Other great kits are pretty cloneable--I've already done a BT-60 scaleup of the Astron Constellation using a Sprint XL kit and some clear BT-60 from Apogee (though if they added injection-molded fin-tip pods, that would be great). So I think now my suggestion would be the LTV Scout.

Constellation-Upscale-27.jpg
 
Fat boy is a cool rocket. I launch mine on an Estes D12
24mm mount.
I flew my 20-year old Fat Boy on an E20-7W a few weeks ago. Back in the day, guys used to cram much larger motors into this rocket. It would be a popular rocket if it was reissued.
 
Estes Snitch - Why? Because it is a great kit for doing school demonstrations. The children can easily see the whole flight: all the smoke, fire, the turn over at apogee, everything. Lands fine on grass, asphalt, cement, dirt, about anything. Wish they were available again. TOO EXPENSIVE on Ebay. $40 plus shipping? You've got to be kidding.
 
I'd love to see the 1/35th scale Mercury Atlas. I love the 1970's classic kits, but a lot of them have either been brought back, are available as clone kits, or are easily clone-able.

While it is not a kit, I would absolutely love to see the B14 series of motors come back. They were a great way to lift heavier or draggy 18mm rockets. 18mm composites are always an option for some these cases, but you need black powder for multi-stagers, and you just can't beat good ol' B14s.
 
Estes Snitch - Why? Because it is a great kit for doing school demonstrations. The children can easily see the whole flight: all the smoke, fire, the turn over at apogee, everything. Lands fine on grass, asphalt, cement, dirt, about anything. Wish they were available again. TOO EXPENSIVE on Ebay. $40 plus shipping? You've got to be kidding.
I have a couple of Snitches, they are great.

Options until Estes re-releases include free designs or purchased saucers from

https://www.artapplewhite.com/
 
One more vote for the 36 Squared-D a dorky looking but great two engine cluster.

And the Longshot--an easy to build two stager and the only two stager I ever had any success with.

Runner up, purely for nostalgia: The original Camroc circa 1966 or so. But, then I'd have to somehow re-create my darkroom and its out of production chemicals, film, paper...

I don't suppose someone from Estes is reading all this???
 
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One more vote for the 36 Squared-D a dorky looking but great two engine cluster.

And the Longshot--an easy to build two stager and the only two stager I ever had any success with.

Runner up, purely for nostalgia: The original Camroc circa 1966 or so. But, then I'd have to somehow re-create my darkroom and its oup chemicals, film, paper...

I don't suppose someone from Estes is reading all this???
Why not something that LOOKS exactly like the Camroc, but with a single shot digital camera...
 
"Why not something that LOOKS exactly like the Camroc, but with a single shot digital camera..."

Yeah, that works for me.
 
"Why not something that LOOKS exactly like the Camroc, but with a single shot digital camera..."

Yeah, that works for me.
Still think they would have a winner with a nose cone or payload section with a camera lens pointed aft. Basically the keychain camera, just customized to fit aerodynamically into a BT 50 cone or payload bay
 
Still think they would have a winner with a nose cone or payload section with a camera lens pointed aft. Basically the keychain camera, just customized to fit aerodynamically into a BT 50 cone or payload bay
I totally agree with this, and frankly I'm surprised they haven't pursued this. I would think this would be appealing to beginners browsing at Hobby Lobby etc., as well as more advanced modelers who want something they could swap onto an LPR.
 
Still think they would have a winner with a nose cone or payload section with a camera lens pointed aft. Basically the keychain camera, just customized to fit aerodynamically into a BT 50 cone or payload bay

Estes tried 5-6 years ago to use a stock keychain camera with some sort of mount on the side of a body tube.
I was one of the folks who tried it out.

The camera was difficult to activate and use so the project was dropped.

I agree that a digital camera (Still and/or video) would make a great product.
Perhaps the new Estes owners will eventually bring one to market.
 
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